Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, But God will never. When he charg'd the Jew T'assist his foe's down-fallen beast to rise; And when the bush-exploring boy, that seiz'd The young, to let the parent bird go free; Prov'd he not plainly that his meaner works Are yet his care, and have an int'rest all, All, in the universal Father's love? On Noah, and in him on all mankind, The charter was conferr'd, by which we hold O'er all we feed on pow'r of life and death. The Governor of all, himself to all So bountiful, in whose attentive ear The unfledg'd raven and the lion's whelp To interfere, though in so just a cause; Of inj'ry, with such knowledge of their strength, That oft the beast has seem'd to judge the man. An ancient, not a legendary tale, By one of sound intelligence rehears'd, (If such who plead for Providence may seem In modern eyes) shall make the doctrine clear. Where England, stretch'd towards the setting sun, Narrow and long, o'erlooks the western wave, } Deserving honour, but for wisdom more. A stranger to the manners of the youth, At sight of the man-monster. With a smile Gentle, and affable, and full of grace, As fearful of offending whom he wish'd Much to persuade, he plied his ear with truths Not harshly thunder'd forth or rudely press'd, But, like his purpose, gracious, kind, and sweet. "And dost thou dream," th' impenetrable man Exclaim'd," that me the lullabies of age, "And fantasies of dotards, such as thou, "Can cheat, or move a moment's fear in me? "Mark now the proof I give thee, that the brave "Need no such aids as superstition lends "To steel their hearts against the dread of death." He spoke, and to the precipice at hand Push'd with a madman's fury. Fancy shrinks, And the blood thrills and curdles, at the thought Of such a gulph as he design'd his grave. But, though the felon on his back could dare The dreadful leap, more rational, his steed Declin'd the death, and wheeling swiftly round, Or e'er his hoof had press'd the crumbling verge, Baffled his rider, sav'd against his will! The frenzy of the brain may be redress'd By med'cine well applied, but without grace With sounding whip, and rowels died in blood. Spar'd yet again th' ignobler, for his sake. And now, his prowess prov'd, and his sincere Incurable obduracy evinc'd, His rage grew cool; and, pleas'd perhaps t' have earn'd So cheaply the renown of that attempt, |