Ah! see the pheasant fluttering in the brake, Green, azure, gold, but undistinguish'd gore! Yet spare the tenants of the silver lake! I call in vain-They gasp upon the shore. A yet ignobler band is guarded round With dogs of war-the spurning bull their prize : And now he bellows, humbled to the ground, And now they sprawl in howlings to the skies. You too must feel their missile weapon's power, Whose clarion charms the midnight's sullen air; Thou, the morn's harbinger, must mourn the hour *Vigil to fasts and penitence and prayer. Must fatal wars of human avarice wage, For milder conflicts, Love their palm, design'd: Now sheath'd in steel, must rival Reason's rage, Deal mutual death and emulate mankind. Are these your sovereign joys, Creation's lords? Nor plead necessity, thou man of blood! Yet slay the wolf for safety, lamb for food; Ah! rather turn, and breathe this evening gale, Shrove Tuesday. See pasturing heifers with the bull, who wields Yet budding horns, and wounds alone the soil; Or see the panting spaniel try the fields, While bursting coveys mock his wanton toil! Now feel the steed with youth's elastic force Spontaneous bound, yet bear thy kind control; Nor mangle all his sinews in the course, And fainting, staggering, lash him to the goal! Now sweetly pensive, bending o'er the stream, Mark the gay floating myriads, nor molest Their sports, their slumbers, but inglorious dream Of evil fled and all Creation bless'd! Or else, beneath thy porch, in social joy To lure the wing'd domestics to repast! There smiling see a fop in swelling state, The turkey, strut with valour's red pretence, And duck row on with waddling honest gait, And goose mistake solemnity for sense! While one with front erect, in simple pride, Full firmly treads, his consort waits his call; Now deal the copious barley, waft it wide, That each may taste the bounty meant for all! Yon bashful songsters, with retorted eye Pursue the grain, yet wheel contracted flight; While he, the bolder sparrow, scorns to fly; A son of freedom claiming Nature's right. Liberal to him; yet still the wafted grain, Choicest for those of modest worth, dispense; And blessing Heaven that wakes their grateful strain, Let Heaven's best joy be thine, benevolence! While flocks' soft bleatings, echoing high and clear, The neigh of steeds responsive o'er the heath; Deep lowings sweeter melt upon thy ear Than screams of terror and the groans of death. Yet sounds of woe delight a giant brood: Fly then mankind, ye young, ye helpless old! For not their fury, a consuming flood, Distinguishes the shepherd, drowns the fold. But loosen once thy gripe, avenging law! See, as they reach Ambition's purple fruits, But see him, see the fiend that others stung, With scorpion conscience lash himself the last! See festering in the bosom where they sprung The fury passions that laid Nature waste! Behold the self-tormentor drag his chains, And weary Heaven with many a fruitless groan! By pining fasts, by voluntary pains, Revenging Nature's cause, he pleads his own. Yet prostrate, suppliant to the throne above, He calls down Heaven in thunders to pursue Heaven's fancied foes-O God of peace and love, The voice of thunder is no voice from you! Mistaken mortal! 'tis that God's decree To spare thy own, nor shed another's blood: Heaven breathes benevolence to all, to thee; Each being's bliss consummates general good. LOVIBOND. ON THE RECEIPT OF MY MOTHER'S PICTURE OUT OF NORFOLK. THE GIFT OF MY COUSIN ANNE BODHAM. O THAT those lips had language! Life has pass'd O welcome guest, though unexpected here! I will obey, not willingly alone, But gladly as the precept were her own: And, while that face renews my filial grief, A momentary dream, that thou art she. My mother! when I learn'd that thou wast dead, Thus many a sad to-morrow came and went, But, though I less deplored thee, ne'er forgot. more, Children not thine have trod my nursery floor; And where the gardener Robin, day by day, Drew me to school along the public way, |