Thy misery and our shame; For Mercy shall go forth. To stablish Order, with an armed right hand; And firm Authority, With its all-present strength, control the bad, And, with its all-sufficient shield, Protect the innocent: The first great duty this of lawful Power, Which holds its delegated right from Heaven. 9. The first great duty this: but this not all; More than to watch insidious discontent, Curb and keep curbed the treasonable tongue, And quell the maddened multitude: Labors of love remain; To weed out noxious customs, rooted deep Improve the willing mind, And thou hast children able to perform Might with the strength of duty reach their souls; The impulse and the force of free good-will! The severed links of that appointed chain, In mutual benefit, So binding heart to heart, It then connecteth Earth with Heaven, from whence The golden links depend. 11. Nor when the war is waged Of Darkness, will your aid Be wanting in the cause of Light and Love, What though the Romanist, in numbers strong, And bigotry's blind force, Assail your Fortress; though the sons of Schism Join in insane alliance with that old, Weening thereby to wreak What though the unbelieving crew, Set up their fiercest yell, to augment The uproar of assault, Clad in your panoply will ye be found, Wielding the spear of Reason, with the sword Of Scripture girt; and from your shield of Truth Such radiance shall go forth, As when, unable to sustain its beams Earth-born Orgoglio reeled, as if with wine; Her three-crowned mitre in the dust devolved, And all her secret filthiness exposed. 12. O thou fair Island, with thy Sister Isle Dear pledges hast thou rendered and received Deposited, doth Taylor's holy dust O land profuse of genius and of worth! Largely hast thou received, and largely given. 13. Green Island of the West! The example of unspotted Ormond's faith And that great Orator who first Unmasked the harlot sorceress Anarchy, What time, in Freedom's borrowed form profaned, She to the nations round Her draught of witchcraft gave; O'erthrew her giant offspring in his strength, Proud of such debt, Rich to be thus indebted, these, Fair Island, Sister Queen Of Ocean, Ireland! these to thee we owe. 14. Shall I then imprecate A curse on them that would divide That he should scatter curses? King of kings, Father of all, Almighty, Governor But in thy mercy, to confound These men's devices: Lord, Lighten their darkness with thy Gospel light, And thus abate their pride, Assuage their malice thus! KESWICK, 1821. ODE WRITTEN AFTER THE KING'S VISIT TO SCOTLAND. 1. AT length hath Scotland seen Hath gladdened once again Her ancient palace, desolate how long! Highland and lowland, glen and fertile carse, By the free impulse of the loyal heart, Her sons have gathered, and beheld their King. |