Wide o'er Europa's trembling lands Victorious speed the murderous bands; Where'er they spread their powerful sway, Fell Desolation marks their way; Unhurt, amid a warring world, alone Britannia sits secure, firm on her island throne. When thunders roar, when lightnings fly, When howling tempests shake the sky, Is more endear'd the sheltering dome, More sweet the social joys of home; Fondly her eye, lo Albion throws
On the tried partner of her weal and woes, Each tie to closer union draws,
By mingled rights and mingled laws; Then turns averse from Gallia's guilty field,
And tears with generous pride the lilies from her shield. Albion and Erin's kindred race,
Long as your Sister Isles the seas embrace; Long as the circling tides your shores that lave, Waft your united banners o'er the wave;
Wide thro' the deep commercial wealth to spread, Or hurl destruction on th' oppressor's head! May Heaven on each unconquer'd nation shower Eternal concord, and increasing power: And as, in History's awful page, Immortal virtue shall proclaim
To every clime, thro' every age,
Imperial George's patriot fame,
That parent care shall win her warmest smiles,
Which rear'd 'mid Ocean's reign the Empire of the Isles.
[From POEMS translated from the FRENCH of MADAME DE LA MOTHE GUION, by the late WILLIAM COWPER, Esq.]
HAT virtue or what mental grace
W But men unqualified and base
Will boast it their possession? Profusion apes the noble part
Of liberality of heart,
And dulness of discretion.
If ev'ry polish'd gem we find Illuminating heart or mind,
Provoke to imitation;
No wonder friendship does the same, That jewel of the purest flame,
Or rather constellation.
Candid and generous and just Boys care but little whom they trust, An error soon corrected-
For who but learns in riper years, That man when smoothest he appears Is most to be suspected ?
But here again a danger lies, Lest having misapply'd our eyes And taken trash for treasure, We should unwarily conclude Friendship a false ideal good, A mere Utopian pleasure.
An acquisition rather rare, Is yet no subject of despair; Nor is it wise complaining, If either on forbidden ground, Or where it was not to be found, We sought without attaining.
No friendship will abide the test That stands on sordid interest Or mean self-love erected; Nor such as may awhile subsist Between the sot and sensualist For vicious ends connected.
Who seeks a friend, should come dispos'd T'exhibit in full bloom disclos'd
The graces and the beauties That form the character he seeks; For 'tis an union that bespeaks Reciprocated duties.
Mutual attention is implied, And equal truth on either side, And constantly supported;
'Tis senseless arrogance t' accuse Another of sinister views,
Our own as much distorted.
But will sincerity suffice? It is indeed above all price, And must be made the basis; But every virtue of the soul Must constitute the charming whole, All shining in their places.
A fretful temper will divide The closest knot that may be tied, By ceaseless sharp corrosion; A temper passionate and fierce May suddenly your joys disperse At one immense explosion.
In vain the talkative unite In hopes of permanent delight- The secret just committed, Forgetting its important weight, They drop through mere desire to prate, And by themselves outwitted.
How bright soe'er the prospect seems, All thoughts of friendship are but dreams If envy chance to creep in: An envious man, if you succeed, May prove a dang'rous foe indeed, But not a friend worth keeping.
As Envy pines at good possess'd, So Jealousy looks forth distress'd On good that seems approaching, And if success his steps attend, Discerns a rival in a friend,
And hates him for encroaching.
Hence authors of illustrious name, Unless belied by common fame, Are sadly prone to quarrel, To deem the wit a friend displays A tax upon their own just praise, And pluck each others laurel.
A man renown'd for repartee Will seldom scruple to make free
With friendship's finest feeling, Will thrust a dagger at your breast, And say he wounded you in jest, By way of balm for healing.
To prove at last my main intent Needs no expense of argument, No cutting and contriving- Seeking a real friend we seem T'adopt the chemist's golden dream, With still less hope of thriving.
Sometimes the fault is all our own, Some blemish in due time made known By trespass or omission; Sometimes occasion brings to light Our friend's defect long hid from sight, And even from suspicion.
Then judge yourself, and prove your man As circumspectly as you can; And, having made election, Beware no negligence of yours, Such as a friend but ill endures, Enfeeble his affection.
That secrets are a sacred trust, That friends should be sincere and just, That constancy befits them, Are observations on the case That savour much of common place, And all the world admits them.
But 'tis not timber, lead, and stone, An architect requires alone To finish a fine building- The palace were but half complete, If he could possibly forget
The carving and the gilding.
The man that hails you, Tom or Jack, And proves by thumps upon your back How he esteems your merit,
Is such a friend, that one had need Be very much his friend indeed To pardon or to bear it.
As similarity of mind, Or something not to be defin'd, First fixes our attention; So manners decent and polite, The same we practis'd at first sight, Must save it from declension.
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