Alfred An Heroic Poem, in Twenty-Four Books. By Joseph Cottle: 4th ed. |
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| XX. |
| XXI. |
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| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
 | Alfred |  |
‘Oddune, thy zeal doth but convince me more
‘That thou art one whom men so earnest seek,
‘So seldom find—a friend! that in thy heart
‘Thou lov'st thy country and would'st serve thy king:
‘But 'tis not honesty which always sees
‘The secret bounds, where rashness shews itself,
‘And courage ends! What tho' thy heart be pure,
‘Thy wisdom undisputed, yet thou know'st,
‘Thyself too well, to think the heavenly light,—
‘Infallible, resides within thy breast.
‘Tho' to thy weigh'd and fix'd opinions
‘Deference be due, yet in this certain point
‘With thee I differ, for to me it seems
‘Conduct most wise to act as I have said.’
‘That thou art one whom men so earnest seek,
‘So seldom find—a friend! that in thy heart
‘Thou lov'st thy country and would'st serve thy king:
‘But 'tis not honesty which always sees
‘The secret bounds, where rashness shews itself,
‘And courage ends! What tho' thy heart be pure,
‘Thy wisdom undisputed, yet thou know'st,
‘Thyself too well, to think the heavenly light,—
‘Infallible, resides within thy breast.
‘Tho' to thy weigh'd and fix'd opinions
‘Deference be due, yet in this certain point
‘With thee I differ, for to me it seems
‘Conduct most wise to act as I have said.’
| Alfred | |