Verses by John Frederick Bryant late tobacco-pipe maker at Bristol. Together with his life, written by himself |
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BENEVOLENCE. |
 | Verses by John Frederick Bryant |  |
56
BENEVOLENCE.
O heav'n-born Gratitude! that first attun'd
Creation's voice to sing creating love,
That strung with harmony the seraph's lyre,
And taught the first archangel's trump to sound;
Hail! thou heav'n-pleasing Pow'r! whose reign extends
Through ev'ry order down to my poor breast,
That now with joy expanded feels thy sway:
By thee inspir'd, with heart rejoic'd I sing
Benevolence, in human form divine,
That prompted Liberality's blest hand
(Generous) to deal, from Fortune's ample store,
That kind relief which gave my bosom ease!
Creation's voice to sing creating love,
That strung with harmony the seraph's lyre,
And taught the first archangel's trump to sound;
Hail! thou heav'n-pleasing Pow'r! whose reign extends
Through ev'ry order down to my poor breast,
That now with joy expanded feels thy sway:
By thee inspir'd, with heart rejoic'd I sing
Benevolence, in human form divine,
That prompted Liberality's blest hand
(Generous) to deal, from Fortune's ample store,
That kind relief which gave my bosom ease!
Sacred Benevolence! my humble song
Flows tributary from my heart to thee,
Heav'n's darling attribute! by whom on earth
The soul its form of Deity assumes,
And looks with gracious dignity around
(The pearls of pity starting from her eyes)
Chearing the hearts of Sorrow and Distress,
Till Sorrow's eye, resparkling, yields to joy,
And Misery's dejected victim smiles.
Flows tributary from my heart to thee,
Heav'n's darling attribute! by whom on earth
The soul its form of Deity assumes,
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(The pearls of pity starting from her eyes)
Chearing the hearts of Sorrow and Distress,
Till Sorrow's eye, resparkling, yields to joy,
And Misery's dejected victim smiles.
O thou blest city
! through whose bosom fair
Incessant flow thy ancient healing springs,
Warm with the breath of Heaven's benevolence,
By whom with precious qualities endow'd,
Long ages ere (proud on her pedestal)
The blue-ey'd goddess patroniz'd thy streams:
O Bath! within whose hospitable gates,
Unsought, unhop'd, Benevolence I found,
So far surpassing ev'ry sanguine wish,
That gratitude and joy o'erwhelm'd my soul!
For there the pow'rful sympathetic voice
Of soft Humanity had told my tale,
And generous Compassion lent her ear!
Incessant flow thy ancient healing springs,
Warm with the breath of Heaven's benevolence,
By whom with precious qualities endow'd,
Long ages ere (proud on her pedestal)
The blue-ey'd goddess patroniz'd thy streams:
O Bath! within whose hospitable gates,
Unsought, unhop'd, Benevolence I found,
So far surpassing ev'ry sanguine wish,
That gratitude and joy o'erwhelm'd my soul!
For there the pow'rful sympathetic voice
Of soft Humanity had told my tale,
And generous Compassion lent her ear!
And art thou seated in our favour'd isle?
With grateful pride does Albion boast thy wave,
Whose blessing but a favour'd few may share,
Gay Fortune's favourites, or the happy poor,
Whose humbler fortune plac'd them near to thee?
Yes! thou art seated in our favour'd isle;
Fair Albion owns thy salutary wave,
Which, if not yet accessible to all,
Far other are than partial to a few.
O! for example, view that thankful train
To health restor'd, with hopeful life renew'd,
Preparing now to meet the longing arms
Of those for whom their lives are doubly dear.
With these, of late the prey of dire disease,
Life-wearying Pain had fix'd her long abode,
Had spent her fury on their shrinking frames,
Perpetual, or with intermitting ease,
With aggravated torture to return.
Oft had they wish'd to prove the potent charm
Of thy bless'd fountains; oft had long'd to drink
(With eager thirst) the life-renewing draught,
Or lave their poor emaciated limbs,
And in thy waters lose their countless pangs.
But Fate their stations far remote had set,
And humble poverty remain'd their lot,
Which, by affliction render'd more extreme,
Made pinching want increase with racking pain,
While helpless love and kindred grief, combin'd
With pity, shed their unavailing tears.
With grateful pride does Albion boast thy wave,
Whose blessing but a favour'd few may share,
58
Whose humbler fortune plac'd them near to thee?
Yes! thou art seated in our favour'd isle;
Fair Albion owns thy salutary wave,
Which, if not yet accessible to all,
Far other are than partial to a few.
O! for example, view that thankful train
To health restor'd, with hopeful life renew'd,
Preparing now to meet the longing arms
Of those for whom their lives are doubly dear.
With these, of late the prey of dire disease,
Life-wearying Pain had fix'd her long abode,
Had spent her fury on their shrinking frames,
Perpetual, or with intermitting ease,
With aggravated torture to return.
Oft had they wish'd to prove the potent charm
Of thy bless'd fountains; oft had long'd to drink
(With eager thirst) the life-renewing draught,
Or lave their poor emaciated limbs,
And in thy waters lose their countless pangs.
But Fate their stations far remote had set,
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Which, by affliction render'd more extreme,
Made pinching want increase with racking pain,
While helpless love and kindred grief, combin'd
With pity, shed their unavailing tears.
At length their groans were heard; their sad distress
Sweet Mercy's eye beholding, wept; when straight
Awakening in the soften'd human breast,
O'er each less lib'ral impulse of the soul
Benevolence assum'd her nat'ral sway;
Bright shone fair Bounty in the splendid sphere
Of Affluence, for free and large she gave;
While Competence (though bare) with equal soul
To yield her mite abridg'd her mod'rate fare.
Sweet Mercy's eye beholding, wept; when straight
Awakening in the soften'd human breast,
O'er each less lib'ral impulse of the soul
Benevolence assum'd her nat'ral sway;
Bright shone fair Bounty in the splendid sphere
Of Affluence, for free and large she gave;
While Competence (though bare) with equal soul
To yield her mite abridg'd her mod'rate fare.
Thus from the distant mansion of distress
The poor, disorder'd, hopeless wretch is brought,
And (Heav'n's benevolence with human care
Gracious co-operating) soon restor'd
To friends and kindred (joyfully surpris'd)
A grateful being, bless'd with health and joy!
O! might this heart-felt sympathizing song
But wake Benevolence in some cold breast,
Where now perhaps she unsuspected lies
Buried in prejudice or sordid cares!
The poor, disorder'd, hopeless wretch is brought,
And (Heav'n's benevolence with human care
Gracious co-operating) soon restor'd
To friends and kindred (joyfully surpris'd)
A grateful being, bless'd with health and joy!
O! might this heart-felt sympathizing song
But wake Benevolence in some cold breast,
60
Buried in prejudice or sordid cares!
Proceed, my muse! but now expand the scene;
For now my native sea-surrounded land,
In mental prospect, grateful I survey,
Heaven's bounty marking all her wide extent.
Thrice happy Britain! once again to smile
With peace and plenty bless'd, with glory crown'd!
Thy sons, who lately brav'd the threat'ning world,
And scarce your equal match, the world combin'd,
Ye British subjects! to yourselves but true.
For now my native sea-surrounded land,
In mental prospect, grateful I survey,
Heaven's bounty marking all her wide extent.
Thrice happy Britain! once again to smile
With peace and plenty bless'd, with glory crown'd!
Thy sons, who lately brav'd the threat'ning world,
And scarce your equal match, the world combin'd,
Ye British subjects! to yourselves but true.
O Britain! O Ierne! durst the muse
Amid your counsels to intrude her song,
That harmony she loves she would advise!
Thus would she sing:—Let blest Concordia join
In one great int'rest ev'ry partial view;
And as ye 're sisters call'd, O! still be friends.
Abreast your sons have fought, abreast they bled,
And equal danger, death, or glory shar'd;
And still united may your strength remain,
To keep the tyrants of the world in awe!
With gratitude, ye Britons, call to mind
Yourselves, how bless'd above the nations round,
Strangers to Liberty, your noblest pride,
Whose air but breath'd gives freedom to the slave!
'Tis you that with security enjoy
What Fortune gives, or what Industry stores:
'Tis you that are of mind and body free;
For cursed Tyranny her hated name
Here dares not own, much less with lawless pow'r
To seize the legal property you hold,
To bind your bodies, or prescribe your faith.
Amid your counsels to intrude her song,
That harmony she loves she would advise!
Thus would she sing:—Let blest Concordia join
In one great int'rest ev'ry partial view;
And as ye 're sisters call'd, O! still be friends.
Abreast your sons have fought, abreast they bled,
And equal danger, death, or glory shar'd;
And still united may your strength remain,
To keep the tyrants of the world in awe!
With gratitude, ye Britons, call to mind
61
Strangers to Liberty, your noblest pride,
Whose air but breath'd gives freedom to the slave!
'Tis you that with security enjoy
What Fortune gives, or what Industry stores:
'Tis you that are of mind and body free;
For cursed Tyranny her hated name
Here dares not own, much less with lawless pow'r
To seize the legal property you hold,
To bind your bodies, or prescribe your faith.
O Liberty! thou blessing dear as life!
Who robs me but of thee is half a murth'rer.
There needs, 'tis true, society to shield
From craft and crimes, for laws to be in force,
And sad experience daily proves their use.
But, O ye injur'd! when ye prosecute,
And bring the trembling culprit to the bar,
For sake of Heaven do not aim revenge!—
And thou vindictive Being, that can'st hold
Immur'd within a prison's dreary walls
Thy brother for a debt he cannot pay;
A man, perhaps, who wears an honest heart,
Who wrestled with his fortune ere he fell,
But 'tis not ev'ry mortal's lot to thrive:
Perhaps, in all the bitterness of grief,
His hapless wife and offspring shed their tears,
Without a friend to soften their distress;
Perhaps in their distress they come to thee,
Beseeching mercy for the sake of Heav'n!
Inexorable wretch! see how they kneel,
And pray, with lifted hands and streaming eyes,
For mercy! heavenly mercy! Oh! from thee.—
Who robs me but of thee is half a murth'rer.
There needs, 'tis true, society to shield
From craft and crimes, for laws to be in force,
And sad experience daily proves their use.
But, O ye injur'd! when ye prosecute,
And bring the trembling culprit to the bar,
For sake of Heaven do not aim revenge!—
And thou vindictive Being, that can'st hold
Immur'd within a prison's dreary walls
Thy brother for a debt he cannot pay;
A man, perhaps, who wears an honest heart,
62
But 'tis not ev'ry mortal's lot to thrive:
Perhaps, in all the bitterness of grief,
His hapless wife and offspring shed their tears,
Without a friend to soften their distress;
Perhaps in their distress they come to thee,
Beseeching mercy for the sake of Heav'n!
Inexorable wretch! see how they kneel,
And pray, with lifted hands and streaming eyes,
For mercy! heavenly mercy! Oh! from thee.—
Alas! distress may plead, and grief may weep,
But nature long has left his callous breast,
Whose pity these so vainly hope to move
With pray'rs and tears. Ah! see, they wring their hands,
And yield to black despair, convinc'd at last,
Poor souls! they cried for mercy to a stone!
But nature long has left his callous breast,
Whose pity these so vainly hope to move
With pray'rs and tears. Ah! see, they wring their hands,
And yield to black despair, convinc'd at last,
Poor souls! they cried for mercy to a stone!
On such occasion, how will Malice pour
Her gloomy eloquence, replete with gall,
Horrid! exulting o'er the ruin'd wretch,
Regardless of the innocent involv'd;
Breathing detraction 'gainst deserv'd esteem,
Exaggerating where she meets with blame,
To pity still oppos'd her hateful tale:
Perhaps, “through pride, like Lucifer, he fell;
“With Ostentation's banners gay unfurl'd,
“In state self-elevated 'bove his peers,
“In each disbursement, Flatt'ry to reward,
“Luxuriance to supply, or gorge Excess,
“Profusion mark'd the squand'rer for her own.
“At length, a murther'd competence expir'd,
“Industry's toiling sons became his dupes,
“By splendor dazzled, or deceiv'd by lies,
“As witness their unsatisfied demands.
“Thus view'd his character, from first to last,
“Proud, prodigal, ambitious, and unjust,
“May no compassion reach the worthless wretch,
“To dissipation an example made,
“For richly has he merited his fall!”
Her gloomy eloquence, replete with gall,
Horrid! exulting o'er the ruin'd wretch,
Regardless of the innocent involv'd;
Breathing detraction 'gainst deserv'd esteem,
Exaggerating where she meets with blame,
63
Perhaps, “through pride, like Lucifer, he fell;
“With Ostentation's banners gay unfurl'd,
“In state self-elevated 'bove his peers,
“In each disbursement, Flatt'ry to reward,
“Luxuriance to supply, or gorge Excess,
“Profusion mark'd the squand'rer for her own.
“At length, a murther'd competence expir'd,
“Industry's toiling sons became his dupes,
“By splendor dazzled, or deceiv'd by lies,
“As witness their unsatisfied demands.
“Thus view'd his character, from first to last,
“Proud, prodigal, ambitious, and unjust,
“May no compassion reach the worthless wretch,
“To dissipation an example made,
“For richly has he merited his fall!”
Ah, Malice! granting thy assertions true,
Still human frailty human pity claims,
And God's bless'd word enjoins us to forgive!
Ev'n the poor criminal, whom Justice dooms
To expiation by a shameful death,
Though all the dire necessity will own,
Yet none should triumph o'er his hapless fate;
For ah! Humanity regrets the sight,
Weeps o'er the wretched victim to the laws,
And, calling bright Religion to her aid,
Cheers the repenting soul with hopes of Heav'n!
Still human frailty human pity claims,
And God's bless'd word enjoins us to forgive!
Ev'n the poor criminal, whom Justice dooms
To expiation by a shameful death,
Though all the dire necessity will own,
64
For ah! Humanity regrets the sight,
Weeps o'er the wretched victim to the laws,
And, calling bright Religion to her aid,
Cheers the repenting soul with hopes of Heav'n!
[To be continued.]
| Verses by John Frederick Bryant | |