The Poetical Works of John Langhorne ... To which are prefixed, Memoirs of the Author by his Son the Rev. J. T. Langhorne ... In Two Volumes |
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Filiation.
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 | The Poetical Works of John Langhorne |  |
Filiation.
Oh, more than Goths, who yet decline to raze
That pest of James's puritanic days,
The savage law
that barb'rously ordains
For female virtue lost a felon's pains!—
Dooms the poor maiden, as her fate severe,
To toil and chains a long-enduring year.
That pest of James's puritanic days,
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For female virtue lost a felon's pains!—
Dooms the poor maiden, as her fate severe,
To toil and chains a long-enduring year.
Th' unnatural monarch, to the sex unkind,
An owl obscene, in learning's sunshine blind!
Councils of pathics, cabinets of tools,
Benches of knaves, and parliaments of fools!
Fanatic fools, that, in those twilight times,
With wild religion cloak'd the worst of crimes!—
Hope we from such a crew, in such a reign,
For equal laws, or policy humane?
An owl obscene, in learning's sunshine blind!
Councils of pathics, cabinets of tools,
Benches of knaves, and parliaments of fools!
Fanatic fools, that, in those twilight times,
With wild religion cloak'd the worst of crimes!—
Hope we from such a crew, in such a reign,
For equal laws, or policy humane?
Here, then, O Justice, thy own power forbear;
The sole protector of th' unpitied fair.
Tho' long intreat the ruthless overseer;
Tho' the loud vestry tease thy tortur'd ear;
Tho' all to acts, to precedents appeal,
Mute be thy pen, and vacant rest thy seal.
The sole protector of th' unpitied fair.
Tho' long intreat the ruthless overseer;
Tho' the loud vestry tease thy tortur'd ear;
Tho' all to acts, to precedents appeal,
Mute be thy pen, and vacant rest thy seal.
Yet shalt thou know, nor is the diff'rence nice,
The casual fall from impudence of vice.
Abandon'd guilt by active laws restrain,
But pause.....if Virtue's slightest spark remain.
Left to the shameless lash, the hard'ning gaol,
The fairest thoughts of modesty would fail.
The casual fall from impudence of vice.
Abandon'd guilt by active laws restrain,
But pause.....if Virtue's slightest spark remain.
Left to the shameless lash, the hard'ning gaol,
The fairest thoughts of modesty would fail.
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The down-cast eye, the tear that flows amain,
As if to ask her innocence again;
The plaintive babe, that slum'bring seem'd to lie
On her soft breast, and wakes at the heav'd sigh;
The cheek that wears the beauteous robe of shame;
How loth they leave a gentle breast to blame!
As if to ask her innocence again;
The plaintive babe, that slum'bring seem'd to lie
On her soft breast, and wakes at the heav'd sigh;
The cheek that wears the beauteous robe of shame;
How loth they leave a gentle breast to blame!
Here, then, O Justice, thy own power forbear;—
The sole protector of th' unpitied fair!
The sole protector of th' unpitied fair!
| The Poetical Works of John Langhorne | |