My Mind and its Thoughts, in Sketches, Fragments, and Essays

Kind is the gift of fire! whose power
Man, with restraining art, shall guide;
Friend of his dear domestic hour,
To all his bosom'd joys allied;
While round his heart, with sparkling ray,
It cheers the shivering stranger's dreary way

Nor to the social scene alone,
Does the bright element belong,
Hence science claims her radiant throne,
And bears her world of thought along:
And hence mechanic arts arise,
Inventive, useful, beautiful, and wise.

And as to man's imperial kind
Alone the charm of speech was given.
Alone the clear, perceptive mind,
An image of reflected heaven;
He dares with ruling hand aspire,
To wake and win the slumbering life of FIRE.

Yet should, with wild unlicensed sway,
The subject flame rebellious soar,
No more that ruling hand obey—
Friend of the social scene no more;
Wide breaking with disastrous light,
Portentous on the curtain'd calm of night:

Around the wealth embellished dome,
Bloodless the red destroyer flies;
Nor spares the poor man's wedded home,
Nor heeds the phrenzied parent's cries.
Though on her wakening senses steal,
All that a mother's suffering heart can feel.

To soothe—to save—still hovering near,
Rich Charity! thy cares extend,
With kind, consolatory tear,
And voice, like pitying heaven, descend
And help the helpless—and impart
Love that rewards—and hope that heals the heart.

University of Virginia Library

ODE

FOR THE ELEMENT OF FIRE.

COMPOSED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CHARITABLE FIRE SOCIETY, AND PERFORMED AT KING'S CHAPEL, BOSTON.