 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
SELF-DECEIT.
Will no Experience make poor Mortals wise?
Nor Hopes deceiv'd, nor disappointed Joys?
Will they be still decoy'd by empty Dreams,
And trust their own imaginary Schemes?
Nor Hopes deceiv'd, nor disappointed Joys?
Will they be still decoy'd by empty Dreams,
And trust their own imaginary Schemes?
'Tis GOD's Command, and sure it ought to move,
That as ourselves we should our Neighbour love:
But human Nature, ever prone to Ill,
Resists the Dictates of Almighty Will;
We, partial to ourselves, hold nothing dear,
Where Int'rest has not a proportion'd Share.
If once defrauded by the Man of Trade,
We cautious grow, and are of Knaves afraid:
Or if a Friend betray his secret Trust,
We shun the Person of the base Unjust.
But, self-deceiv'd, we soon the Fraud forget,
Soon trust the greatest, and most dang'rous Cheat:
Each Day deluded, baffled ev'ry Hour,
Credit again our ever-failing Pow'r.
On Time and Thought for future Good depend,
And make not him, that is All-good, our Friend.
Hence spring our fruitless Hopes, and daily Fears,
Our endless Toils and everlasting Cares.
Our easy Confidence is centred wrong,
And on our selves we build a Faith too strong.
Then, let us all our ways to God submit,
And trust no more our own fallacious Wit.
That as ourselves we should our Neighbour love:
But human Nature, ever prone to Ill,
Resists the Dictates of Almighty Will;
123
Where Int'rest has not a proportion'd Share.
If once defrauded by the Man of Trade,
We cautious grow, and are of Knaves afraid:
Or if a Friend betray his secret Trust,
We shun the Person of the base Unjust.
But, self-deceiv'd, we soon the Fraud forget,
Soon trust the greatest, and most dang'rous Cheat:
Each Day deluded, baffled ev'ry Hour,
Credit again our ever-failing Pow'r.
On Time and Thought for future Good depend,
And make not him, that is All-good, our Friend.
Hence spring our fruitless Hopes, and daily Fears,
Our endless Toils and everlasting Cares.
Our easy Confidence is centred wrong,
And on our selves we build a Faith too strong.
124
And trust no more our own fallacious Wit.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |