Classic Poem

Occasioned by his Dialogues on Anger and Forgiveness

I .

'Twas when th' omniscient creative pow'r
Display'd his wonders by a mortal's hand,
And, delegated at th' appointed hour,
Great Moses led away his chosen band;
When Israel's host, with all their stores,
Past thro' the ruby-tinctur'd crystal shores,
The wilderness of waters and of land:
Then persecution rag'd in heav'n's own cause,
And right on neighbouring kingdoms to infringe,
Strict justice for the breach of nature's laws,
Strict justice, who's full-sister to revenge:
The legislator held the scythe of fate,
Where'er his legions chanc'd to stray,
Death and destruction mark'd their bloody way;
Immoderate was their rage, for mortal was their hate.

II .

But when the king of righteousness arose,
And on the illumin'd East serenely smil'd,
He shone with meekest mercy on his foes;
Bright as the sun, but as the moon-beams mild;
From anger, fell revenge, and discord free,
He bad war's hellish clangor cease,
In pastoral simplicity and peace,
And shew'd to men that face, which Moses could not see.

III .

Well hast thou, Webster , pictur'd christian love,
And copied our great master's fair design,
But livid Envy would the light remove,
Or croud thy portrait in a nook malign —
The Muse shall hold it up to popular view —
Where the more candid and judicious few
Shall think the bright original they see,
The likeness nobly lost in the identity.

IV .

Oh hadst thou liv'd in better days than these,
Ere to excel by all was deem'd a shame!
Alas! thou hast no modern arts to please,
And to deserve is all thy empty claim.
Else thou'dst been plac'd, by learning, and by wit,
There, where thy dignify'd inferiors sit —
Oh they are in their generation wise,
Each path of interest they have sagely trod, —
To live — to thrive — to rise — and still to rise —
Better to bow to men, than kneel to God.

V .

Behold! — where poor unmansion'd Merit stands,
All cold, and crampt with penury and pain;
Speechless thro' want, she rears th' imploring hands,
And begs a little bread, but begs in vain;
While Bribery and Dulness, passing by,
Bid her, in sounds barbarian, starve and die
" Away (they cry) we never saw thy name
Or in Preferment's List, or that of Fame;
Away — nor here the fate thou earn'st bewail,
Who canst not buy a vote, nor hast a soul for sale. "

VI .

Oh Indignation, wherefore wert thou given,
If drowsy Patience deaden all thy rage? —
Yet we must bear — such is the will of heaven;
And, Webster , so prescribes thy candid page.
Then let us hear thee preach seraphic love,
Guide our disgusted thoughts to things above;
So our free souls, fed with divine repast,
(Unmindful of low mortals mean employ)
Shall taste the present, recollect the past,
And strongly hope for every future joy.