28 



E> en soft Compassion holds the saving knife 

 That lops the member, to preserve the life. 



Forbid it, Heaven ! that every crime should draw 

 The trenchant sword of unrelenting law, 

 Except v/hen deadly guilt the wound requires, 

 Pregnant with plagues, and lit witli Stygian fires ; 

 The guilt was nmtual here ; the lust of gold 

 Foster'd the fiend to license uncontroU'd : 

 No strong corrective hand his rage represt, 

 Till his dark venom boil'd in every breast. 



The strictest laws of Nemesis abjure 

 That wanton cruelty that kills to cure, 

 And wades thro' deluges of blood, to claim 

 For deeds of ruthless stamp, a lasting name ; 

 Or with a causeless and unbounded rage 

 Which Mercy tries in vain to melt orsuage ; 

 For solitary crimes with deadly wrath 

 Consigns a guiltless hecatomb to death. 

 The Muse might here indulge an amj)le view, 

 And this important theme at large pursue ; 

 But Modesty forbids the depths toscan, 

 That sliew the duties, and the claims of man. 

 Censure and Envy, with malignant eyes. 

 In me a partial bias might surmise ; 

 But this, at least, is clear, that careless swaj'^, 

 And absence of a King, to num'rous ills betray. 



To trace the course of wrong no more the Muse 

 Attempts, but now her former theme pursues, 

 Nor longer now forsakes the path assign'd 

 To sow the seeds of wisdom in the wind ; 

 Gladly she turns to that advent'rous band, 

 Whose gallant deeds a nobler flight demand ; 

 Ambitious to consign to endless fame 

 The glory of each far distinguish'd name ; 

 But ah ! a nobler palm than she can give 

 These youths demand to bid their memory live. 

 Yet even this monument of rustic praise, 

 That such an humble bard as I can raise. 

 To times remote may send their glories down, 

 And other ages hear their long renown ; 

 Till unborn heroes, kindling at the view, 

 Shall bid the fair example live anew. 



