30 LETTERS TO GILBERT WHITE 



No Bigot Zeal raves in each threat'ning Line, 

 But all Ezekiel's Tenderness is thine : 

 In Virtue's Friend we find ye Man appear, 

 The Sin is hated, but ye Sinner dear. 



Here may he learn, who, Eebell to his Heart, 



60 Perceives his Choice, but takes ye fatal part, 



Who sees, upon ye distant Mountain shine 

 Honour's bright Fane, that leads to Seats divine. 

 Who stops, tho' conscious of the glorious Scene, 

 Fears the rough Eoad, & dreads ye Hill between, 

 • Then turns his Step, where Vice, alluring laid, 

 Spreads her loose Limbs in ye wild Valley's Shade, 

 Where the soft Gale all Maia's Odour bears. 

 And Lydian Measures float on vernal airs, 

 Where ye rich Vintage & Circeian Bowl 



60 Steep ye lost Sense, & melt ye lustfuU Soul, 



Here may he learn to point Truth's potent Glass, 

 And bid ye vain delusive Vision pass. 



Here may He learn, who fears no Power on high, 

 But laughs, contemptuous of the vacant Sky, 

 How o'er our Lives ye God in secret moves. 

 Sees, yet remits ; or scourges where He loves ; 

 Thro' Ways perplex'd attends the known Design, 

 Tho' weav'd in Knots, the same continuous Line I 

 Doubly endear'd by Thee, each virtuous Call, 



70 Parental, fiUal, nuptial, social, all 



The soft affections of the milder Mind 

 Shall take a purer Cast, & rise refined. 



The Sons of Vice shall read ; and as they go 

 Thro' ye strong work, shall with strange Eaptures 



glow, 

 Touch'd, stung, o'ercome, shall hate the conquering 



Sin, 

 And wonder at the growing Grace within, 

 Like Israel's Sons, indignant burst their chain, 

 And in a better Sion long to reign. 



Letter 19. 



Sunbury, 



March 25, 1750. 

 Dear Gil : 



I am very well pleas'd that You approv'd of my verses to 

 Copper, because I really pleas'd myself in the writing of them, & 

 was too blind afterwards to correct. I never hit off any Thing 

 with so much Ease, & satisfaction, but I have worn out a little of 

 my parental Fondness now, & can see Some Faults. But You 



