The Borough | Page 9

her tears;?His stubborn features half admit a smile,?And his tone softens--"Well! I'll wait awhile."?Pity! a man so good, so mild, so meek,?At such an age, should have his bread to seek;?And all those rude and fierce attacks to dread.?That are more harrowing than the want of bread;?Ah! who shall whisper to that misery peace!?And say that want and insolence shall cease?
"But why not publish?"--those who know too well,?Dealers in Greek, are fearful 'twill not sell;?Then he himself is timid, troubled, slow,?Nor likes his labours nor his griefs to show;?The hope of fame may in his heart have place,?But he has dread and horror of disgrace;?Nor has he that confiding, easy way,?That might his learning and himself display;?But to his work he from the world retreats,?And frets and glories o'er the favourite sheets.
But see! the Man himself; and sure I trace?Signs of new joy exulting in that face?O'er care that sleeps--we err, or we discern?Life in thy looks--the reason may we learn?
"Yes," he replied, "I'm happy, I confess,?To learn that some are pleased with happiness?Which others feel--there are who now combine?The worthiest natures in the best design,?To aid the letter'd poor, and soothe such ills as mine.?We who more keenly feel the world's contempt,?And from its miseries are the least exempt;?Now Hope shall whisper to the wounded breast?And Grief, in soothing expectation, rest.
"Yes, I am taught that men who think, who feel,?Unite the pains of thoughtful men to heal;?Not with disdainful pride, whose bounties make?The needy curse the benefits they take;?Not with the idle vanity that knows?Only a selfish joy when it bestows;?Not with o'erbearing wealth, that, in disdain,?Hurls the superfluous bliss at groaning pain;?But these are men who yield such blest relief,?That with the grievance they destroy the grief;?Their timely aid the needy sufferers find,?Their generous manner soothes the suffering mind;?There is a gracious bounty, form'd to raise?Him whom it aids; their charity is praise;?A common bounty may relieve distress,?But whom the vulgar succour they oppress;?This though a favour is an honour too,?Though Mercy's duty, yet 'tis Merit's due;?When our relief from such resources rise,?All painful sense of obligation dies;?And grateful feelings in the bosom wake,?For 'tis their offerings, not their alms we take.
"Long may these founts of Charity remain,?And never shrink, but to be fill'd again;?True! to the Author they are now confined,?To him who gave the treasure of his mind,?His time, his health,--and thankless found mankind:?But there is hope that from these founts may flow?A side-way stream, and equal good bestow;?Good that may reach us, whom the day's distress?Keeps from the fame and perils of the Press;?Whom Study beckons from the Ills of Life,?And they from Study; melancholy strife!?Who then can say, but bounty now so free,?And so diffused, may find its way to me?
"Yes! I may see my decent table yet?Cheer'd with the meal that adds not to my debt;?May talk of those to whom so much we owe,?And guess their names whom yet we may not know;?Blest, we shall say, are those who thus can give,?And next who thus upon the bounty live;?Then shall I close with thanks my humble meal.?And feel so well--Oh, God! how shall I feel!" {2}
LETTER IV.
. . . . . . . . . . . But cast your eyes again?And view those errors which new sects maintain,?Or which of old disturbed the Church's peaceful reign;?And we can point each period of the time?When they began and who begat the crime;?Can calculate how long th' eclipse endured;?Who interposed; what digits were obscured;?Of all which are already passed away?We knew the rise, the progress, and decay.
DRYDEN, Hind and Panther
Oh, said the Hind, how many sons have you?Who call you mother, whom you never knew!?But most of them who that relation plead?Are such ungracious youths as wish you dead;?They gape at rich revenues which you hold,?And fain would nibble at your grandame gold.
ibid.

SECTS AND PROFESSIONS IN RELIGION.
Sects and Professions in Religion are numerous and successive-- General effect of false Zeal--Deists--Fanatical Idea of Church Reformers--The Church of Rome--Baptists--Swedenborgians--?Univerbalists--Jews--Methodists of two Kinds: Calvinistic and Arminian--The Preaching of a Calvinistic Enthusiast--His contempt of Learning--Dislike to sound Morality: why--His Ideas of Conversion-- His Success and Pretensions to Humility. The Arminian Teacher of the older Flock--Their Notions of the operations and power of Satan- -Description of his Devices--Their opinion of regular Ministers-- Comparison of these with the Preacher himself--A Rebuke to his Hearers; introduces a description of the powerful Effects of the Word in the early and awakening Days of Methodism.
"SECTS in Religion?"--Yes of every race?We nurse some portion in our favour'd place;?Not one warm preacher of one growing sect?Can say our Borough treats him with neglect:?Frequent as fashions they with us appear,?And you might ask, "how think we for the year?"?They come to us as riders in a trade,?And with much art exhibit and persuade.
Minds are for