Then made Enquiries of the unhappy Youth,
Who told, nor Shame forbade him, all the Truth..
"Young Frederic Thompson, to a Chandler's Shop "By Harlots ordered, and afraid to stop ! "What! our good Merchant's Favourite, to be seen "In State so loathsome and in Dress so mean ?".
So thought the Seaman as he bade adieu, And, when in Port, related all he knew.
But Time was lost, Enquiry came too late,
Those whom he serv'd knew nothing of his Fate;
No! they had seiz'd on what the Sailor gave,
Nor bore Resistance from their abject Slave;
The Spoil obtain'd, they cast him from the Door,
Robb'd, beaten, hungry, pain'd, diseas'd, and poor.
Then Nature (pointing to the only Spot
Which still had Comfort for so dire a Lot),
Although so feeble, led him on the Way,
And Hope look'd forward to an happier Day:
He thought, poor Prodigal! a Father yet
His Woes would pity and his Crimes forget;
Nor had he Brother who with Speech severe,
Would check the Pity or refrain the Tear:
A lighter Spirit in his Bosom rose,
As near the Road he sought an hour's Repose.
And there he found it: he had left the Town, But Buildings yet were scatter'd up and down ;
To one of these, half-ruin'd and half-built,
Was trac'd this Child of Wretchedness and Guilt;
There on the Remnant of a Beggar's Vest,
Thrown by in scorn! the Sufferer sought for Rest;
There was this Scene of Vice and Woe to close,
And there the wretched Body found Repose.
THE ALMS-HOUSE AND TRUSTEES.
Do good by stealth, and blush to find it Fame.
There are a sort of Men whose visages
Do cream and mantle like a standing pool,
And do a wilful stillness entertain:
With purpose to be drest in an opinion,
As who should say, I am Sir Oracle,
And when I ope my lips let no dog bark.'
Sum felix; quis enim neget? felixque manebo;
Hoc quoque quis dubitet? Tutum me copia fecit.
THE ALMS-HOUSE AND TRUSTEES.
The frugal Merchant.-Rivalship in Modes of Frugality.-Private Exceptions to the general Manners.-Alms-House built. -Its Description.-Founder dies.-Six Trustees.-Sir Denys Brand, a principal.-His Eulogium in the Chronicles of the Day. Truth reckoned invidious on these Occasions.-An Explanation of the Magnanimity and Wisdom of Sir Denys.— His kinds of Moderation and Humility.-Laughton, his Successor, a planning, ambitious, wealthy Man-Advancement in Life his perpetual Object, and all Things made the Means of it. His Idea of Falsehood,-His Resentment dangerous: how removed. Success produces Love of Flattery: his daily Gratification.-His Merits and Acts of Kindness.-His proper Choice of Almsmen.-In this respect meritorious.-His Predecessor not so cautious.
THE ALMS-HOUSE AND TRUSTEES.
LEAVE now our Streets, and in yon Plain behold
Those pleasant Seats for the Reduc'd and Old ;
A Merchant's Gift, whose Wife and Children died,
When he to saving all his Powers applied;
He wore his Coat till every Thread was bare,
And fed his Body with the meanest Fare:
He had a female Cousin, who with care
Walk'd in his Steps and learn'd of him to spare;
With Emulation and Success they strove,
Improving still, still seeking to improve,
As if that useful Knowledge they would gain-
How little Food would human Life sustain :
No Pauper came their Table's Crumbs to crave,
Scraping they liv'd, but not a Scrap they gave:
When Beggars saw the frugal Merchant pass,
It moved their Pity, and they said "Alas!
"Hard is thy Fate, my Brother," and they felt
A Beggar's Pride as they that Pity dealt :
The Dogs, who learn of Man to scorn the Poor,
Bark'd him away from ev'ry decent Door ;
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