The heart's infanity admits no cure. Enrag'd the more, by what might have reform'd His horrible intent, again he fought Destruction, with a zeal to be deftroy'd, With founding whip, and rowels died in blood. Spar'd yet again th' ignobler, for his fake. And now, his prowefs prov'd, and his fincere Incurable obduracy evinc'd, His rage grew cool; and, pleas'd perhaps t' have ear So cheaply the renown of that attempt, With looks of fome complacence he refum'd His road, deriding much the blank amaze Of good Evander, still where he was left Fixt motionless, and petrified with dread. The rude companion fmil'd, as if transform'd. An unfufpected ftorm. His hour was come. The impious challenger of Pow'r divine Was now to learn that Heav'n, though flow to wrath, Is never with impunity defied. His horfe, as he had caught his master's mood, Snorting, and starting into fudden råge, Unbidden, and not now to be control'd, Rush'd to the cliff, and, having reach'd it, stood. I would not enter on my lift of friends (Though grac'd with polish'd manners and fine fenfe, Yet wanting fenfibility) the man Who needlessly fets foot upon a worm. Will tread afide, and let the reptile live. Sacred to neatness and repose-th' alcove, Not fo when, held within their proper bounds, The fum is this.-If man's convenience, health, Or fafety, interfere, his rights and claims. Are paramount, and must extinguish their's. As God was free to form them at the first, By budding ills, that ask a prudent hand To check them. But, alas! none fooner fhoots, If unrestrain'd, into luxuriant growth, Than cruelty, moft dev'lish of them all. Mercy to him that shows it, is the rule And righteous limitation of its act, By which Heav'n moves in pard'ning guilty man; And he that shows none, being ripe in years, And confcious of the outrage he commits, Shall feek it, and not find it, in his turn. Diftinguish'd much by reafon, and still more By our capacity of grace divine, From creatures that exift but for our fake, Not more on human help than we on their's. In aid of our defects. In fome are found Such teachable and apprehenfive parts, That man's attainments in his own concerns, Match'd with th' expertnefs of the brutes in their's, port And figure of the man, his fecret aim, That oft we owe our fafety to a skill We could not teach, and must despair to learn. |