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How would the glorious cause of Christ revive,
How would his church exalt its head and thrive,
If Isr'el the uplifted banner join'd,

And Judah gave his energetic mind.
Go, prudently, with just reformers aim,
Nations from basest bondage to reclaim;
Whose names for ever on her grateful breast
Much-injur'd Africa shall bear imprest.
Go o'er the world, like Howard nobly kind,
And mitigate the sorrows of mankind.
But if it be thy less illustrious doom,
To be confin'd reluctantly to home,

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Yet there, where'er thou canst, distress relieve, 200 And cheerfully, if poor, thy little give.

ple, of unnumbered millions upon millions. The prophet truly says, "The number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered." Hosea, i. 10.

The London Society have a vast work upon their hands, to teach and to assist the twelve tribes scattered through the world, many among whom are in a savage and wretched state. The society should be supported by most liberal contributions from all pious Christians. An Irish gentleman has subscribed fifty pounds per annum to the society; and a charitable lady has given to it (which is full as good) one thousand pounds at once. These noble gifts should excite the praise of all, and the imitation of the rich.

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The society should keep to the text of their profession, of " moting Christianity among the Jews," and place the restoration of Jerusalem, which is a distant thing, in the back ground.

Line 195. The British government, to their immortal honour, have, in this year of our Lord, 1807, ("Hear, O Heavens, and give ear, Ó Earth!") actually passed an act for the abolition of the slave trade; and, what is still more worthy of our exalted praise, have endeavoured to induce the Americans and the nations of Europe to concur in the just and humane design. It is not to be supposed, however, with candour, that they intend immediately to emancipate the negroes in the West Indies. That emancipation, to be beneficial, must be gradual.

Now is the time, therefore, to attempt, with the utmost care and diligence, the civilization and conversion of the Africans to the Christian faith. This should be done, in imitation of the apostles, with reason, and mildness, and without fraud. We have a certain and glorious prophecy in our favour, that "Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands to God " Psalm lxviii. verse 31.

Line 196, &c. I would recommend the reader to the very valuable writings of this amiable man; to his "State of Prisons," and his work" On Lazarettos." The benevolent man will find in the writings of Mr. Howard many hints how he may benefit his fellow

creatures.

Line 200. In London there are many opportunities for a Christian to exercise his benevolence. The disciple of Christ should always endeavour to be doing good to his fellow-creatures. The Scripture speaks of "Jesus of Nazareth, who went about doing good."

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To wipe the tear from the lone widow's eye,
To minister when hungry orphans cry ;
To see the sick man in imprisonment,
And with affection's hallow'd blandishment
To raise him drooping from affliction's pow'r,
As languishes in frost the tender flow'r;

To deeds like these, the Scripture says, is giv'n,
And not to pious forms, a seat in heav'n.

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O muse! on the lov'd theme delighted dwell,
With growing rapture, of its blessings tell.
In pain, 'tis pleasure; and in sickness, health;
In sorrow, friends; and e'en in begg'ry, wealth.
And it declares (ah, highly-pleasing thought,
With a perennial source of comfort fraught!)
That thou, whose with'ring and infectious breath,
Pervades thro' Nature, all-subduing Death!

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Acts, ix. 38. Archbishop Tillotson used to think, that the religious and humane institutions of London would keep the wrath of heaven from the city. They have increased since Tillotson's time; and may they for ever increase, until they can reasonably go no further!

The Bible societies in London deserve the highest encouragement. The Bible is often the best missionary.

About twenty years ago I conceived the design of recommending the institution of Bible societies, upon the plan of the British and Foreign Bible Society, throughout the Christian world. I mentioned my thoughts upon this subject to a bishop in Philadelphia, where I then resided, who highly approved of the plan. We endeavoured to form a Bible society at that time in Philadelphia, but without success. The bishop and others have lately succeeded in forming Bible societies in Philadelphia, and various parts of America.

I was at the first meeting in London for the formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and am happy in my conscience for all that I have done in this matter. As the British and Foreign Bible Society only print the authorized version of the Scriptures, the Bible itself of the church of England, I could never see a reasonable offence to the church by such conduct.

It should be the glorious and magnificent design of the British nation to spread the Bible in Great Britain and Ireland (it is particularly wanted in the latter country), and in every part, without exception, of the globe. This, with the establishment of schools, upon the plan of Dr. Bell and Mr. Lancaster, would be a powerful method of doing good; for the Bible, where it cannot be read, avails but little.

The "Society for the Discharge and Relief of Persons imprisoned for Small Debts," which was instituted in London, in the year of our Lord 1772, is conducted with a success in mitigating affliction, which, if he were now alive, might meet with the approbation of Mr. Howard himself. Still it is not my partial view, to recommend subscriptions for any one department of humanity, but to aid its universal

cause.

Declares the glad propitious day will come,
When thou thyself, thyself, shall meet thy doom!
Thou tyrant merciless! thou gormand fell!
Thou king of terror! meagre hound of hell!
Thy dart be broken, harmless be thy sting,
And all thy vassals vanish with their king!
Then the elect shall enter that abode,
Prepar'd for virtue by a bounteous God;
The Captain of Salvation at their head,
Under whose banuer they have fought or bled.
Where its bright guerdon shall receive its worth;
Where as the sun the righteous shall shine forth,
To whom in bliss eternal shall be giv'n
All the magnificent superb of heav'n;

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Where the calm breast shall never heave a sigh,
Nor ever tear shall trickle from the eye;

Where the sun's heat no more they shall deplore,

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Where thirst and hunger shall disturb no more; 235
But they shall be by their Redeemer fed,
By him to living founts of water led;
Supremely blest in everlasting joy,
That never palls, and never knows annoy;
Greater than aught luxuriant fancy feigns,
When in wild pleasure unconfin'd she reigns;
When they shall drink of rivers of delight,
In the glad confines of celestial light;
And brilliant on their foreheads bear display'd
A crown of glory that shall never fade;
When laughing scenes to charm the sight appear,
And heav'nly harmony delights the ear,
In all th' ethereal host's triumphant strain,
That thou Lord God Omnipotent dost reign.

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Line 236, &c. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. vii. 16, 17.

Line 241. "It is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath pre-1 pared for them that love him." 1 Cor. ii. 9.

Line 248 and 249. "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of

And now no more, like mariner forlorn,
At random by the winds and billows borne,
Perplex'd, I wander in a sea of doubt,
Without a compass, and a star without,
By whose unchanging lustre I may guide
My vessel o'er the vast and trackless tide :
For bright on high the sacred star appears,
And ev'ry danger of the passage cheers,
Directs me where my steady course to keep,
And gilds the sullen horrors of the deep.

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mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah; for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth; let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him." Rev. xix. 6.

POEMS

ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

The Fourth Edition.

GENERAL PREFACE.

A SCHOOLMASTER once called upon me to say, that he would recommend me to circulate my poems as much as possible, for I was ignorant of the good that they might do. He said he believed every girl in his school was the better for the poems, and that he made every one of them learn the Dying Prostitute, in particular, by heart. This with other things induced me to correct, enlarge, and circulate my poems.

I would not only wish to write morally myself, but to encourage that desire in others. A poet, as well as every other author, when he sits down to write to the world, especially if he is a man of genius, should consider that he is entering upon a very awful thing.

Our Saviour says, "that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." If every idle word in conversation is to be accounted for, how much more is every deliberate word in writing. If the works of an author should be popular, the good or the evil that he will do may be very extensive and permanent. His works may go over the world, and last for ever. It is from this stimulus, this wish to do good, from my talents, whatever they are, and not from any vulgar desire of praise or of profit, that I now write. As the celebrated Mr. Mason says, in the elegant and beautiful exordium to his poem, The English Garden,

"For deem not ye that I resume the lyre,

To court the world's applause, my years mature
Have learnt to slight the toy.-----

"

Many years ago, an old and much-esteemed Quaker waited upon me to supply me with some books and facts relative to the slave-trade, against which I was then writing, and said, "My dear friend, I love thee for thy generous indignation against the slave-trade, thou art right here; but for thy soul's sake beware, beware of poetry, for sometimes the preachers are nothing to the poets." Some have even gone so far as to say, "Give me your bards, and I will rule

your country."

There is a passion for writing epic poems, which prevails in our days, and which has been indulged by some men of very considerable talents, against which I would caution a young poet. He may spend a great number of years in a vain and unprofitable manner, from a fancied idea of future importance, in producing what shall be esteemed an honour to his country, a true epic poem. When this shall come forth, it may be little read, or, if read, produce no advantage, and perhaps some mischief. He should rather aim to produce such a work as Dr. Young's Night Thoughts; a work deservedly immortal, which has be

* Matthew, xii. 35.

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