Or silly sheep, wha bide this brattle And thro' the drift, deep-lairing, sprattle, Ilk happing bird, wee, helpless thing What comes o' thee? Whare wilt thou cow'r thy chittering wing, Ev'n you on murd'ring errands toil'd, Now Phache, in her midnight reign, When on my ear this plaintive strain, "Blow, blow, ye winds, with heavier gust! Than heav'n-illumin'd man on brother man bestows! See stern Oppression's iron grip, Ev'n in the peaceful rural vale, With all the servile wretches in the rear, Looks o'er proud property, extended wide; And eyes the simple rustic hind, Whose toil upholds the glitt'ring show, A creature of another kind, Some coarser substance, unrefin'd, Plac'd for her lordly use thus far, thus vile, below! Where, where is Love's fond, tender throe, With lordly Honour's lofty brow, The pow'rs you proudly own? Is there, beneath Love's noble name, Can harbour, dark, the selfish aim, To bless himself alone! Mark maiden-innocence a prey To love-pretending snares, This boasted Honour turns away, Shunning soft Pity's rising sway, Regardless of the tears, and unavailing pray'rs ! Perhaps, this hour, in mis'ry's squalid nest She strains your infant to her joyless breast, And with a mother's fears shrinks at the rocking blast! O ye! who, sunk in beds of down, Feel not a want but what yourselves create, Think, for a moment, on his wretched fate, Whom friends and fortune quite disown! Ill-satisfied keen nature's clam'rous call, Stretch'd on his straw he lays himself to sleep, While thro' the ragged roof and chinky wall, Chill o'er his slumbers, piles the drifty heap! Think on the dungeon's grim confine, Where Guilt and poor Misfortune pine! Guilt, erring man, relenting view! But shall thy legal rage pursue The wretch, already crushed low By cruel Fortune's undeserved blow? Affliction's sons are brothers in distress; A brother to relieve, how exquisite the bliss!" I heard nae mair, for Chanticleer And hail'd the morning with a cheer, But deep this truth impress'd my mind Thro' all His works abroad, The heart benevolent and kind The most resembles God. |