An Epistle to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount CORNBURY.

An Epistle to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount CORNBURY . By — Esq WHILE you , my Lord , alas ! amidst a few , With generous warmth your country's good pursue ; While to the center all your wishes tend , Accept the zeal that prompts a willing friend . Others like you heaven's hallow'd spark inspir'd , Whom soon the blaze of selfish passion fir'd , Soon ruder flames extinguish'd reason's light , While prejudices foul'd their jaundic'd sight . Such thro' false opticks every object prove , And try the good and bad , by hate and love . All-powerful means each virtue to supply , All-powerful means each virtue to deny ; To Wyndham strength , and grace , and fire , and weight ; To Granville parts , to save a sinking state , Hence various judgments form the madden'd throng , Only in this alike , they all are wrong . Hence to false praise shall blame unjust succeed , And cherubs fall , and gods unpity'd bleed . Wou'd you , my friend , not mix the purer flame , Nor lose the patriot in a baser name ; Nor factious rage mistake for publick zeal , Nor private int'rest for the gen'ral weal ? By truth's sure test let ev'ry deed be try'd , And justice ever be th' unerring guide . Her rules are plain , and easy is her way , And yet how hard to find if once we stray ! All lost alike the maze perplex'd we tread , However prompted , whether drove or led ; Whether false honour or ambition goad , Or sneaking av'rice wind the miry road , Or whether sway'd by passions not our own , And the weak fear of being right alone . Alone in such a cause is base to fear , Tho' fools suspect , and knaves designing sneer . Sneer , villains , sneer ! th' avenging time is nigh , When Balbo scourg'd shall weep the taunting lie ; When Stopus foul with each imputed crime , Shall dread false prose repaid with honest rhyme . 'Tis not enough you scorn a private claim , And to your country's good direct your aim . Wrong is still wrong , however great the end , Tho' all the realm were brother , father , friend ; Justice regards not these — where right prevails , A nation is an atom in her scales . Heaven means not all the good which man can gain , But that which truth can earn , and right maintain . However fair the tempting prize may be , If guilt the price , it is not meant for thee . Succeeding times may claim the just design , Or other means , or other powers than thine . Each part's connected with the gen'ral plan , The weal of Britain with the weal of man . Justice the scale of interest for the whole , The same in Indies as beneath the pole ; Sure rule by which heaven's blessings to dispense , Unerring light of guiding providence . Others may fail . — If wrongly understood , How fatal is the thirst of publick good ! No heavier curse almighty vengeance brings , Nor plagues , nor famine , nor the lust of kings . Fir'd by this rage the frantick sons of Rome , The suff'ring world to death and bondage doom ; Nations must sink to raise her cumb'rous frame , And millions bleed to eternize her name . But lo ! her glories fade , her empire's past , She madly conquer'd but to fall the last . Nor would I here the patriot's views reprove , Or damp the sacred flame of social love . Still may that portion of th' eternal ray Sublime our sense , and animate our clay ; Above low self exalt th' immortal frame , And emulate that heaven from whence it came . Oh ! would it never be confin'd to place , But beam extensive as the human race : Be , as it was design'd , the world's great soul , Connect its parts , and actuate the whole , So each should think himself a part alone , And for a nation's welfare stake his own ! Yet farther still , tho' dearest to the breast , That nation think but part of all the rest . For this let equal justice poise the ball , Her swaying force unites us all to all ; Of manners , worship , form , no diff'rence knows , Condemns our friends , and saves our better foes . Confess the heavenly power ! nor need you fear Let Britain suffer , while you follow her . Tho' prosp'rous crimes some daring villains raise , Nor life's short date my halting vengeance seize ; A nation cannot 'scape — the destin'd rage Pursues her ceaseless to some future age ; Speeds the sure ruin from the conqueror's hand , Or spreads corruption o'er a pining land . Ask hoary time , what nation is most blest ? For sage experience shall this truth attest : " Where freedom sleeps secure from lawless wrath , " Where commerce shelter'd flows thro' publick faith , " Where fell ambition lights no foreign wars , " Nor discord rages with intestine wars ; " Where justice reigns . " — Immortal were that state , If aught immortal here were giv'n by Fate . Such , lost Iberia ! were those happy reigns , When liberty sat brooding o'er thy plains . The rich in plenteous peace their stores enjoy'd , By cares unvex'd , by luxury uncloy'd . Hope sooth'd the poor with promises of gain , And paid with future joys their present pain ; Shew'd the full bowl amidst their sultry toil , While those who prun'd the olive drank the oil ; By night of all the fruits of day possess'd , Labour soft-clos'd the eye , and sweeten'd rest . Such was thy state all gay in nature's smiles ! And such is now the state of Britain's isles . Hence o'er the ocean's waste her sail unfurl'd , Wide wafts the tribute of a willing world . Hence trusting nations treasure here their wealth , Safe from tyrannick force or legal stealth : And hence the injur'd exile doom'd to roam , Shall find his country here and dearer home . Still be this truth , this saving truth confess'd , Britain is great , because with freedom blest ; Her prince is great , because her people free , And power here springs from publick liberty . Hail mighty monarch of the free and great ! Firm on the basis of a prosp'rous state . The wealth , the strength of happy millions thine , United rise , united shall decline . For time will come , sad period of the brave , When Britain's humble prince shall rule the slave ; When traffick vile shall stain the guilty throne , And kings shall buy our ruin and their own . But long , O long th' inglorious doom suspend ! What virtue gain'd may virtue still defend ! Thrice sacred spirit , never may you cease , But as you blaz'd in war , shine forth in peace ! Dauntless with all the force of truth engage The headlong tide of each corrupted age . O ever wake around one favour'd throne , Nor let our guardian monarch wake alone ! Tho' oft defeated and tho' oft betray'd , Numbers shall rise in sacred freedom's aid . Far as her all-enlivening influence reigns , Heroic ardour beats in gen'rous veins . Now bids learn'd Greece barbarian might defy , Now the soft arts of polish'd tyranny ; Now to no stock , or sect , or place confin'd , She takes adopted sons from human kind ; While denizen'd by her eternal laws , They all are Britons who shall serve her cause . Lo ! to the banner crowds a youthful band ; Form'd for the glorious task by nature's hand ; Wisdom unclogg'd by years , with toil unbought , A zeal by vigour kindled , rul'd by thought . Such gifts she to the happy few imparts , To judging heads and to determin'd hearts ; To heads unfir'd by youth's tumultuous rage , To hearts unnumb'd by the chill ice of age ; And while they both preserve a sep'rate claim , Their passions reason , and their reasons flame . Proceed brave youths ! Let others court renown In hostile fields , be yours the olive crown : And trust to fame , those heroes brighter shone Who sav'd a nation , than who nations won . Nor let assuming age restrain your flight , Fearful to tempt the yet unpractis'd height ; Deceitful counsel lurks in hoary hairs , And the last dregs of life are sordid cares . Objects are clear proportion'd in degree , To gen'ral use , or strong necessity , Nor are two things so plainly understood , As the worst evil and the greatest good ; If rescu'd from the misty breath of schools ; Men will but feel without the help of rules . So unbewilder'd in the crooked maze , Where guilt low sculks , and reptile cunning strays , A nation's interest , and a people's rights , Distinctly shine in nature's simple rights , And claim in him who fairly acts his part , Before a Lonsdale's head , a Lonsdale's heart . But chief when snatch'd by heaven's preserving hand , From the fell contests of each hostile land , A happy island to th' incircling main Trusts for a sure report and honest gain . The just are heaven's , earth is for heaven ordain'd , Form'd by its laws , and by its laws maintain'd . These one true int'rest , one great system frame , Political and moral are the same . Guilt toils for gain at honour's vast expence , Heaven throws the trifle in to innocence ; And fixes happiness in hell's despite , The necessary consequence of right . Proceed , ye deists ! blindfold rage employ , And prove the sacred truths ye would destroy . Prove christian faith the wisest scheme to bind , In chains of cordial love , our jarring kind ; And thence conclude it human , if you can , The perfect produce of imperfect man ! While prostrate we adore that pow'r divine , Whose simple rule connects each great design ; Bids social earth a type of heaven appear , Where justice tastes those joys which wait her there . But tho' self-int'rest follow virtue's train ! Yet selfish think not virtue's end is gain ! Older than time , ere int'rest had a name , Justice existed , and is still the same ; Alike the creature's and creator's guide , His rule to form , the law by which we're ty'd : In reason's light , eternal word , express'd , Stamp'd with his image in the creature's breast . Thus speaks the sage , who skill'd in nature's laws , Deep from effects high-trac'd th' all-ruling cause . " Before creation was , th' almighty mind " In time's abyss the future world design'd ; " Did the great system in its parts survey , " And fit the springs , and regulate their play ; " In meet gradations plan'd th' harmonious round , " These links by which depending parts are bound . " All these he knew , ere yet the things he made , " In types which well the mimick world display'd . " The types are real , since from them he drew " The real forms of whatsoe'er we view . " Made to their 'semblance , heaven and earth exist , " But they unmade eternally subsist . " For if created , we must sure suppose " Some other types whence their resemblance flows ; " While these on others equally depend , " Nor ever shall the long progression end . " God ere it was , the future being saw , " Or blindfold made his world , and gave his law . " But chance cou'd never frame the vast design , " Where countless parts in justest order join . " The types eternal just proportions teach , " Greater or less , more or less perfect each . " These ever present power omniscient sees , " On them he forms his ever-made decrees ; " Nor can he better love what merits least , " Man than an angel , or than man a beast . " Hence Reason , hence immortal Order springs , " Knowledge and Love adapted to the things , " And thence th' unerring rule of justice flows , " To act what Order prompts , and Reason shows . " What man in nature's purity remain'd , " By pain untroubled , and by sin unstain'd ; " Fair image of the God , and close conjoin'd , " By innate union with the heavenly mind ; " In the pure splendor of substantial light , " The beam divine of Reason bless'd his sight ; " Seraphick Order in its fount he view'd , " Seeing he lov'd , and loving he pursu'd ; " Nor dar'd the body , passive slave , controul " The sovereign mandates of the ruling soul . " But soon by sin the sacred union broke , " Man bows to earth beneath the heavy yoke . " The darkling soul scarce feels a glimm'ring ray , " Shrouded in sense from her immortal day . " Vengeance divine offended Order arms , " And cloaths in terrors her celestial charms . " Now grosser objects heav'n-born souls possess , " Passions enslave , and servile cares oppress . " Fraud , rapine , murder , guilt's long horrid train , " Distracted nature's anarchy maintain . " No more pure Reason earthly minds can move , " No more can Order's charms persuasive prove . " But as the moon reflecting borrowed day , " Sheds on our shadow'd world a feeble ray ; " Some scatter'd beams of Reason law contains , " While Order's rule must be inforc'd by pains . " Hence death's black scroll , dire tortures hence are giv'n ; " Hence kings , the necessary curse of heaven . " And just the doom of an avenging God , " Who spurn'd his scepter , feel the tyrant's rod . " Blind by our fears we meet the ills we fly , " In rule oppression , want in property . " So spoke the sage , and if not learn'd in vain , If spotless truth in sacred books remain ; Dearly the child hath paid the parent's pride , And ill hath Law the heavenly rule supply'd . Thus boasts some leech with unavailing art , To mend the tainted lungs and wasting heart ; Bids the loose springs with wonted vigour play , And sprightly juices warm in cold decay . Or wou'd imperious reason deign to own , The world not made for sovereign man alone ; Some things there are for human use design'd , And these in common dealt to human kind . To mortal wants is giv'n a power to use , What to th' immortal part just heaven might well refuse . This faithful instinct in each breast implants , All know their rights , for all must feel their wants . But soon began the rage of wild desire , To thirst for more than use could o'er require . Ere stung by luxury's unsated call , And ere ambition madly grasp'd the ball , Vain restless man in busy search employ'd , Saw somewhat still beyond the bliss enjoy'd , Press'd eager on ; the lowly and the great , Alike their wish beyond their destin'd state ; Alike condemn'd , whatever Fortune grant , To real poorness in phantastic want . And now some sages high by others deem'd , For virtue honour'd , and for parts esteem'd ; Call'd forth to judge where dubious claims are try'd , Convince with reason , and with counsel guide ; Fix'd rules devise to sway th' assenting throng , And marks distinct impress on right and wrong . The simple precept subtle wiles invade , And statutes as our crimes increas'd were made , These were at first unwritten , plain and few , 'Till swell'd by time the law's vast volume grew ; And grown with these , to sway th' unwieldy trust , Thousands we chose to keep the millions just , Some plac'd o'er others , others plac'd o'er these , Thus government grew up by slow degrees ; Higher the pile arose , and still more high , When lo ! the summit ends in monarchy . There plac'd , a man in gorgeous pomp appears , And far o'er earth his tow'ring aspect rears ; While prostrate crowds his sacred smile implore , And what their crimes had form'd , their fears adore . Low from beneath they lift their servile eyes , And see the proud colossus touch the skies . So at some mountain's foot have children gaz'd , While close to heaven they view the summit rais'd , Eager they mount , new regions to explore , But heaven is now as distant as before . Thus views the crowd a throne , while those who rise Claim not a nearer kindred to the skies ; Earth is their parent , thither kings should bend , From thence they rise , and not from heaven descend . Happy , had all the royal sons of earth Thus sprung , nor guilt had claim'd the monstrous birth . Where from the fire descending thro' the line , Rapine and fraud confer a right divine . Ye mortal gods , how vainly are ye proud ? If just your title , servants to the crowd ; If wide your sway , if large your treasur'd store , These but increase your servitude the more ; A part is only yours , the rest is theirs , And nothing all your own , except your cares . Shall man , by nature free , by nature made To share the feast her bounteous hand display'd , Transfer these rights ? as well he may dispense The beam of reason , or the nerve of sense ; With all his strength the monarch's limbs invest , Or pour his valour in the royal breast . Take the starv'd peasant's taste , devouring lord ! Ere you deprive him of the genial board . And if you wou'd his liberty controul , Assume the various actings of his soul ! So shall one man a people's powers enjoy , Thus Indians deem of wretches they destroy . Thus in old tales the fabled monster stands , Proud of a thousand eyes , a thousand hands . Thus dreams the sophist , who with subtle art Wou'd prove the whole included in a part , A people in their king ; and from the throng , Transfer to him their rights in nature's wrong ; Those sacred rights in nature's charter plain , By wants that claim them , and by powers that gain . Tho' sophists err , yet stand confess'd thy claim , And be the king and multitude the same , Whose deeds benevolent his title prove , And royal selfishness , in publick love ; Nor , draining wasted realms for sordid pelf , O scepter'd suicide ! destroy thy self . Where fails this proof , in vain would we unite The ruler's int'rest with the people's right . Frantick ambition has her sep'rate claim , The dropsy'd thirst of empire , wealth , or fame ; Pride's boundless hope , valour's enthusiast rant , With the long nameless train of fancy'd want . Urg'd on by these , all view the magick prize , The prospect widening as they higher rise ; For him who seeks a limited command , To him whose wish devours air , sea , and land . Alike all foes to freedom's holy cause , For freedom ties unbounded will with laws , Alike all foes to ev'ry publick gain , For publick blessings loose the bond-man's chain . Ill-fated slaves of arbitrary sway ! Where trusted power seduces to betray ; Makes private failings rage a gen'ral pest , And taints even virtue in the social breast ; Bids friendship plunder , charity undo The blameless MANY , for the favour'd FEW . 'Till guilt high rear'd on crimes protecting crime , Fills the heap'd measure of predestin'd time . Far others , ye , O wealthy , wise , and brave ! Tho' subject , free ; more freedom wou'd enslave . Bless'd with a rule by long experience try'd , Unwarp'd by faction's rage , or kingly pride ; Bless'd with the means , whene'er this rule shall bend , Again to trace it to its glorious end ; And bless'd with proofs , the proofs are seal'd with blood , Whate'er the form , the end is publick good . But yet admit the sire his right fore-goes ! Can he his children's separate claim dispose ? Whate'er the parent gave , whate'er he give , They who have right to life , have right to live . And spite of man's consent , or man's decree , A right to life , is right to liberty . Tho' for convenience fram'd the laws should shine , Pure emanation from the source divine ; Such as can pierce the gloom of pagan night , And untaught savages in woods enlight ; Such as on scaffolds can the guiltless save , And torture on his throne the scepter'd slave ; Such as th' offending wretch reluctant owns , And hails its beauty with his dying groans : In such fair laws the will of heaven impress'd , Shines to all eyes , and rules the conscious breast . Tho' tortures cease , tho' night's thick-mantling vail From mortal ken the secret deed conceal ; Reason and conscience shall awake within , And light the shade , and loud proclaim the sin . " But should the universal voice combine , " To cloath injustice in a robe divine ? " Let the same breath divest the day of light , To blazon forth the dusky face of night . Then shall the laws of sainted evil bind , And human will subvert th' all-ruling mind ; That sacred fount whence lawful rule must spring , And diff'rent from the robber marks the king . Yet vainly wou'd despotick will conclude , That force may sway the erring multitude , Justice , 'tis own'd , should ever guide the free , But pow'r of wrong , in all , is liberty ; And for whatever purposes restrain'd , A nation is enslav'd that may be chain'd . Heaven gives to all a liberty of choice , A people's good requires a people's voice ; Man's surest guide , where diff'rent views agree , From private hate , and private int'rest free . Fatal their change from such who rashly fly , To the hard grasp of guiding tyranny ; Soon shall they find , when will is arm'd with might , Injustice wield the sword , tho' drawn for right . Blind to these truths who fond of boundless sway , Bids trembling slaves implicitly obey ; Tho' by a long descent from Adam down Thro' scepter'd heirs , he boasts his ancient crown , Great nature's rebel forfeits ev'ry claim , And loads the tyrant with th' usurper's name ; While with each lawless act of proud command , He stands proscrib'd by his own guilty hand . Bow , Filmer , bow ! to hell's tremendous throne , And bid thy fellow-damn'd suppress each groan ! There sits a king whom pow'r divine hath giv'n , Nor earth boasts one so surely sent from heav'n . And thou , blest martyr in fair freedom's cause , Thou great asserter of thy country's laws ; Vainly oppression stopp'd thy potent breath ; Truth shone more powerful thro' the vail of death ; Example mov'd whom precept cou'd not save , And lifted axes wak'd each drowsy slave . Yet magistrates must rule , they're useful things , Our guilt the vengeance , and avenger brings . Whate'er more perfect heaven might first create , A state well-governed , now , is nature's state ; For law from reason springs , spontaneous fruit , And reason sure is man's first attribute . Let visionary schoolmen toil in vain , Who seek in anarchy for nature's reign ; Wretched alike the slaves of lawless will , Whether the savage , or the tyrant kill ; Unjust alike all rule , where publick choice Speaks not thro' laws a willing people's voice . Nor freedom suffers when the guilty fall , 'Tis nature's doom , 'tis self-defence in all . Such now is man deprav'd that fear must sway , To tread the paths where duty points the way ; The wretch must suffer to forewarn the rest , And some must fall to stop the spreading pest . Alone the gen'ral welfare can demand The bleeding victim from th' unwilling hand . Hence publick pains — what to the crime is due , O Judge supreme ! must be reserv'd for you . To you alone , whose all-pervading eye Deep in the breast can latent thought espy ; Try ev'ry action by the known intent , And to each crime adapt its punishment ; While men , misled by erring lights , dispense The doom of guilt to injur'd innocence ; Or tho' repentance cleanse the moral stain , Inflict on crimes atton'd avenging pain . Yet blameless they who act sincere their part , Faultless he errs who cannot read the heart . Not such fierce flames the mad enthusiast's zeal , On errors harmless to the gen'ral weal , Whether false notions wander far from truth , Or age retain'd the trace impress'd in youth . While int'rest prompts the holy murd'rer's hand , In sacred fires to light th' unhallow'd brand ; To draw destruction from heaven's saving page , And bid sweet mercy breathe relentless rage . Accurs'd all such ! and he with joy elate , Whose baleful breath embitters certain fate ; Who on th' imploring face malignant smiles , And sentenc'd wretches wantonly reviles . Better , far better in the savage den , Let the robb'd lion judge o'er prostrate men : Better let pow'r the lawless faulchion draw , Than coward cruelty disgrace the law . This well you know , O— ! whose righteous seat Gives to the innocent a sure retreat ; Severely just , and piously humane , The wretch you punish , while you share his pain . Tears with the dreadful words of sentence flow , Nor does the rigid judge the man forego . So feels the breast humane , ye truly brave ! And such is thine , my friend , intent to save ! Whether thy bounty pining want relieve , Or lenient pity sooth the hearts that grieve ; Whether thy pious hand due bounds prescribe To little tyrants , o'er the lesser tribe ; Or whether noble warmth expand thy soul , And huge leviathan unaw'd controul . Nor Britain only claims thy gen'rous plan , Thy rule is justice , and thy care is man . And may this truth thy fair example prove , Justice shall fan the flame of social love .