"'Is there a Man, who, wealthy to no end, / 'Ne'er knew the common wish to be a Friend, / 'Whose callous Heart's to all Compassion steel'd?"
— Combe, William (1742 -1823)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Bew [etc.]
Date
1789
Metaphor
"'Is there a Man, who, wealthy to no end, / 'Ne'er knew the common wish to be a Friend, / 'Whose callous Heart's to all Compassion steel'd?"
Metaphor in Context
"These" said the Muse, "are subjects for thy song!
"Let themes like these thy manly strain prolong.
--"Does pining Merit in Oppression live?
"Give that protection which the Muse can give.
--"Does Patriot Virtue strive, but strive in vain,
"Its Country's dear-bought Freedom to maintain?
"Dare to support that long-deserted cause,
"And give, tho' Crowns oppose thee, give applause!
--"Is there a Man, who, from his earliest youth,
"Ne'er felt a sense of Honour or of Truth;
"Whose heart ne'er struggled with a wish for Fame,
"Whose cheek ne'er bore the blush of honest Shame;
"Vice his sole good, Himself his only end,
"The lurking Foe, the hypocritic Friend?
"If such an one there be, his bosom bare,--
"Show his black heart, and guide the Vultures there.
--"Should the vile Priest, for Lucre's filthy gain,
"Give up his Flock to join the courtly Train;
"Should he forsake the path his Saviour trod,
"And proudly turn his Back upon his God;
"Tho' Mitres crown him, break his golden Rest,
"And 'wake a troubled Conscience in his breast.
--"Does Beauty, swerving from its Maker's plan
"To be the Solace and the Joy of Man,
"Spurning at Fame and Honour's mild decree,
"Drink, with delight, the dregs of Infamy?
--"Does Man, so made to cherish, first betray,
"Then leave the Victim to the World a Prey?
"Let not thy Verse its angry scourge forbear,
"Nor veil the shameless Wanton's last despair.
--"Should frolic Youth, by mast'ring Passions led,
"In Folly's fair but treach'rous mazes tread,
"With cunning skill, and well-imagin'd care,
"Full in his view expose the lurking snare;
"And strive, by just degrees and friendly art,
"To 'wake the Virtue slumb'ring in his Heart.
--"Is there a Man, who, wealthy to no end,
"Ne'er knew the common wish to be a Friend,
"Whose callous Heart's to all Compassion steel'd?--
"Scourge him!--nor fear the wit of Chesterfield.
--"Do hireling Statesmen, in Corruption bold,
"Sell their poor Country as themselves are sold?
"With noble courage let thy Patriot Song
"Inflame a Nation to revenge its wrong.
--"Is there a Monarch, by mad Folly led,
"And under something worse than Folly bred;--
"Who would his People's sacred Rights betray,
"And longs to rule them with tyrannic Sway?--
"Exalt thy Strain, nor be the silly Thing
"That fears to speak of Justice to a King;--
"Deep in his Bosom plant the conscious Groan,--
"Nor spare a Vice,--tho' seated on a Throne."--
"Let themes like these thy manly strain prolong.
--"Does pining Merit in Oppression live?
"Give that protection which the Muse can give.
--"Does Patriot Virtue strive, but strive in vain,
"Its Country's dear-bought Freedom to maintain?
"Dare to support that long-deserted cause,
"And give, tho' Crowns oppose thee, give applause!
--"Is there a Man, who, from his earliest youth,
"Ne'er felt a sense of Honour or of Truth;
"Whose heart ne'er struggled with a wish for Fame,
"Whose cheek ne'er bore the blush of honest Shame;
"Vice his sole good, Himself his only end,
"The lurking Foe, the hypocritic Friend?
"If such an one there be, his bosom bare,--
"Show his black heart, and guide the Vultures there.
--"Should the vile Priest, for Lucre's filthy gain,
"Give up his Flock to join the courtly Train;
"Should he forsake the path his Saviour trod,
"And proudly turn his Back upon his God;
"Tho' Mitres crown him, break his golden Rest,
"And 'wake a troubled Conscience in his breast.
--"Does Beauty, swerving from its Maker's plan
"To be the Solace and the Joy of Man,
"Spurning at Fame and Honour's mild decree,
"Drink, with delight, the dregs of Infamy?
--"Does Man, so made to cherish, first betray,
"Then leave the Victim to the World a Prey?
"Let not thy Verse its angry scourge forbear,
"Nor veil the shameless Wanton's last despair.
--"Should frolic Youth, by mast'ring Passions led,
"In Folly's fair but treach'rous mazes tread,
"With cunning skill, and well-imagin'd care,
"Full in his view expose the lurking snare;
"And strive, by just degrees and friendly art,
"To 'wake the Virtue slumb'ring in his Heart.
--"Is there a Man, who, wealthy to no end,
"Ne'er knew the common wish to be a Friend,
"Whose callous Heart's to all Compassion steel'd?--
"Scourge him!--nor fear the wit of Chesterfield.
--"Do hireling Statesmen, in Corruption bold,
"Sell their poor Country as themselves are sold?
"With noble courage let thy Patriot Song
"Inflame a Nation to revenge its wrong.
--"Is there a Monarch, by mad Folly led,
"And under something worse than Folly bred;--
"Who would his People's sacred Rights betray,
"And longs to rule them with tyrannic Sway?--
"Exalt thy Strain, nor be the silly Thing
"That fears to speak of Justice to a King;--
"Deep in his Bosom plant the conscious Groan,--
"Nor spare a Vice,--tho' seated on a Throne."--
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
06/09/2005
