146
REMARKS
Let the soul's reach the heart's restraint reprove,
And widen to the world our country's love.
Base are these local limits to mens hearts,
That canton out humanity in parts.
Truth has no districts to divide her toil;
And virtue is at home in every soil.
Since, on one common globe, we neighbouring dwell,
What narrower line should man from man expel.
Each born alike, and sons of nature all,
Human can ne'er from care of human fall.
But passion's rapine, nature's union breaks,
Not foil but interest all this difference makes:
Born brothers, each from each would something draw,
Till ravaged equity is shrunk to law.
Blindly forgetful, that the whole is dust,
We hate for parts, nor feel ourselves unjust:
Confine repute to place, and praise or rail,
As self or stranger turns the varied scale;
Till Sense grown hardened in her partial plea,
Justice is crippled into bribery.
Thou!-son of liberty!—canst shun this shelf;
Loosening reflection, and out launching self:
Canst burst the chain of custom round the heart,
And from worst slavery—that of reason—start.
Thou, on thy country's hills, canst praise bestow,
Yet stoop not the encomium to her snow!
So wants confessed, but strengthen merit's claim,
And right from wrong distinguished fixes fame.
When rock-fenced Scotland boasts her hardy race,
Or English beauty claims but matchless grace;
When France the praise of sprightliest wits assumes,
And German plainness spreads its honest plumes;
Concurring plaudits grant unquestioned dues,
And truth and reason sanctify the muse.
And widen to the world our country's love.
Base are these local limits to mens hearts,
That canton out humanity in parts.
Truth has no districts to divide her toil;
And virtue is at home in every soil.
Since, on one common globe, we neighbouring dwell,
What narrower line should man from man expel.
Each born alike, and sons of nature all,
Human can ne'er from care of human fall.
But passion's rapine, nature's union breaks,
Not foil but interest all this difference makes:
Born brothers, each from each would something draw,
Till ravaged equity is shrunk to law.
Blindly forgetful, that the whole is dust,
We hate for parts, nor feel ourselves unjust:
Confine repute to place, and praise or rail,
As self or stranger turns the varied scale;
Till Sense grown hardened in her partial plea,
Justice is crippled into bribery.
Thou!-son of liberty!—canst shun this shelf;
Loosening reflection, and out launching self:
Canst burst the chain of custom round the heart,
And from worst slavery—that of reason—start.
Thou, on thy country's hills, canst praise bestow,
Yet stoop not the encomium to her snow!
So wants confessed, but strengthen merit's claim,
And right from wrong distinguished fixes fame.
When rock-fenced Scotland boasts her hardy race,
Or English beauty claims but matchless grace;
When France the praise of sprightliest wits assumes,
And German plainness spreads its honest plumes;
Concurring plaudits grant unquestioned dues,
And truth and reason sanctify the muse.
