CHARACTER OF THE REV. JAMES FOSTE R. FROM Codex hear, ye ecclefiaftic men, 5 Pin well your faith, and then pronounce it law; In modes of worship right of choice deny; Say, to convert, all means are fair;—add, why? 30 'Tis charitable-let your power decree, That Perfecution then is Charity; Call reafon error; forms, not things, difplay; Let moral doctrine to abftrufe give way; Sink demonstration; mystery preach alone; 15 Be thus Religion's friend, and thus your own. Where Mystery begins, Religion ends. In him, great modern miracle! we fee 20 A prieft, from avarice and ambition free; Without craft, reverend; holy, without cant; Zealous for truth, without enthufiaft rant. His hope, no mitre militant on earth, 25 'Tis that bright crown, which heaven referves for worth. A prieft, in charity with all mankind, His love to virtue, not to fect confin'd: Truth his delight; from him it flames abroad, From him, who fears no being, but his God: 35 40 Charms, which th' unthinking must to thought excite; May fee thee now, though late, redeem thy name, 45 Bus But fhould fome churchman, apeing wit severe, The poet 's fure turn'd Baptift-fay, and fneer; Shame on that narrow mind fo often known, Which in one mode of faith, owns worth alone. Sneer on, rail, wrangle! nought this truth repelsVirtue is virtue, wherefoe'er fhe dwells; And fure, where learning gives her light to shine, Her's is all praise-if her's, 'tis Fofter, thine. Thee boaft diffenters; we with pride may own Our Tillotfon; and Rome, her Fenelon*. 50 55 THE POET's DEPENDANCE SOM ON A STATESMA N. OME feem to hint, and others proof will bring, That, from neglect, my numerous hardships fpring. In this Character of the Rev. James Fofter, truth guided the pen of the Mufe. Mr. Pope paid a tribute to the modeft worth of this excellent man: little did he imagine his Rev. Annotator would endeavour to convert his praise into abufe. The character and writings of Fofter will be admired and read, when the works of the bitter Controversialist are forgotten. Seek the great man! they cry-'tis then decreed, What friends to fecond? who for me fhould fue, 5 : Thofe love him let thofe ferve him!-why fhould I? 20 25 Be pofts difpos'd at will!-J have, for these, No gold to plead, no impudence to teaze. All fecret fervice from my foul I hate ; All dark intrigues of pleasure, or of state. I have no power, election-votes to gain; No will to hackney out polemic strain ; To shape, as time fhall ferve, my verse, or prose, To flatter thence, nor flur, a courtier's foes Nor him to daub with praife, if I prevail; Nor fhock'd by him with libels to affail. Where these are not, what claim to me belongs? Though mine the Muse and virtue, birth and wrongs. 30 Where 35 Where lives the statesman, fo in honour clear, To give where he has nought to hope, nor fear? No! there to feek, is but to find fresh pain: The promise broke, renew'd, and broke again; To be, as humour deigns, receiv'd, refus'd; By turns affronted, and by turns amus'd; To lose that time, which worthier thoughts require; To lose the health, which fhould thofe thoughts in fpire ; To ftarve on hope; or, like camelions, fare 40 But ftill, undrooping, I the crew disdain, Who, or by jobs, or libels, wealth obtain. Ne'er let me be, through thofe, from want exempt; 45 In one man's favour, in the world's contempt: Worfe in my own!-through those, to posts who rise, Themselves, in fecret, must themselves despise; Vile, and more vile, till they, at length, disclaim Not fenfe alone of glory, but of fhame. 50 55 What though I hourly see the servile herd, For meannefs honour'd, and for guilt prefer'd; See felfish paffion, public virtue seem ; And public virtue an enthufiaft dream; See favour'd falfehood, innocence belied, Meekness deprefs'd, and power-elated pride; A fcene will fhew, all-righteous vifion haste; The meek exalted, and the proud debas'd!Oh, to be there! -to tread that friendly thore, Where falfehood, pride, and statesmen are no more! 60 |