ΙΟ

My Country! if such warning be held At will, your power the measure of your dear, troth!Then shall a Veteran's heart be thrilled All who revere the memory of Penn Grieve for the land on whose wild woods his name

with joy,

One who would gather from eternal truth,

For time and season, rules that work to cheer

IC

Was fondly grafted with a virtuous aim,
Renounced, abandoned by degenerate Men

Not scourge, to save the People-not For state-dishonour black as ever came

destroy.

To upper air from Mammon's loathsome den.

Whence these opprobrious leaves of dire [Composed probably 1837.-Published: vol.of 1842.]

TO THE PENNSYLVANIANS.

[Composed probably January or February, 1845.
-Published 1845.]

DAYS undefiled by luxury or sloth,
Firm self-denial, manners grave and staid,
Rights equal, laws with cheerfulness

obeyed,

[Composed probably 1837.-Published: vol.of 1842.] Words that require no sanction from an HARD task! exclaim the undisciplined, oath,

to lean

And simple honesty a common growth-5 On Patience coupled with such slow enThis high repute, with bounteous Nature's aid,

Won confidence, now ruthlessly betrayed

deavour,

That long-lived servitude must last for

ever.

Perish the grovelling few, who, prest Are doomed to flounder on, like wounded

And wither, every human generation
Is to the Being of a mighty nation,
Locked in our world's embrace through

weal and woe;

FEEL for the wrongs to universal ken Daily exposed, woe that unshrouded lies; And seek the Sufferer in his darkest den, Whether conducted to the spot by sighs Thought that should teach the zealot to And moanings, or he dwells (as if the forego 5 Rash schemes, to abjure all selfish agita- Taught him concealment) hidden from all tion,

5

wren

eyes

And seek through noiseless pains and In silence and the awful modesties

SONNETS UPON THE PUNISHMENT

OF DEATH.

IN SERIES.

[Composed 1839-40.-Published December, 1841 (Quarterly Review); vol. of 1842.]

I.

SUGGESTED BY THE VIEW OF LANCAS

In after-thought, for Him who stood in

awe

TER CASTLE (ON THE ROAD FROM Neither of God nor man, and only saw, 5
THE SOUTH).
Lost wretch, a horrible device enthroned
On proud temptations, till the victim
groaned

THIS Spot-at once unfolding sight so fair

Of sea and land, with yon grey towers
that still

Rise up as if to lord it over air-
Might soothe in human breasts the sense
of ill,

Or charm it out of memory; yea, might

fill

5

The heart with joy and gratitude to God
For all his bounties upon man bestowed:
Why bears it then the name of "Weeping
Hill"?

Thousands, as toward yon old Lancastrian

Towers,

Under the steel his hand had dared to draw.

A prison's crown, along this way they THE Roman Consul doomed his sons to past

IO

die

For lingering durance or quick death Who had betrayed their country. The

Kneel at the feet of Justice, and, for

faith

Broken with all mankind, solicit death.

IV.

VI.

YE brood of Conscience-Spectres! that frequent

The bad man's restless walk, and haunt his bed

Is Death, when evil against good has Fiends in your aspect, yet beneficent

And ye, Beliefs! coiled serpent-like about

To be most dreaded? Lawgivers, beware,
Lest, capital pains remitting till ye spare The adage on all tongues, "Murder will
The murderer, ye, by sanction to that
thought,

Seemingly given, debase the general mind;

out,"

ΙΟ

How shall your ancient warnings work for good

Tempt the vague will tried standards to In the full might they hitherto have