Sketch of the life and writings of Erasmus Darwin / [Erasmus Darwin].

  • Erasmus Darwin
Date:
[1800]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sketch of the life and writings of Erasmus Darwin / [Erasmus Darwin]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    E’en now in Afric’s groves, with hideous yell. Fierce slavery stalks and slips the dogs of hell; From vale to vale the gathering cries rebound. And sable nations tremble at the sound ! Ye bands of senators ! whose suffrage sways Britannia’s realms, whom either Ind obeys; Who right the injur’d and reward the brave. Stretch your strong arm, for ye have pow’r to save. Thron’d in the vaulted heart, his dread resort. Inexorable conscience holds his court; With still small voice the plots of guilt alarms. Bares his mask’d brow, his lifted hand disarms; But wrapp’d in night, with terrors all his own. He speaks in thunder when the deed is done. Hear him, ye senates ! hear this truth sublime. He who allows oppression—shares the crime ! No radiant pearl which crested fortune wears. No gem that twinkling hangs from beauty’s ears ; Not the bright stars which night’s blue arch adorn. Nor rising suns that gild the vernal morn. Shine with such lustre—as the tear that breaks. For other’s woe down virtue’s manly cheeks ! Thephilanthropy of the immortal II oward is ce¬ lebrated in strains worthy of the grandeur of the theme —the paragraph has been universally admired, and must be here transcribed : When erst contagion with mephitic breath. And wither’d famine, urg’d the work of death, Marseilles’ good bishop, London’s gen’rous mayor. With food and faith, with medicine and with pray’r. Rais’d the weak head, and stay’d the parting sigh, Or with new life relum’d the swimming eye. ' And now philanthropy ! thy rays divine Dart round the globe from Zembla to the line, O’er each dark prison plays the cheering light. Like northern lustres o’er the vault of night. From realm to realm, with cross or crescent crown’d, Where’er mankind and misery are found;
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