OD E

INSCRIBED ΤΟ

JOHN HOWARD, Esq. F. R. S.

AUTHOR Q F

"The State of English and Foreign Prifons."

BY WILLIAM HAYLEY, Esq.

FAVRITE of Heaven, and friend of Earth!

Philanthropy, benignant Power!

Whofe fons difplay no doubtful worth,
The pageant of the paffing hour!
Teach me to paint, in deathlefs song,
Some darling from thy filial throng,
Whofe deeds no party-rage infpire,
But fill th' agreeing world with one defire,
To echo his renown, refponfive to my lyre!

Ah! whither leadft thou?--whence that figh?
What found of woe my bofom jars?
Why pafs, where Mifery's hollow eye
Glares wildly thro' thofe gloomy bars?

Is Virtue funk in thefe abodes,
Where keen Remorfe the heart corrodes;
Where Guilt's bafe blood with frenzy boils,
And Blafphemy the mournful fcene embroils?
From this infernal gloom my fhudd'ring foul recoils,

But whence thofe fudden facred beams?

Oppreffion drops his iron rod !

And all the bright ning dungeon feems
To fpeak the prefence of a God.
Philanthropy's defcending ray

Diffufes unexpected day!

Lovelieft of angels !-at her fide

Her favourite votary ftands ;-her English pride,
Thro' Horror's manfions led by this celeftial guide.

Hail generous HOWARD! tho' thou bear
A name which Glory's hand fublime
Has blazon'd oft, with guardian care,
In characters that fear not Time;
For thee the fondly fpreads her wings;
For thee from Paradife the brings,
More verdant than her laurel bough,

Such wreaths of facred Palm, as ne'er till now
The fmiling Seraph twin'd around a mortal brow.

*

That Hero's praise fhall ever bloom,

Who fhielded our infulted coaft;

And launch'd his light'ning to confume
The proud Invader's routed hoit.
Brave perils rais'd his noble name:
But thou deriv'ft thy matchless fame

From scenes where deadlier danger dwells;

Where fierce Contagion, with affright, repels

Valor's advent'rous ftep from her malignant cells.

CHARLES HOWARD, Earl of Nottingham.

Where in the dungeon's loathfome fhade,
The fpeechlefs Captive clanks his chain,
With heartless hope to raise that aid
His feeble cries have call'd in vain :
Thine eye his dumb complaint explores;
Thy voice his parting breath reftgres;
Thy cares his ghaftly vifage clear

From Death's chill dew, with many a clotted tear,
And to his thankful foul returning life endear.

What precious Drug, or ftronger Charm,
Thy conftant fortitude infpires
In fcenes, whence, muttering her alarm,
Med'cine*, with felfish dread, retires?
Nor Charm, nor Drug, difpel thy fears:
Temperance, thy better guard, appears :
For thee I fee her fondly fill

Her crystal cup from Nature's purest rill;
Chief nourisher of life! beft antidote of ill!

I fee the hallow'd fhade of HALES† Who felt, like thee, for human woe, And taught the health-diffufing gales Thro' Horror's murky cells to blow,

* Muffabat tacito Medecina timore. LUCRETIUS. + STEPHEN HALES, minifter of Teddington: he died at the age of 84, 1761; and has been justly called "An ornament to his profeffion, as a clergyman, and "to his country, as a philofopher." I had the happinefs of knowing this excellent man, when I was very young; and well remember the warm glow of benevolence which ufed to animate his countenance, in relating the fuccefs of his various projects for the benefit of mankind. I have frequently heard him dwell with great pleasure on the fortunate incident which led him to the

As thy protecting angel wait;

To fave thee from the fnares of Fate,
Commiffion'd from the Eternal Throne:

I hear him praife, in wonder's warmest tone,
The virtues of thy heart, more active than his owu.

Thy foul fupplies new funds of health
That fail not in the trying hour,
Above Arabia's spicy wealth

And Pharmacy's reviving power.
The tranfports of the generous mind,
Feeling its bounty to mankind,

Infpirit every mortal part;

And, far more potent than precarious art,

Give radiance to the eye, and vigor to the heart.

Bleft HOWARD! who like thee can feel
This vital fpring in all its force?
New ftar of philanthropic zeal;
Enlight'ning nations in thy course!
And hedding Comfort's heavenly dew.
On meagre Want's deferted crew!

Friend to the wretch, whom friends difclaim,
Who feels ftern Juftice, in his famish'd frame,
A perfecuting fiend beneath an angel's name.

difcovery of his Ventilator, to which I have alluded.— He had ordered a new floor for one of his rooms; his carpenter not having prepared the work fo foon as he expected, he thought the feafon improper for laying down new boards, when they were brought to his house, and gave orders for their being depofited in his barn;— from their accidental pofition in that place, he caught his first idea of this useful invention.