PITY.
To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend.—Job, v. 14.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.—Psalm ciii. 13.
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord.—Proverbs, xix. 17.
Genius of pity! exercise thy sway,
And with thy soft emotions soothe each breast;
May every heart thy kind dictates obey,
And be thy humanizing pow’r confess’d!
May sweet Benevolence, auspicious fair,
Vouchsafe thy cheering progress to attend,
And smiling Charity, with constant care,
Where’er distress appears, her succour lend.
In the drear season of embitter’d woe,
Oh! may the sons of opulence and ease
Feel pity’s genial animating glow,
Nor suffer avarice their soul to freeze!
May they, whene’er the child of want is seen,
Dispense their warm benevolence around,—
The hapless suff’rer from misfortune screen,
Nor to a narrow sphere their mercies bound!
Not to the wanderer their gifts confine,
But the sad roofs of silent woe explore,
Where modest mourners secretly repine,
And, unsoliciting, their wants deplore.
Then shall the orphan’s and the widow’s prayer,
To Heav’n, with thanks for such relief, be made;
The welcome boon with grateful hearts they share,
And bless the donor for his timely aid.
Anon.
Oh! do not seek the mirthful throng,
But find where friendship lingers,
And feel the strings, untouched so long,
Swept o’er by Pity’s fingers.
Though not a star has lent its light,
Who knows what may be dawning?
The mists that robe the earth at night
Precede the brightest morning!
J. Burbidge.