Select Works of the British Poets Volume 5; With Biographical and Critical Prefaces

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1821 Excerpt: ...What shall divide? The God within the mind. Extremes in Nature equal ends produce, In man they join to some mysterious use; Though each by turns the other's bound invade, As in some well-wrought picture, light and shade, And oft so mix, the difference is too nice Where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. Fools! who from hence into the notion fall, That vice or virtue there is none at all. If white and black blend, soften, and unite A thousand ways, is there no black or white? Ask your own heart, and nothing is so plain; 'T is to mistake them, costs the time and pain. V. Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, Wc first endure, then pity, then embrace. But where th' extreme of vice, was ne'er agreed: Ask where's the north? at York, 't is on the Tweed; In Scotland, at the Orcades; and there, At Greenland, Zembla, or the Lord knows where. No creature owns it in the first degree, But thinks his neighbour further gone than he: Ev'n those who dwell beneath its very zone, Or never feel the rage, or never own; What happier natures shrink at with affright, 1"he hard inhabitant contends is right. Virtuous and vicious every man must be, Few in th' extreme, but all in the degree; The rogue and fool by fits is fair and wise; And ev'n the best, by fits, what they despise. "Tis but by parts we follow good or ill; For, vice or virtue, Self directs it still; Each individual seeks a several goal; VI. But Heaven's great view, is one, and that the whole. That counter-works each folly and caprice; That disappoints th' effect of every vice: That, happy frailties to all ranks apply'd; Shame to the virgin, to the matron pride; Fear to the statesman, rashness to the chief; To kings presumptio...