Tales by George Crabbe Part 21

"Lo! yonder blaze thy worthies; in one heap Thy scoundrel favourites must for ever sleep: Each yields its poison to the flame in turn, Where wh.o.r.es and infidels are doomed to burn; Two n.o.ble f.a.ggots made the flame you see, Reserving only two fair twigs for thee; That in thy view the instruments may stand, And be in future ready for my hand: The just mementos that, though silent, show Whence thy correction and improvements flow; Beholding these, thou wilt confess their power, And feel the shame of this important hour.

"Hadst thou been humble, I had first design'd By care from folly to have freed thy mind; And when a clean foundation had been laid, Our priest, more able, would have lent his aid: But thou art weak, and force must folly guide; And thou art vain, and pain must humble pride: Teachers men honour, learners they allure; But learners teaching, of contempt are sure; Scorn is their certain meed, and smart their only cure!"

Footnotes:

{1} NOTE: Indentation and hyphenation as original.

{2} The reader will perceive, in these and the preceding verses, allusions to the state of France, as that country was circ.u.mstanced some years since, rather than as it appears to be in the present date; several years elapsing between the alarm of the loyal magistrate on the occasion now related, and a subsequent event that further ill.u.s.trates the remark with which the narrative commences.

{3} As the author's purpose in this tale may be mistaken, he wishes to observe that conduct like that of the lady's here described must be meritorious or consurable just as the motives to it are pure or selfish; that these motives may in a great measure be concealed from the mind of the agent; and that we often take credit to our virtue for actions which spring originally from our tempers, inclinations, or our indifference. It cannot therefore be improper, much less immoral, to give an instance of such self-deception.

{4} Fasil was a rebel chief, and Michael the treacherous general of the royal army in Abyssinia, when Mr Bruce visited that country.

{5} The sovereign here meant is the Haroun Alraschid or Harun al Raschid, who died early in the ninth century: he is often the hearer, and sometimes the hero, of a tale in the Arabian Nights Entertainments.