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 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 AN 
 
 ETHICAL ESSAY. 
 
 VVV'y""v'^-.^v'vVVV'V'^/'\'-V'V''v^.'v.'^^^ 
 
 [PRICE TWO SHILLINGS.]
 
 conscience: 
 
 AN 
 
 ETHICAL ESSAY, 
 
 BY 
 
 The Reverend J. BRAND, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for T. Becket, in the Strand; W. Woo dyer, 
 at Cambridge ; and W. C H A c e, at Norwich. 
 
 MDCCLXXIII.
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THE Subjedl of this Piece is the fame with that 
 propofed the two laft Years for S baton's Prize 
 Poem, on which Account it was originally written : 
 An accidental Delay it met with upon the Road, occa- 
 iioned its being prefented to the Vice-Chancellor two 
 Days after the Time appointed by the Will of Mr. 
 Seat on; who therefore found himfelf obliged not to 
 receive it
 
 CONSCIENCE. 
 
 THE ARGUMENT. 
 
 I. T^he Subject propofed. 
 
 II. [3 — 40] T'he Invocation addrejl to the Spirit of Song^ 
 
 as (i) alleviating the fufferings of mankind^ (2) infpiring 
 virtue^ (3) and the piety of men and angels, 
 
 III. [41 — 46] T^he Definition of Conscience. * The 
 fenfe of pleafure or pain ari/ing from a perception of the 
 
 agreement or difagreement of our anions with the rules of 
 •virtue, 
 
 tV. [47 — 206] The Sources of Conscience, or this moral 
 fenfe of pleafiire and pain.' — ift, Sympathy— ^ 2d, Pride 
 and Shame' — 3d, Self-love. 
 
 I ft. [51 — 70] From Sympathy ive rejoice in the pleafures 
 of others, and our affeBion is conciliated to their author ; 
 
 B relation 
 
 * Sec Note to v. 45. f See Note to v. 4^ 
 
 
 865715
 
 THE A R G U iM E N T. 
 
 relation to him heightens that fleafure ; confe que fitly- its 
 greatejl Jlrength is^ nvhcn that hoppincfs fprings from our-^ 
 fehes, and our aim Virtue. 
 
 [71 — 74] The co?iverfe true of Vict. 
 
 2d. [75 — 88] From Pride. The natural excellencies of the 
 body or mindy when furveyedy necejjarily give a /pedes of 
 pleafiire which we call felf-cojnplace7icy or pride : this emo- 
 tion isJlro72ger o?z the perception ofthofe degrees of perfeBiony 
 which we give birth to in oiirfdvesy by aSls of the will ; 
 and is fill augmented in proportion of the dignity of the end 
 by ivhich it is put in aSlion ; the higheji gratification of this 
 infinB is therejore., the contemplation of thofe of our own. 
 aSlion^y to which fome virtue was the end. 
 [89 — 92] From Shame. The converfe of the former argu- 
 ment holds goody as vice is attended with the greatejl degree 
 ofJJmme^ 
 
 3d. [93 — 206] Fr07n Self-love. Self-love oBuates oiir- 
 hopes and fears from a conf deration of — ift, our prefejity 
 and — idly, our future fate. 
 
 [93 — 134] From the prefent State.— ^Thofe anions, which, 
 promote the felicity of Societyy (or the moral virtues) natu- 
 rally bring their own rewards with them: Thofe which 
 obfruSi ity (or vices) their r.efpeSlive punijl^ments. Whence 
 according to the nature of our aStionsy we are filed with 
 
 the
 
 T H E A R G U M E N 1\ 3 
 
 t/je hopes of thefe rewards^ or the fear of thcfc piuiijh- 
 ments : and as the mind is always more employed in con- 
 fidering the future^ than either the prefent or the paji, thefe 
 future expeSlations (which contribute to compofe that moral 
 fenfc^ named Confcience ) form the greater part of our pre- 
 fent happinefs or mifery. 
 
 [135 — 206] From a future State. — Our hopes are firongly 
 excited by the views of that eternal happinefs, our fears 
 by the reprefentation of the divine jujiice revelation has 
 given us. Digrefjion. Dfcription of the divin-e juJlice ; her 
 infinity ; her almighty power to proteSl — or punifi. She 
 defends upon earth to chajlife the fins of men ', the effeSls 
 of her vengeance. The terror a confideration of this mufi 
 infpire in the breafi of the wicked^ and more particularly 
 on the point of death. 
 
 y. [207 — 648] The Final Causes of Conscience. — ift, 
 to excite repentance — 2dly, to counterpoife the pafjions'— 
 3dly, to render the happinefs of individuals more propor- 
 tioned to their moral merits. 
 
 I ft. [213 — 220] ConfcieJice excites us by repentance t» 
 (ippeafe the divine jufiice. 
 
 .2dly. [221 — 262] // counterpoizes the pafiions, by making 
 ihemfubferiiient to the general good ; which otherwife would 
 
 B 2 engage
 
 THE ARGUMENT. 
 
 engage us in excejfes the mojl deJlruSiive to fociety. It 
 introduces thefiriejl moral harmony in the mind; and reconciles 
 all the 'various purfuits of life to univerfal happinefs^ 
 
 3dly. [263 — 648] Vice is frequently fuccefsful^ and virtue 
 deprejl in the world : Confcience^ by being the fecret punij}}- 
 ment of the former .^ and the fupport of the latter ^ renders^ 
 the happinefs of each, more proportioned to the moral merit 
 of ifidividuals : and thus forms a necejfary fupplement to 
 the external adminifiration of providence. 
 
 [273 — 578] Hence unrejlrained Avarice^ Ambition^ Sen- 
 fuality, and other crimes derive their fecret punijhment. 
 
 [579 — 610] Andfrofn hence the man of virtue when dijirefy. 
 experiences a fupport y enabling him to triumph over or 
 defpife the affli^ions of life. 
 
 [611 — 648] While its infucnce gives new pleafttre to all: 
 its Jiner enjoyment Sy and exalts profperity into happinefs^
 
 CONSCIENCE. 
 
 CONSCIENCE Ifing; lier nature, fource, and 
 power ; 
 Her fecret fcourge, and felf-approving hour. 
 
 Oh thou ! whofe fway fubdues the willing foul,, 
 And charms each paflion to thy mild controul, 
 5: In every breaft fpeaks peace to every care, 
 
 Wakes round afBiftion's couch, and Tooths defpafr: 
 Parent of Virtue ! thou whofe breath infpires 
 The good, the wife, and fans their nobleft fires ;; 
 Excites the high refolve, the godlike deed ; 
 10 Aids all their toils, and pours the immortal meed r 
 Or taught the voice of piety to raife. 
 The pealing anthems deep majeftick lays ; 
 Where through the folemn ifles, and vaulted choir. 
 With choral found her hallow'd. ftrains afpire : 
 
 Benig-
 
 6 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 15 Benignant hear from thy empyreal heiglitj 
 
 Where thron'd thou lit'fl in rcahns of living light, 
 Crown'd with celeftiai wreaths and flov/ers that 
 
 blaw 
 Eaft by the ftreams of life, and as they flow 
 Drink immortality ; while on thy ftate 
 
 20 The bands of Angel and Archangel wait 
 To lead the eternal Paean of the fkies ; 
 At once from twice ten thoufand harps arife 
 Their golden fymphonies, and taught by thee. 
 Rolls the full tide of heav^enly harmony ; 
 
 25 'Till fwell'd with all thy pomp the defcant floats, 
 And more than rapture fires the facred notes ; 
 . Spirit of immortal Song ! the verfe infpire, . 
 Aflift the flrain, and kindle all its fire, 
 To fing what peace, what joy, what foft content, 
 
 30 Await the Confcience of a life well fpent : 
 The keen the fecret grief, the heart-felt woe, 
 The fears, the fliame, the pang, the guilty know. 
 The breathing grace, the glowing thought impart, 
 To beam convidlion on the enlight'ned heart ; 
 
 35 To finer ardors raife the godlike mind. 
 Ox form that virtue which they fail to find ; 
 
 I To
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 7 
 
 To wipe the tear from Virtue's radiant eye, 
 Sparc vice one crime, prevent one rifing figh,. 
 Bid peace and hope on pale dejedion fhine, 
 40 Thefe are thy noblefl: praife, and thefe be mine. 
 
 When man compares his a6lions with the rule 
 Of moral life deduc'd from virtue's fchool, 
 With joy their jufl: conformity we fee, 
 And mark with grief where'er they difagree : 
 
 45 This MORAL SENSE of PLEASURE and of PAIN, 
 
 Of Conscience forms the wide extended reign. 
 From THREE great principles by Fleav'n impreft, 
 She holds her empire o'er the human breaft, 
 
 Mild Sympathy, with Pride's more ardent fway, 
 50 And ftrong Self-love which awes us to obey. 
 
 When 
 
 (V. 45.) Confcience is defined to be a fenfe of pleafure or pain; not 
 a bare abftraft perception of the mind, exclufive of an operation 
 on the paflions : becaufe fuch a perception miift terminate in irfclf, 
 and can never become a fource of aftion, any more than the abftracl 
 dedudlions of geometry or any other fcience j and Confcience is an adtive 
 principle. 
 
 (V. 49.) The term Pride mufl be nnderftood in a philofophical fenfe, 
 as a natural pleafure arifing from the view of its objeft •, not as oppofed 
 10 the virtue of humility, in which knk it is a vice. The advan- 
 
 tages
 
 S CONSCIENCE: 
 
 When Virtue wakes felicity around ; 
 And blefl with calm content, gay tranfport crown'd, 
 That peace the good man fpieads, we mark the few; 
 Each focial paflion kindles at the view, 
 
 55 Nor there fubfldes; but urg'd by nature's laws 
 Transfers the pleafure to its a£fcive caufe ; 
 The liberal heart which iKow'rs fuch blifs approves, 
 And glows expanded o'er the worth it loves : 
 Each flight connection can new force impart, 
 
 60 And bring that pleafure nearer to the heart : 
 
 But livelier joy, more home-felt raptures blefs 
 
 The godlike mind which fhow'rs fuch happinefs : 
 
 Sweet 
 
 tages of life are furveyed with pleafure; the means by which thefe are 
 procured are therefore pleafing, by the operation of the mind alTociating 
 the pleafure arifing from the contemplation of the end, with the idea of 
 the means : ihe foremoft among thefe we reckon the natural excellencies 
 of the bo<ly or mind : thus 'tis proved, there mufl: exift fuch a pleafure 
 as fcii-complacence or pride, from a view of our natural perfedtions •, 
 if naiure has not given us an original primary inllinct, v/hich makes 
 the natural advantages uecefliirily and per fe give pleafure to their pof- 
 fcffors. Ours is not the only language which wants a term which may 
 cxprefs felf-complacency, without the danger of being mifunderftood 
 without foi'.ie explanation. Since the writing the above I have happened 
 of the following obfervation on the word orgHei/, which one of the befl: 
 modern French poets wanted to liave introduced in the fenfe I have ufed 
 the term Pride. — *'■ J'aurois fubftitue le mot d'orgueil a ces mots, fentiment 
 de nos forces, de nos qnalites, &c. mais dans notre langue le mot d'or- 
 gueil fe prend toujours en mauvaife part." Les faiions, note, p. 98. 
 
 3-
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 9 
 
 Sweet fpring's Favonian airs, and blufhing flow'rs, 
 Sweet to the tJiirfty earth dcfcending lliow'rs, 
 
 65 To virgins fweet the dance's graceful rounds, 
 And fweet the tuneful lyre's melodious founds ; 
 Yet fweeter far the joys which Virtue warm. 
 To view that fmiling fcene flie loves to form, 
 Sooth pain and care, reprefs afflidion's ftings, 
 
 70 And rife with peace and healing on her wings. 
 
 When Vice her dark vile induftry employs 
 To wafte the happy field of human joys, 
 Even there fliall Sympathy affert her laws, 
 And teach the vile to feel the pain they caufe. 
 
 75 
 
 Whatever great from Nature's gift alone 
 Of ftrength, of form, of mind we boaft our own. 
 This by implanted Inftin6b given to pleafe, 
 The foul with pride, and self-complacence fees; 
 That excellence from Adive Will which flows, 
 80 A nobler triumph on the breaft beflows ; 
 
 But when Great Ends the kindling foul infpire, 
 When Virtue animates her facred fire, 
 Then glows ferene the pureft blifs on earth. 
 The large, the liberal fenfe, of manly worth, 
 
 C Calm
 
 10 ' ^C-6% SCIENCE: 
 
 8^ Calm Reafon's chaft'ned Praife, and consciolts- 
 (A virtue ftill to virtue when allied ;) [fride^ 
 
 Superior to each low, each felfifli aim. 
 And all the vulgar thirft of vulgar Fame. 
 
 Hence in the breafl v/here Vice maintains her 
 throne, 
 90 Which every fordid bafenefs calls her own, 
 Shame from himfelf retiring, lurks unfeen, 
 Stables at large, and defolates his- den. 
 
 With lenient hand to give each pain relief, 
 By every care to foften cvorj grief, 
 
 95 Confer fair friendfhip's joys, the focial hour, 
 Pity's mild dew, and bounty's liberal fhower ; 
 Or bid injuftice, rapine, fraud, and ftrife, 
 Range all abroad, and blaft the fcenes of life,, 
 "^e point detraction's vile envenom'd dart, 
 
 100 Infult fall'n virtue, wring the inmofl: heart 
 Of bleeding Innocence : fuch aids we find,. 
 And fuch the ills man fufFers from mankind : 
 On a(?ts like thofe attends their facred meed' ; 
 Fair fame, * the public care, the grateful deed, 
 
 f Publica Cura. Hor.
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. ii 
 
 105 Profpcrity's warm beam, and gay eft hour, 
 
 Wealth without fears, and v/ithout envy power ; 
 Peace courts their, walk, and Hope their manfion 
 loves, [proves : 
 
 Earth fpeaks their virtue, and high Heaven ap- 
 On thefe flagitious deeds what pains await ? 
 
 1 10 Shame's canker'd fting, dejection's weeping ftate. 
 Pale care and fruftrate hope, and chill difdain. 
 And ftern adverfity, and all her train. 
 Fear, want, defpair the frantic deed to urge, 
 Juftice' deep la£h, and Memory's bitter fcourge. 
 
 115 Thefe views the mind aft'ed: in different ways. 
 And fink in forrow, or to rapture raife ; 
 Of half our cares, and half our thoughts, at leaft, 
 The future robs the prefent and the pafl: ; 
 Fond to embrace that future, Hope and Fear 
 
 120 At once enlarge its profpe6ls, and draw near, 
 While on the ideal landfkip's varying ray 
 Depends the colour of our prefent day : 
 Hence glows the heart as fummer fkies ferene, 
 Where chearful Hope irradiates all the fcene, 
 
 125 Smiles on the future hour, approves the paft. 
 Enjoys the prefent, yet can wifli the laft : 
 
 C 2 But
 
 j^ CONSCIENCE: 
 
 But vice in vain fliall feek her fecret fliade, 
 Dark confcious fears her penfive vv^alk invade,. 
 Paint each vile art, each deed of fecret night, 
 130 Bar'd to the day, and dragg'd to public light ; 
 The fcorn of virtue's keen indignant eye, 
 Inflicted pain, and galling infamy ; 
 His prefent lot all grief, his paft all care, 
 His future torment, and his end defpair, 
 
 135 Were all our thought to this low fphere con- 
 fin'd, 
 By pain and pleafure, pride and fhame combin'd, 
 Would Conscience thus maintain her heaven- 
 taught fway. 
 And bend reluiTiant PaiTion to obey : 
 To nobler ends Religion bids us rife, 
 
 140 AfTert our birth, and claim our kindred fkies ; 
 With every hope the foul of Virtue warms, 
 With every fear the breaft of Guilt alarms : 
 Here all the blifs of opening Heaven appears,. 
 In golden order rife the eternal years, 
 
 145 And endlefs joy extends her radiant reign, 
 Exempt from all fatiety and pain : 
 
 Infulted
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 13 
 
 Infulted Heaven avenging juftice there, 
 
 And the dark reahns of death, and grief, and 
 
 care : 
 Justice- dread offspring of the God of light ! 
 
 150 Immutable! Eternal! Infinite! 
 
 In vengeance arm'd, beneath her feet fhe treads 
 The reign of death and hell, the vanquiflit heads 
 Of fal'n immortals and etherial powers ; 
 And crown'd with living light, her head flie towers 
 
 155 Above the Heaven of Heavens : on high upheld 
 Before her beams her adamantine fhield 
 Effulging flame on flame ; divine, immenfe. 
 To which, the fpace the vaft circumference 
 Of Saturn's all-involving orb furrounds, 
 
 s6o Shrinks to a point ; beneath whofe ample bounds, 
 Sjfliems and worlds from fate and force flie faves: 
 And in her ftrong right hand, the fword flie waves 
 Which girds omnipotence ; whtDfe mighty length 
 Flames through immenfe infinitude : its ftrength 
 
 165 Created nought refiils, but falls away:, 
 
 Toucht by the power of its refiftlefs fway, 
 
 To uneflential nothing. When the cries 
 
 Of wrong, and lufl, and blood confufed arife, 
 
 FaminEj
 
 14 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 Famike, and Pestilence, and War, prepare 
 
 170 Her winged courfers and jetherial car ; 
 
 She mounts ; from all her form the lightnings blaze' 
 Through aether's boundlefs deeps, inceffant plays 
 Above, around, beneath : on fwifteft wing 
 Through all the Heavens the immortal courfers 
 fpring : 
 
 175 Not one ten-tlioufandth part fo fwift as they 
 Angelic thought, light's inftantaneous ray- 
 Darts rapid : at each bound through all the fkies, 
 From world to world the flaming chariot flies. 
 Famine and Peftilence her march preceed, 
 
 1 80 War burns around, and bids the nations bleed j 
 Dark fanguine horror flirouds the orbs of light, 
 Loud tempefts rage, the whirlwind's furious might 
 Howls through the lab'ring air, the hoary deeps 
 Roar terrible, from all their pine-clad fteeps 
 
 185 The marble mountains to their bafes nod ; 
 Earth to her center trembles at her rod ; 
 Hell hears the coming ruin, and beneath 
 A deeper horror fills the realms of death ; 
 Its furging flames with added wrath afpire, 
 
 190 And wing'd with vengeance, and pernicious fire, 
 I Tar-
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 15 
 
 Tartarean thunders loud rebellowing roar, 
 And kindled rage, and pangs unfelt before, 
 And Heaven's fevereft agonizing fcourge 
 For endlefs ages her fad exiles urge ; 
 
 195 Fear quells celeftial breafts ; and fcarce ferene, 
 Amidft the avenging terrors of the fcene, 
 Even Virtue but not trembles. And fhall Man, 
 His world a bubble, and his race a fpan ? 
 Shall guilty man, though wing'd with whirl- 
 winds, fly 
 
 2CO Her red right arm, or her all feeing eye ? 
 
 Death's horrid power arrefts him from afar, 
 And drags his trembling vidlim to her bar : 
 And come he will ; (fixt is thy utmofl: date ;) 
 Swift as the rapid march of time and fate ; 
 
 205 Diftra^lion in his van, and pain, and fear, 
 And enlefs night and horror in his rear. 
 
 Ask we the cause why Nature has impreft 
 
 A moral Confcience in the human breaR ? 
 
 To w^ake remorfe her fecret fcourge was given, 
 
 210 And teach us to avert the v/rath of Heaven ; 
 
 To fortify its vafh eternal plan, 
 
 Its firft great end, the happinefs of Man. 
 
 When
 
 i6 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 When arm'd in vengeance Juftice aims the 
 wound, 
 Proftrate in duft and growing to the ground, 
 215 In foriow's hiimbleft lowlieft form array'd 
 Oft meek-ey'd Penitence, celeflial maid. 
 Hangs on her hand, averts the impending blow, 
 And calms the avenging terrors of her brow, 
 Till by her prayers her tears to pity mov'd, 
 220 She fmiles fuperior o'er her befb belov'd. 
 
 Two Principles impell the human foul, 
 Paflion to urp-e, and Confcience to controul : 
 In niceft equipoize united flill, 
 Thefe ballanced forces guide the human will : 
 
 225 As wheels fome planet its perennial courfe. 
 Urged by attraction, and impulfive force ; 
 With fv/ift celerity this wings his way, 
 While that with gentle, fecret, conftant fvvay, 
 Makes man by force unfeen, yet unwithftood, 
 
 230 Refpecfl the central point of general good ; 
 And move obedient to the facrcd plan. 
 
 In that fixt orbit heaven, prefcribes to mail : 
 
 Z Relax
 
 1 
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY: 17 
 
 Relax the * golden chain, vvitli mad career 
 And headlong fury, ftarting from his fphere 
 235 Like fome red comet blazing through the fkics, 
 Now here, now there, with madding fpeed he flies, 
 Flames thro' the wafte of life with lawlefs force. 
 And plagues, and death, and ruin mark his courfc. 
 
 Hail Confcience! fource of all our blifs belov/, 
 240 From thee what joys in long fucceffion flow ! 
 Grateful to mortal and immortal ears, 
 The warbled Pa^an of the heavenly fpheres I 
 But far more grateful when infpir'd by thee 
 Man's chaft'ned paffions moral harmony ! 
 245 Grateful their myftic rounds and endlefs dance, 
 Where hours, days, years, with m.eafur'd change 
 
 advance ; 
 The fhadowy forms and ftarry robe of nicrht, 
 The grateful interchange of ufeful lio-ht j 
 Spring's laughing pride, gay fummer's purple glow, 
 250 Autumn's full lap, and winter's virgin fnow : 
 But far more grateful is the winding maze, 
 The endlefs intricacy Life difplays : 
 
 * E^P« xpv.e,., II. viii.~The golden chain :-the force of attrafiion." 
 See Pope's Iliad. 
 
 D 
 
 In
 
 i8 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 In varied courfe its v^aried rounds we glide, 
 By turns advance, retreat, combine, divide^. 
 
 255 Trace and retrace its whirling circle's fpeed, 
 Prompt to urge on, and eager to recede ; 
 Confcience unfeen each varied motion guides. 
 And through the maze with fecret (w^y prefides,. 
 Marks all our way, our erring courfe defledis, 
 
 260 Infpires, repells, affifts, reftrains, directs ; 
 
 Each wild extreme combines with mutual ties^ 
 And bids fair order from confufton rife. 
 
 If man with philofophic eye furvey^ 
 
 The pains, the pleafures which attend her fway,. 
 265 More juftly balanc'd happinefs he fees, 
 
 As moral rnerit marks the juft degrees ; 
 
 Confcience, the laft great fupplement,^ was given. 
 
 To fill up all the facred plan of Heaven ; 
 
 To render all that vice can boaft her owb,_,^_ . 
 270 Rapine's pii'd heaps, ambition's gorgeous tlirone, 
 
 Pleasure's gay fcene, afflicted virtue's fighsj^ 
 
 Confiftent with the juftice of the fkies. 
 
 Oppression may encreafe the mifcr's ftore. 
 With all the wealth of either India's Ibore j 
 
 His
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 19 
 
 B75 His fwelling fails tower proudly o'er the main, 
 Exhaiift whole realms, and plunder'd regions 
 
 drain ; 
 A thoufand vales his golden harveft fills, 
 His vintage purples o'er a thoufand hills ; 
 Yet not his treafur'd hoards, his fwelling fails, 
 
 280 The vine-clad mountains, or the golden vales, 
 Ckar the fad brow by confcious dread o'ercaft. 
 Or footh the bitter memory of the paft : 
 Where dark ambition winds her treacherous way. 
 Smiles to deftroy, and flatters to betray, 
 
 285 And ftoops to win the wretch her heart difproves, 
 To facrifice the generous worth fhe loves ; 
 With varied guilt each varied jfhape to try, 
 Till ceafelefs toil wins fplendid mifery : 
 Or fired with the delirious dream of fame, 
 
 290 The empty glories of an empty name ; 
 
 She wildly burns to dare each arduous deed. 
 Forms the deep phalanx, bids the battle bleed, 
 Bids rapine, lufl, and death with lawlefs fway 
 Range uncontroul'd thro' half the realms of day ; 
 
 295 Not each proud argument of old renown. 
 
 The trophied column, and the vidlor's crown, 
 
 D 2 The
 
 20 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 The pride of conquefl, or the joys of powers. 
 Can calm reflexion's felf-accufing hour. 
 With AVARICE and ambition 'tis the fame, 
 
 300 The knave of intereft, and the fool of fame ;, 
 Fell difcontent with burning hedtic curft, 
 Who only drinks to- parch with double thirfl, 
 Remorfe with anguifh weeping o'er the paft, 
 Fear her fad fcene with future ills o'ercaft, 
 
 305 Care with deje<fted eye and dubious brow,. 
 Gaunt terror trembling at the name of foe,, 
 Sufpicion trembling at the name of friend,. 
 With, ceafelefs bay their flying fpeed attend. 
 And urge fagacious all the rapid courfe 5 
 
 310 In vain they fly, wake every latent force, 
 
 Toil up the high hill, fweep along the. plain,, 
 Rufli from the fl:eep, or crofs the ftormy main ;•. 
 O'er plains, o'er rocks, the loud Cerberean cry,. 
 Wing ftep with ftep, and follow where they fly,. 
 
 315 Hang on their rear, and circle as they tread, 
 For ever prefent though for ever fled... 
 
 Nor can the guilty joys which pleasure brings 
 Heal the flck breaft or footh its confcious flings :
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 21 
 
 Together let us trace her flattering mazej 
 
 320 Where every art her happieft charm difplays ; 
 See the gay fcene its fhining fkhts unfold 
 Emblazed with purple, elephant, and gold ; 
 The lelT'ning columns graceful ranks extend, 
 From fretted roofs the ftarry lamps depend, 
 
 325 The beamy luftres trembling fplendors fhine, 
 Lilaid with every gem from every mine ; 
 The fculptur'd marbles breathe in living rows,. 
 With thought, with foul the fpeaking canvafs- 
 
 glows : 
 The courtly youth and virgin train advance, 
 
 330 Share the glad feafl or form the graceful dance: 
 Through the high dome the fprightly pipe re- 
 founds. 
 The clear recorder wakes her dulcet founds, 
 The cittern lilver voice, the living lyre. 
 The vocal flute inftilling young deflre, 
 
 335 Breathe extacy ; while thus the choral fong 
 Devolves its ftream of melody along : 
 ** Arise ! ye fons of focial joy,.arife ! 
 
 1 
 
 Now radiant Hefper gilds the evening Ikies ; 
 
 " Spring,, 
 
 a
 
 ti CONSCIENCE: 
 
 <* Spring, fummer, autumn all their treafures join, 
 J40 " Spread the gay feaft, and pour the fparkling 
 " wine; 
 *' See o'er the verge its dancing luftres fwinii 
 ^' And liquid radiance trembles round the brim, 
 " Prompts thewarmwifh, infpires theHow of foul, 
 *' And bids new fragrance crown the laughing 
 " bowl. 
 34-5 " And thou of frolic mirth the rofy power, 
 « Oh fmile propitious o'er the genial hour ! 
 " Come with thy fportive train, and bring along 
 " The jeft ambiguous, and the feftive fong, 
 " Life's brighteft funfliine and her vernal air, 
 350 " The wild oblivion of every care, 
 
 " V/it's laughing front, and humour's grave 
 
 *' pretence, 
 *' And all the gay debauch of tafte and fenfe." 
 
 Thev ceafe; alternate then the virgin train 
 Wake into rapture the fymphonious ftrain : 
 355 Soft as the fouth winds breathe, when genial 
 fprings 
 With new born odours lade their downy wings. 
 
 Soft
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 
 
 23 
 
 Soft as the tear which ftreams from beauty's eye, 
 Soft as the love-lorn virgm's fofteft figh, 
 ,Whofe breaft new hopes, new fears alternate move, 
 
 360 And heaves with trembling extacy to love, 
 The breathing airs in tuneful defcant flow. 
 Now lightly gay, now mufically flow. 
 Or circling wheel their wildly warbling round ; 
 Silence hangs o'er enamour'd of the found, 
 
 J65 And tremblingly attentive waves with fear 
 His downy pinions in the lifl'ning air 
 Not to diffolve the charm. With varied notes 
 Thus o'er the foul the fmooth enchantment floats. 
 
 370 
 
 375 
 
 " In beauty rob'd now comes the jolly spring?, 
 And winnows fragrance from his buxom wing : 
 He comes, and with him leads the laughing 
 
 " hours. 
 The vernal gales, the mildly-genial fhowers : 
 Earth courts his warm approach, Vv^here'er he 
 
 " treads, 
 Luxuriant ail her wanton pride fhe fpreads, 
 Bids each gay flower its Vv^armeft biufh improve, 
 And new-born odours breathe through every 
 
 «. 
 
 grove. 
 
 <( 
 
 Spon-
 
 24 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 ** Spontaneous tribes their beauteous forms unfold, 
 ** The flaming lotus kindling into gold, 
 *' Gay amaranth, the jafmine's virgin white, 
 380 " Rob'd in the mildeft beam of filver light, 
 *' Myrtle, and afphodell, and iris rife, 
 
 The race of brighter funs and genial fkies. 
 For Spring thus Nature pants with kind alarms, 
 For Youth thus Beauty puts on all her charms, 
 385 " Love's brightefl, happiefl fmile, the flgh fuppreft, 
 Which half conceals, and half betrays the 
 
 " breaft ; 
 Soft fpeech, the fond repulfe, the tender tear, 
 The trembling, wifhing, kind, reludlant fear ; 
 The blufhing ardor's warm contagious jfire, 
 390 " The humid eye which beams intenfe deflre : 
 Attend her call ; and pafs not unpoffeft 
 *' The rofeat joys which court thee to be blefc." 
 
 Yet Melancholy, yet the bitter fcourge 
 Of fad refledion, the tumultuous furge 
 95 Of paflion raging in the flck'ning breaft. 
 By guilt, by anguifh, by defpair depreft, 
 The pang for ever new, for ever keen, 
 Haunt the fad mafler of the guilty fcene. 
 
 While 
 
 (C 
 
 (( 
 
 C( 
 
 il 
 <c 
 (( 
 
 il 
 
 (C
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 25 
 
 While down Iiis check, the tear inccllant ftole 
 400 Thus flov/'d the fecrct anguiih of" his foul. 
 
 " Not the gayfeafl:, notmufic's fprightly found> 
 
 *' The blamelcfs dance, the bowl with rofes 
 *' crown'd, [" brace, 
 
 *' Sweet fong, love's gentle joy, th' endear'd cm- 
 
 " Not every art rclin'd by every prace 
 405 " Can calm Remorfe; can break her iron rod, 
 
 " And to her pain fpeak peace. My God ! my God! 
 
 " 'Tis fharp, 'tis terrible ! to breathe, to be, 
 
 *' But to converfe with ccafelefs mifcry ! 
 
 *' The cool, the fragrant morn returns ; again 
 410 " To life, to joy, flie wakes the fons of men ; 
 
 " But not to me comes joy ; his chearinp- rav, 
 
 " Ne'er gilds one dark hour of my gloomy dav. 
 
 '' Night fhades the world ; beneath her fombre 
 " wings, 
 
 *' Silence, and peace, and balmy lleep fhe brings ; 
 415 " But peace the guilty couch for ever flies, 
 
 " Nor balmy fleep e'er vilits thefe fad eyes ; 
 
 " To-morrow dawns as wretched as to-day; 
 
 " Thus wear my years of mifery away. 
 
 E " Yet
 
 t2^ CONSCIENCE: 
 
 " Yet ah ! might all-involving time confign — 
 420 " Alas ! that balm heals every wound but minel 
 " Vain is the promife of it's foothing power : 
 " Thus fome fond infant on the fea-beat fhore, 
 " When waves on waves move on their marfliall'd 
 " In lilent eager expectation ftands [bands,, 
 
 425 " Till every fwelling furge be overpaft ; 
 
 " Now this, now that, he fondly hopes thelaft; 
 *' Still furge on furge, on billows billows hurl'dj. 
 *' To the vext fhore rolls all the watry world." 
 
 Now reigns the ftilly hour, when Night had driven 
 430 Her ebon car through half the road of Heaven 
 Spangled with flars ; and from her utmoft height 
 Surveys this nether world : In chafter light 
 O'er the calm fcene the virgin Moon prefides, 
 "Her pale ray trembling o'er old Ocean's tides : 
 435 She fees the vales with vapour deluged o'er, 
 A wavy fea of mifl without a fhore ; 
 Above, emerging from the fleecy plain, 
 " '-^he peafant's humble roof, the folemn faney^. 
 The fllent groves with trembling light o'erfpread, 
 .440 And robed in luftre the high mountain's head : 
 
 Around
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 27 
 
 Around flie views kind fleep's fraternal power, 
 Through her ftill reign his balmy blcfiings fliower; 
 And drooping worth by fruftratc hope purfued, 
 And toil, whofe pain but ends to be renewed, 
 445 AfFedion's hopclefs care, and grief's fad fwav, 
 ' "• Forget their forrows, and abfolve the day. 
 
 Yet all the fplendid fcene's illufion fled, 
 No foft flcep liovers o'er its mafter's head : 
 Gaunt terror pidurcs in the midnight fliade, 
 
 450 The weeping form of innocence betray 'd, 
 Expos'd to piercing want, afHidive pain, 
 Faint flck'ning agony, and death's dread reio;n : 
 A weeping father, impotent to favc, 
 By frantic forrow urg'd to fcek a grave. 
 
 455 To each fad image of diftrading thought 
 
 A new fucceeds with deeper anguifli fraught ; 
 And memory to wound his inmofh heart, 
 Steeps in her bittereft gall her fharpefl dart ; 
 Now here, now there he turns to feek repofe, 
 
 460 Averfe fhe flies, and leaves him all his woes ; 
 Till fick'ning nature by fiitigue oppreft, 
 Sinks down in torturins; dreams of feverifh reft. 
 
 E 2 For-
 
 28 C O N S C I E N C Er ■ 
 
 Forsaken, chearlefs, defolate, difmay'd, 
 He feems to wander in the midnight fhade, 
 
 465 'Midft penfive ifles and folitary tombs ; 
 
 Chill horror broods through ail the hallowM domes: 
 In awRil fhades, half veil'd from mortal fight, 
 The flitting melancholy forms of night 
 Throiio-h the Ions; o-loom in folemn fllence fweep • 
 
 470 And drops of blood from every marble weep : 
 Loud-rufliing roars a hollow blaft around ; [found, 
 And from its womb with more than thunder's 
 A voice thus breaks on his aflonifli'd fenfe : 
 " Mortal, 'tis pail ! and vengeance fweeps thee 
 " hence." 
 
 475 The yav/ning grave its marble jaws. expands. 
 And burfting into light a dread form ftands 
 Shrowded in terrors : his grim bofom gor'd, 
 Still frefhly ftream'd beneath the gleaming fv/ord ; 
 Corruption's loa.thfome bane had, half deftroy'd 
 
 480 His undiftinguifht form ;. and from the void 
 Together v/ith him burfts Death's horrid kinaf, 
 Whofe mortal dart he feizes ; bent to fpring 
 Upon his trembling prey ; " In vain you fly! 
 " Vengeance demands her vidim, and you dye. 
 
 « My
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 29 
 
 485 " My cliild! my child! cxads thy forfeit breath, 
 " Her tears, her fhame, her agonies, her death : 
 " My frantic brcaft with every pang to tear, 
 ..,;,*.'. Againfl; my foul my madding fword to. bare, 
 '^ In all my crimes to meet my doom hurl'd down} 
 490 " Thus I avenge her fate! and thus my. own!" 
 Alloniflit, nervelefs, impotent he flands, 
 Fear chains his feet, and binds his tremblino- hands: 
 , , He fcrives, he toils, yet wants the power to fly,. 
 And feems translixt to fall, to writhe, to dye. 
 495 Trembling he wakes; and fcarce forgets his fears, 
 While anxious terror fteeps his couch with tears. 
 
 To court fleep's balmy gifts again he tries. 
 And other fhapes, and other forms arifc : 
 He ftrays by fober evening's grateful lliades, 
 5 CO Through devious walks and fragrance-breathing 
 glades. 
 Glittering by Moon : a folemn iilence reigns ; 
 Save in fome bourne that fkirts the dewy plains, 
 The fweeteft warbler of the feather'd throne 
 Wakes to foft rapture her love-labour'd fong; 
 505 And penfive lift'ning to her amorous lay, 
 
 His lov'd, his Ipyeiiefl: charmer weeps his flay. 
 
 Thus
 
 30 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 Thus fome fair lily, on tlie mountaitr s hde, 
 With rain furcharg'd declines her filver pride ; 
 Till young Hyperion from his gorgeous height, 
 
 5 lo On her chafte bofom fhow'rs the dazzling light : 
 Then chear'd to life, in virgin ftate array'd, 
 Half her retreating elegance difplay'd, 
 While half-conceal'd her modeft form fhe veils, 
 And ftreams frefh odour to the paffing gales, 
 
 515 His golden beams her fpotlefs beauties rear, 
 To lend new luftre to the vernal year. 
 Hope gleams a moment o'er his deep diftrefs, 
 And bids him thus his raptur'd fenfe exprefs. 
 " Dear as foft {bowers when gafping Nature 
 " mourns ! 
 
 520 " Dear as cool fliades when fervid Sirius burns ! 
 " Dear as the vital air 1 as balmy reft 1 
 *' Dear as the laft beft hope that warms my breaft! 
 " Oft Fancy faw thee mingled with the dead, 
 " And o'erthe thought my heart with anguifhbled: 
 
 525 " Nor reft my foul nor joy my bofom knew, 
 Save haply when Remembrance to my view 
 The wretched fcenes of other days retrac'd, 
 " In fond idea thy paft griefs I chac'd j 
 
 " Re- 

 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 31 
 
 *' Repuls'd no more with ftern averting eye 
 
 530 " Thy weeping loveHnefs, thy ftruggling figh ; 
 " But wiped thy tears, bad all thy forrows ceafe, 
 *' And fmil'd thy fond fubfiding fears to peace : 
 " Then fled the fancied fcenes, and as they fled, 
 " I wept no cares could reach the fllentdead. 
 
 535 "Or when my mind its deareft joy has prov'd, 
 " To blefs the Friend thy gentler virtues lov'd ; 
 " Thus have I fiid to my expanding heart, 
 *' Flad flic now liv'd fome j*oy it might impart 
 " To that mild breaft, where foftnefs fixt her 
 " throne, 
 
 540 " To feel the blifs of thofe fhe lov'd her own. 
 
 " White footh'd affedion's tear, and pleaflng grief, 
 " Through my flck breaft difl'us'd fevere relief. 
 " God of my foul ! be all her future bleft ! 
 " And let her cloflng day be peace and reft ! 
 
 545 " Heal all thy feft'ring griefs, and thofe forgot, 
 " Let Jufticeor let Mercy fix my lot." 
 Then ardent he extends his longins arms, 
 
 DO ' 
 
 Intent to grafp her viflonary charms. 
 When lo ! that inftant, in his fond embrace, 
 550 Again — pale Famine in her bloated face, 
 
 And
 
 32 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 And pangs and terror in her meager eyes, 
 Expiring, proftrate at his feet flie lies, 
 Convulft with madding agonifing pain. 
 While death and torture burns in every vein ; 
 
 555 Now finks the heart, now pants recover'd life, 
 Now -nature labouring in her lafl: fad Pcrife, 
 Frantic with fhrilling (lirieks flie rends the air. 
 Then fmks exhaufted down in mute defpair , 
 Yet turns on him her fond, forgiving eye, 
 
 560 And on his preft hand breathes her lafl fad Ugh. 
 His boiling brain with frantic pafiion burns. 
 He rages, loves, and weeps, and ftorms by turns ; 
 Now deems, array'd in terrors and the night. 
 The kindred fhades purfue his trembling flight, 
 
 ^6^ With wliips of Scorpions ; and a dreary yell. 
 The unutterable fury forms of hell : 
 Till flying, from fome dread tremendous fteep 
 Headlong he flnks, ten thoufand fathoms deep ; 
 Down, down, the eternal precipice he goes ; 
 
 570 And o'er his foul the depths of ocean clofe. 
 
 With fears and ftern conflidling pangs pofl'eft, 
 Thus Confcicnce agitates the guilty breafl: ; 
 
 Hence
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 33. 
 
 Hence Lufl that can the golden bands defpifc 
 Of Nature and her deareft charities ; 
 575 The wretch who fliarpens fell afflidion's dart, 
 To bid it pierce a friend's a parent's heart ; 
 And midnight murder, and relentlefs hate, 
 Transfixt with horror feel their future fate. 
 
 Yet hence the firm fupport of godlike minds, 
 580 The laft bell: refuge fufFering Virtue finds ; 
 
 She fmooths the good man's path, ferencs his way. 
 And on his thickeft gloom pours light and day : 
 If on the fea of life indulgent gales 
 Aid all his courfe and fill his fwelling fails, 
 585 While o'er the parted waves his light bark glides. 
 With fober hand her deftin'd courfe he o-uides : 
 If black'ning clouds the face of heaven deform, 
 He all collected dares the rifing ftorm ; 
 Marks one fixt ftar, and by her guiding ray, 
 590 Stems all the terrors of the watry way. 
 
 Darknefs in vain the face of heaven o'erflirowds. 
 Storms fwell on ftorms and clouds arc roU'd on 
 
 clouds ; 
 Tne afflidling hail defcends, the driving rain 
 Sweeps o'er the furge, and blackens all the main ; 
 
 F The
 
 34 CONSCIENCE: 
 
 595 The uplifted billows toffing to the fkies, 
 Roaring, immenfe, foamy, abrupt, arife ; 
 O'er the tall mafl: their raging tops afpire, 
 And wrathful lightnings robe the main in fire, 
 One wide inceflant blaze : loud thunders roll, 
 
 600 Tremendous, deep, and bellow round the pole r 
 And he the angel of Deftrudlion forms 
 Their mufli'ring ire, and drives on all their ftorms ; 
 And deep retir'd in clouds and tenfold night. 
 Full on the bark impells their raging flight, 
 
 605 Arreft the bolt with erring fury fped, 
 
 And hurls it flaming o'er his ficred head : 
 Serene the good man fleers his conflant way, 
 While fruflrate lightnings innocently play j. 
 And fees their baflled rage v/ith generous fcorn,. 
 
 610 Or gild his triumphs, or his fall adorn. 
 
 'Tis CONSCIOUS WORTH alonc cau form ourblifs,. 
 Exalt profperity to happinefs. 
 Aid life's beft joys, illume her brighteft day, 
 And gild her profpeds with diflinguifht ray. 
 6 1 5 Fair Wealth's enchanting fcenc, her fretted room, 
 Her feaft, her fong, her treafures, and her plume : 
 3 And
 
 AN ETHICAL ESSAY. 35 
 
 And dear the warrior's Wreath, the patriot's Fame, 
 The poet's bay, the fagc's deathlefs name : 
 Sweet Friendfliip's tye, themutual heart that binds, 
 
 620 The facred fympathy of kindred minds : 
 Soft Love's endearing joy, and golden dart. 
 The gentle wifh, fond cares, and pleafing fmart r 
 Yet Wealth's enchanting fcene, the boaft of Fame, 
 Love's gentle wi£h, and Friendfliip's facred flame, 
 
 625 For Confcious "Worth refine their happieft hour ; 
 On Confcious "Worth their choiceft blefhngs 
 And every joy of every appetite [fliower ; 
 
 Her fecret power refines to true delight : 
 Thus when the dew of heaven pervades unfeen 
 
 630 Earth's inmoft breaft, and morn returns ferene ; 
 Then beams the liberal luftre of the year, 
 The hills the plains fpontaneous herbage rear, 
 Intenfer beauty robes the laughing fpring, 
 
 The herds rejoice, the exulting vallies ring • 
 635 Man, grateful Man the glowing fcene furveys, 
 Eyes its great Source, and pours his foul in praife. 
 In bright fuccefiion year thus leads on year, 
 Till having finifh'd all his full career, 
 
 She
 
 36 CONSCIENCE. 
 
 She finks mature upon the lap of earth ; 
 
 -640 The lot impos'd by Nature on her birth : 
 No guilty fear difturbs her clofing eyes, 
 But hope ferenes her pafiage to the fkies ; 
 Points to the reign of Peace, and Hope, and Joy, 
 There where no pains torment, no cares annoy ; 
 
 645 Immortal ftreams and realms for ever bright, 
 The eternal Throne, the flood of living light. 
 And Virtue's higheft brighteft beft reward. 
 The applauding fmile of Heaven's almighty Lord, 
 
 THE END.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
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