y -T^ ^ ^*^ J' ■ ^^Tv THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES VERSES ^0 tfic ?9c'iinri3 of t'jc Tate RTCHA EI) UEYNOLBS. \'Prii'>: Tifi) Shilliiii/.< n.UiNAHU AMI FAKLl-y, Skinmr-sintt, L'>ndj\. VERSES iltcutovi? or Tiir. r.viE RICHARD REYNOLDS, BRISTOL. BY JAMES MONTGOMERY, AUTHOR OF Tin: ^\ \nui:ri;ii of surrzKur.AND, ci^c. Ac. Know ye not, that thtru is a Prince ami :\ Great Man f.illen in l-rael t U. Sam. III. 3S. ?iontron: PRINTr.D FOR LONGMAN, IK RST, RF.ES, ORME, AND BROWN, r.i'n:ii\itaiUsof HlllSTOL, held in the Cuildhall of 8 that City, on Wednesday, tlic 2d October in- stant, " The Right Worshipful the MAYOR in the Chair : " It was unauiinously Resolved, " That in coiisequence of the severe loss which Society has sustained by the death of the venerable RiciiAiin Revinoi, DS,and in order to perpetuate, as far as may be, tiie great and important benelitshe has conferred upon the City of Rristol and its vicinity, and to excite others to imitate the example of the departed Philanthro- pist, an Association be formed under the designation of ' REYNOLDS'S COMMEMORATION SOCIETY.' " That tlie I\l embers of the Society do consist of Life Subscribers of ten Cuineas or u})\vards, and Annual Subscribers of one Guinea or upwards ; and that the object of this Society be to grant relief to persons in necessitous circumstances, and also occasional assistance to other bent^volent Institutions in or nt ar the City, to enable them to continue or increase their usefulness, and that especial regard bi; had to tin- SAMARITAN SO- CIETY, of which RlcuAJiu Rey>olj^s was the Lo under. •' Thtil tlu' Casts to be •a>>i>tr'(l and relieved be eii- tJrelv in the di-^cretion ol' the Cninniittee ; but it is re- (■(>niinLn(l( d to them not to grant an} rtlirl" or assistance \vilhont a eaietid in\e^tigation ol the eircnnistances ol each Ca-e : and that, in Imitation of the Example ot" the InchviiUial whom this S,>ciet_v i> designed to connnenio- rate, it be considered as a sacred chity ot" tlie Coininittee, t(j the latest period ot" it^ e\i>teiu;e, to be wholly unin- llneiiced in the chslribution ol" its t"nnds, by any considera- ti(jns (j1" sect or party."' 'riie 'I'liird Piece in the ensiiitiu' Scries, en- titled, •■ // (lood Jlcnis Jlomo/unf." was iii- teiidvMl for a ti^iirative veprese'iitation ot'tliis stib- linic and universal Charity. The resemblance ouuhl tn have been snfheiently ohvions, witli- otit bcinu' jxiinted out here. At the ]hd)lie Meetinu', mentioned in tiie tbreuoiirg' ad\-ertisement. manv elo(|iU'nt Panc- c;\rics \\ere jinjiionin'ed on the Character ot" llieiiAj;i) Ji K vxo I. i)s. I/( re let his own ^\b>rds nnd Deeds --peak tor him. in a tew cases, which were made i)id)lic on that ()cca>ion. Mr. r>i" I 1 I. II wo i; rii , ol Loik/o)/. said : " When the lirst subscrij)tion was opened to 10 relieve the distress in Germany, 1 took some part in that Institution. Being in Bristol soon afterwards, 1 had some conversation with Mr. Reynolds on the subject. lie made many judicious observations and inquiries as to the nature of the distress, and the best mode of dis- tribution, wliich served as valuabh:; liints to the Committee in London. He then modestly subscribed a moderate sum wjlh his name ; luit shortly after, the Committee received a blank letter, having the post mark of Bristol, and en- closing a Bank of England bill for Five Hundred Pounds." Dr. Pole g-ave the following- account : — ■ — " It is v^ell known, that he made it his con- stant ])ractice from religious ])rinciple, annually to spend the whole of his income. What his moderate domestic esta1)lishment did not re- quire, he disposed of in subscriptions and dona- tions for promoting whatever was useful tO' so- ciety, as well as to lessen the sufferings of the afflicted, without regard to names, sects, or parties. At one particular time, (if 1 am rightly informed,) he wrote to a friend in London, ac- 11 (|iiaiiiting liim tlrar lit had not, tliatycar, spent the whoh' ot" his income, re^iuc^tinu' that it" he knew (')i' an\' ])arlienlai' (\ises c laiminu eliarital)le rehet, lie Mtnikl l)e uhui to he intoi'iiud. His iVieiid coinnmnieated to liiin the (h>lre>sing- situation ot' a con^iderahle nuniher of persons • •onlined in a. certain }Mi>on lor small dehis. What (hd this humane and liencrous IMiilan- thro})ist do on this re])reaid, tliat he liad heard from what he considered yood aulliority, the })articiilars of an act of princely ]i])eralily. mentioned l>y a Lrentleman hetore him. " yh\ lleynolds, at the i)eriod alluded to, (17ii.3.) residtxl at Coalbrook Dale.— He ad- dressed a letter to some fri(_'nds in London, stat- ing- the iuipression made ujion hi.> mind, by tlie distresses of the communily, and desiring that they Mould draw upon him ti.r such sum as tliey might think proper. They complied with 12 Ills request, and drew, in a very short time, to the extent of Eleven Thousand Pounds. It appeared, hoAvever, that they had not yet taken due measure of his hherality : for I'li the course of a few months, he again wrote, stating, that his mind was not easy, and his coffers were still too full. In consequence of which they drew for Nine Thousand Pounds more!" Mr. Stephen Prust told this characteris- tic anecdote: "Mr. Reynolds having applied to a Gentleman whom he thought rich, but who was really only in circumstances of medio- crity, to stimulate him to give, made use of the followino- argument : ' When ffold encircles the heart it contracts it to such a degree, that wo ffood can issue from it ; but when the pure gold of Taith and Love gets into the heart it expands it, so that the last drop of life blood will flow into any channel of benevolence.' " The following pleasing circumstance comes from the same authority. '• A Lady applied to him on behalf of an Orphan. After he had given liberally, she said, ' When he is old enough, 1 will teach him to name and thank his HLMict'actor.' — ' Stoj), (said the (Jood Man.) thou art mistaken — ^^c do not thank the clouds for the rain. Teach him to k^ok liij^lier, and tliank IIIM who iiivetli jjotli the clouds and the The Ilev. William Thorpk, in the course of a most impressive speech, rekated a circum- stance which strikingly exemplifies the humi- lity of this excellent man: *' So far was he from being inflated with the ])ride of wealth, that he spoke the genuine sen- timents of his heart, when he said to a Friend who apj)lied to him with a case of distress, ' My tak'ut is the meanest of all talents, — a little sordid dust ; but the man in the parable, who had but one talent, Avas accountable ; and for the; talent that I possess, humble as it is, 1 am also accountable to the great Lord of LL. A simple but noble Monument, from the Association of illustrious Names, was erected to th(^ Honour of Uiciiakj) Ulyxolds, dur- ing his life-time, by one of his most favoured Friends, who entered into rest long before him. 14 On hearing of Lord Nelson's Victory at Trafal- gar, the late worthy .Mr. John BrRxn.L, of Bristol, placed a marhlc Tahlet, in a private Chapel, in his dwelling honse, bearing this In- scription : JOHN HOWARD. JONAS HANWAY. JOHN FOTllEllGILL, M. D. RICHARD REYNOLDS. "Not unto us, O Lord! not unto us, but unto Thy Name, be the glory." Beneath some ample hallow'd dome, The Warrior's bones are laid, And blazon'd on the stately torn!) His martial deeds display 'd. Beneath an humlder roof we place This monumental stone, To names tlie poor sliall ever bless, And (Charily shall own : To soften human woe tlieir care, To feel its sigh, to aid its prayer : Their work on eartli, not, to destroy; And their reward — their iMastei's joy. Finally, '' mark the })erfcct man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace," as the annexed authentic document will testify. ''Sept. 14, \^]ii.—Mi:M()RI\nVMri'>pccrui^^ the laic 11 K IIA R I) R /: ISOLDS. " In llic ^J)l■i^g• of tlii^ y«"'i'', I'i- anxious Incuds lliouglit tliev saw in his counttiiaiuT iiidicalKr.i-- <>1' ili'cliiuiig luallli ; he was ini'.etil, about tlii- lime, iVt. (^luutty L(iini)lainiiig ot weakness ami lo-s ol' appitilr. In May \\c was \Liy un- well from a coUi; l>ut hail mai iy neovc rrtl it, when a bilious attack reduced him con-ideiabl}, and did xnA pei- manentlv vicld to medi ; for his mmd \\as lixed on the jMobability, that the com])laint would t( rnimate his earlhlv pilgrimage, and with this view he tVe(piently ex- pressed liimself (juite satislied, having brought his mind to a depi nihuice only on the ^^ercy of G'mI in Christ Jesus. JJe Went to Cheltenham the 7th .August; -anti continued, witii but little variation as to his chscjrder, till Fridav the Gdi Septend)er — ('walking and riding out every day, and even drning the cruriage himself, accompanitxl bv ln> daughter or cousin onl\ ), on which dav he walked cut before Ijreaklast ; but soon after became much wtaker; and towards e\enmg declined rapidlv. On Suiidav,huw- ever, he revived so much 'as to give hope that it would be pos-ible to remove him to Bristol the- next dav, — the prospect of which had beloie ajipearcd to be aLireeablc to liim. But these hopes were ihsa])poinled ; he -unk again in the course of that night never to ie\ivc. For many yeai<, he had not been confined to his betl a whok' day; and during this illnc-^-s, he got u]) and sat at table Nvith the family at all theif meals, till Monday, his last 10 day, when lie was induced by his friends to lie in bed till the afternoon ; then he arose, drank tea with them in another room, and went to bed at his usnal time. At live o'clock next morning, an alteration for the worse appear- ing in his breathing, some of his relatives, who had retired for a while, were called to him; but none of them thought his end so near. lie had before desired that his daughter would be with him at his close; and now aljout six o'clock, raising himself a little, he signified that she should go to the other side of the bed ; when, tin ning on his side, and taking her hand in his, and j)ressiiig it, he quietly, and almost imperceptibly, expired ! A silence, which can liardly be described, pervaded the room ; no one quitting the awful scene for more than an hour. This was the lOlh of September, 1816. ' Know yc not that there is a Prince and a great Man fallen this daij in Israel ?'' " A few days previously to this event, after something consolatory had been ministered by an endeared female Friend, he said, ' IMy Faith and Hope are, as they have ' long been, on the Mercy of G ojj, through J i.s us Christ, * who w as the propilialion foi- my sins, and not for mine ' only, but for the sins of the whole world.' " During his illness, he was exceedingly placid, and kind to every body: his countenance and conduct indi- cating tliat all wiUiiii was p-. ace. No alarm, no regret, at leasing u world in which no one perhaps had more of its real blessings to relimiuisli — the love, the veneration, of all around him; but on the contrary, a willingness to yield up his Spirit to llim who gave it, and had sinictiiied it by the blood of the llcdecmer." I. srijf Statifj of tJjt liisljtcotts. 1 HIS placo is holy ground ; Woi 111, with thy cares, aw ay ! J^iknce and tlarkncss rcigii around^ ]*)iit, h)! the l)reak of day : \\ hut bright and sudden chiw a appears, To shine u})on tliis scene of tears r "Tis not the inoriiing-hghf. That wakes the hn k to sniij ' 'Trs not a niet((>r of the night, Xor track of ang(T> wing: It IS an nncrealeil Ijeain, Ijike tiiat wliich bhune on Jacob's (heani u 18 Eternity and Time Met for a moment here; From earth to heaven, a scale subhmc Rested on either sphere, Whose steps a saintly iigure trod, By Death's cold hand led home to God. He landed in our view. Midst flaming hosts above ; Whose ranks stood silent, while he drew Nigh to the throne of love, And meekly took the lowest seat, Yet nearest his Redeemer's feet. Thrill'd with ecstatic awe, Entranced our spirits fell, And saw — yet m ist not what they saw ; And heard — no tongue can tell What sounds the ear of rapture caught, Wliat glory flU'd the eye of thought. Thus far above the pole, On wings of mounting tire, Faith may pursue tlie enfranchised sou!, Rut soon her pinions tire ; It is not given to mortal man Eternal n)vsterics to scan. — Ikliold the Ik'iI of (k:itli ; This [):ilc and lowly clay; Ilcaul yc the sob of [)arthig breath ? Mark'il ye the eye's hist ray ? No ; — ht'e so sw eetl Y ceased to be, It hipscd ill iminoitality . Could tears revive the dead, Kivers should swell our eyes; Could sighs rccal the spirit lied, ^^ e would not ([ueneli our sighs, Till love relumed this alter'd mien. And all the embodied soul were seen. Jjuiy the dead ; — and ^\eep In stillness o'er the loss ; }][{]■} the dead; — in Christ f/iei/ sleep, \\ ho bore on earth his cross, .And tidni the grave their dust siiall rise, III his own image to the skies. r. ^i 21 11. Cfjt iWtmory of tijc ^n&U Strike a louder, loftier, lyre; Bolder, sw eeter strains em})lov ; Wake, lleniemljrance ! — and inspire Sorrow with the song of jo\. Who was J le, for whom our tears Flow'd, and will not cease to tlow — Full of honour^ and of vear^, In the tlu>t iiis head lies low. Yet rcsinsient from liie tliist. Springs aloft his mighty name ^ For the memory of the Just Lives in everlastiuii fame. 22 lie was One, whose open face Did his inmost heart reveal ; One, who wore with meekest grace, On his forehead, Heaven's broad seal. Kindness all his looks express'd, Charity m as every word ; Ilim the eye beheld, and bless'd ; And the ear rejoiced that heard. Like a patriarchal sage, Holy, humble, courteous, mild, He could blend the awe of age With the sweetness of a child. As a cedar of the Lord, On the height of Lebanon, Shade and shelter doth afford. From the tempest and the sun : — While in green luxuriant prime, Fragrant airs its boughs difl'use, From its locks it shakes sublime, O'er the hills, the morning dews. Thus he liourish'd, tall and strong, Glorious in perennial health; Thus he scatter'd, late and long. All his plenitude of wealth. \\'e;iltli, wliich prodigals had decni'd A\'ortli llio souT-s luicouulnl cost ; Wtaldi, which iiiiscis liad esteeni'd Cheap, tliougli heaven itself were lost. Tliis, uith free unsparing hand, To the poorest child ot' need, This he threw around the land, Like the sower's precious seed. In the world's great harvest day, lively grain on every ground, Siony, thorny, by the way, Shall an hundred fold be found. Yet, like noon's refulgent l)lazc, Tiiongh he shone from east to west, Far withdrawn ironi i)ublic gaze, Secret goodness pleased him best. As the sun, retired from siglit, Through the purple evening gleams, Or, unrisen, clothes the night, In the morning's golden beams: Thus beneath the horizon dim, lie would hide his radiant hea d, And on eyes that saw not him, Lisilit and consolation shed. 21 Oft his silent spirit went. Like an angel from tlie throne, On benign connnissions bent, In the fear of God alone. Then tlic widow's heart would sing, As she turn'd her wheel, for joy ; Then the bliss of hope would spring On the outcast orphan boy. To the blind, the deaf, the lame. To the ignorant and vile, Stranger, captive, slave, he came With a welcome and a smile. Help to all he did dispense, Gold, instruction, raiment, food; Like the gifts of Providence, To the evil and the good. Deeds of mercy, deeds unknown. Shall eternity record, ^Vhich he durst not call his own. For he did them to the Lord, As the Earth puts forth her flowers, 1 leaven-ward breathing from below ; As the clouds descend in sliowers. When the southern breezes blow . 23 Thus Ills ienovat( (1 miiul, A\ arm with j)urc cclchtial love. Shed its intliiL'ucc on mankind, A\ Inlc its liupt.s aspired above. Full of faith at length he died, And victorious in the race, W on the crown ior which he vied, — Not of merit, but of grace. 27 III. The pyre, tliat burns tlic aged Bramhi's bones, Runs cold m blood, autl issues liviui;- groans, Wlieii the whole llaraiu with the husband dies, And ilemons dance arounil the sacrilice^ In ravage realms, wJien tyrants yield their breath, llertU, flocks, and slaves, attend their lord m death; Arin^, chariots, carcases, ;i luMrid heap, Ru-t at his side, or share his niouldeiing sleep. When heroes fall triunij)lianl on llu- plain ; For nidlions con([Ui r'd, aiui ten thousands slain, For cilits levell'd, kingd(jnis drenchd in blood, Navies unnihiluled ou the llood; 28 — The pageantry of public grief requires The splendid homage of heroic lyres ; And genius moulds inipassion'd brass to breathe The deathless spirit of the dust beneath. Calls marble honour from its cavern'd bed, And bids it live — the proxy of the dead. Reynolds expires, a nobler chief than these ; No blood of widows stains his obsequies ; But widows' tears, in sad bereavement, fall, And foundling voices on their father call : No slaves, no hecatombs, liis relics crave. To gorge the worm, and crowd his quiet grave ; But sweet repose his slumbering ashes lind, As if in Salem's sepulchre enshrined ; And watching angels waited for the day. When Christ should bid them roll the stone away. Not in the fiery hurricane of strife, 'Midst slaughter'd legions, he resign'd his life; But peaceful as the twilight's parting ray. His spirit vanish'd from its house of clay, And left on kindred souls such power imprest. They seem'd with him to enter into rest. Hence no vain pomp, his glory to prolong, No airy immortality of song ; No sculptured imagery, of bronze or stone, To make his lineaments for ever known. 29 Reynolds requires : — liis labours, nnrits, name, Demand a nioninnent of sur<'r fume ; Not to record and |)rar>orn to >tand A prince auKMig the worthies of the land, By Nature's title, written in his face: INIore tlian a Prince — a sinner saved by grace, Promi)t at his meek and lowly Master's call To prove himself the minister of all. BRISTOL ! to thee the eye of Albion turns; At thought of thee thy country's sj)irit burns ; For in thy walls, as on her dearest ground, Are " British minds and British manners" found: And 'midst the wealth, which Avon's waters pour Brom (nery clime, on thy conunercial iiiiore, Thou hast a native mine of worth untold ; Thine heart is nut encased in rigid goUi, Witiier'd to mununy, steeld aganisl distress; No — -free as Severn's waves, that spring to bless Their parent iiills, but as they roll expand In argent beauty lino a lovelier land, And widening, biightening to the western sun. In Hoods of glory thro' thy channel run; 80 Thence, mingling with the boundless tide, are huiTd 111 Ocean's chariot round the utmost world: 7 luis i\o\v tliine heart-streams, warm and uncoufnied, At homo, abroad, to woe of every kind. Wordiy wert tliou of Reynolds; — worthy he To rank the hrst of Britons even in thee. Ueynolds is dead; — thy lap receives his dust Until the resurrection of the just : Reynolds is dead ; but while diy rivers roll, Immortal in thy bosom live his soul ! Go, build his monument:- — and let it be Firm as the land, but open as the sea. Low in Jus grave the strong foundations lie, Yet be the dome expansive as the sky. On crystal pillars resting from above, Its sole supporters — a'o/7cs of faith and love; So clear, so pure, that to the keenest sight, They cast no shadow : all within be light : No walls divide the area, nor enclose; Charter the whole to every wind that blows ; Then rage the tempest, flash the lightnings b]ti(>, And thunders roll, — they })ass unharniing through. ()n(! sini[)le altar in the midst be ])laced, With this, and only this, insciiption graciMJ, The song of angels at Innnanuel's birth, " Glory to God! good-will, and peace on earth." 31 There be thy diileous sons a tribe of priests, Nut ottering ineense, nor tlie bhxxl of beasts, But with tlieir gilts upon that altar spread; — Health to the sick, antl to the hungiy bread, Benelicence to all, their hands shall deal, A\ ith Reynolds' single eye and hallow'd zeal. Pain, want, misfortnne, thither shall repair; Folly and vice reclaini'd shall worship there The Goil of him — in whose transcendant mind Stood such a temple, free to all mankind : Thj/ God, thrice-lionour'd city ! bids thee raise That fallen temple, to the end of days : Obey his voice; fulfil thine high intent; — Yea, be thyself the Good Man's Monument ! '*ee«e«^'y%i«ry - 503 2 7 Tse? -.0 the '/6l nirory of the late hich:.rd Re-.TiClds :SO:.;"^tR". RFG!0'.iL LIBRARY fAi AA 000 079 195 4 5032 V61 5.' rT^