The Following Illiberal Impromptu Appeared in a Morning Paper:
“OUR nation’s foes lament on Fox’s death, | |
| But bless the hour when Pitt resign’d his breath: | |
| These feelings wide, let sense and truth unclue, | |
| We give the palm where Justice points it ’s due.” | |
| |
To Which the Author of These Pieces Sent the Following Reply:
O factious viper! whose envenom’d tooth | 5 |
| Would mangle still the dead, perverting truth; | |
| What though our “nation’s foes” lament the fate, | |
| With generous feeling, of the good and great, | |
| Shall dastard tongues essay to blast the name | |
| Of him whose meed exists in endless fame? | 10 |
| When Pitt expired in plenitude of power, | |
| Though ill success obscured his dying hour, | |
| Pity her dewy wings before him spread, | |
| For noble spirits “war not with the dead.” | |
| His friends, in tears, a last sad requiem gave, | 15 |
| As all his errors slumber’d in the grave; | |
| He sunk, an Atlas bending ’neath the weight | |
| Of cares o’erwhelming our conflicting state: | |
| When, lo! a Hercules in Fox appear’d, | |
| Who for a time the ruin’d fabric rear’d; | 20 |
| He, too, is fall’n, who Britain’s loss supplied, | |
| With him our fast-reviving hopes have died; | |
| Not one great people only raise his urn, | |
| All Europe’s far-extending regions mourn. | |
| “These feelings wide, let sense and truth unclue, | 25 |
| To give the palm where Justice points it ’s due:” | |
| Yet let not canker’d Calumny assail, | |
| Or round our statesmen wind her gloomy veil. | |
| Fox! o’er whose corse a mourning world must weep, | |
| Whose dear remains in honor’d marble sleep; | 30 |
| For whom, at last, e’en hostile nations groan, | |
| While friends and foes alike his talents own; | |
| Fox shall in Britain’s future annals shine, | |
| Nor e’en to Pitt the patriot’s palm resign; | |
| Which Envy, wearing Candor’s sacred mask, | 35 |
| For Pitt, and Pitt alone, has dared to ask. | |
| |
