To Dr. Priestley. Dec. 29, 1792
Stirs not thy spirit, Priestley, as the trainWith low obeisance, and with servile phrase,File behind file, advance, with supple knee,And lay their necks beneath the foot of power?Burns not thy cheek indignant, when thy name,On which delighted science lov'd to dwell,Becomes the bandied theme of hooting crowds?With timid caution, or with cool reserve,When e'en each reverend Brother keeps aloof,Eyes the struck deer, and leaves thy naked sideA mark for power to shoot at? Let it be."On evil days though fallen and evil tongues,"To thee, the slander of a passing ageImports not. Scenes like these hold little spaceIn his large mind, whose ample stretch of thoughtGrasps future periods.—Well can'st thou affordTo give large credit for that debt of fameThy country owes thee. Calm thou can'st consign itTo the slow payment of that distant day,If distant, when thy name, to freedom's join'd,Shall meet the thanks of a regenerate land.
This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse