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THE GLORY OF FORGIVING.

ROWE.

The narrow soul

Knows not the glory of forgiving ;

Nor can the cold, the ruthless heart conceive,
How large the power, how fixed the empire is,
Which benefits confer on generous minds:
Goodness prevails upon the stubborn foes,
And conquers more than ever Cæsar's sword.

FRIENDSHIP.

CATHARINE PHILIPS.

Friendship's an abstract of Love's noble flame,
'Tis Love refined, and purged from all its dross,
The next to angel's love, if not the same,
As strong as passion is, though not so gross :
It antedates a glad eternity,

And is a heaven in epitomy.

SUPREMACY OF MERCY.

ROWE.

"Tis Mercy! Mercy!

The mark of heaven impressed on human kind, Mercy that glads the world, deals joy around, Mercy that smoths the dreadful bro w of power, And makes dominion light: Mercy that saves Binds up the broken heart, and heals despai

APOSTROPHE TO MERCY.

SOMERVILLE.

O Mercy, heavenly boon! sweet attribute!

Thou great, thou best prerogative of power!

Justice may guard the throne, but joined with thee, On rocks of adamant, it stands secure,

And braves the storm beneath.

THE PLEASURE OF MERCY.

WALLER.

Less pleasure take brave hearts in battle won
Than in restoring such as are undone :
Tigers have courage, and the rugged bear,
But man alone can, whom he conquers, spare.

MERCY ETERNAL.

MILTON.

In Mercy and in Justice both

Through heaven and earth, so shall my glory excel, But Mercy first and last shall brightest shine.

THE EXCELLENCE OF MERCY..

BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER.

The greatest attribute of heaven is Mercy ;
And 'tis the crown of Justice and the glory,
Where it may kill with right to save with pity

MERCY IS HEAVENLY.

DAVENANT.

O think! think upward on the thrones above;
Disdain not Mercy, since they Mercy love!
If Mercy were not mingled with their pow'r,
This wretched world could not subsist an hour.

THE RAPTURE OF BENEFICENCE.

THOMSON.

But to the generous still improving mind,
That gives the hopeless heart to sing for joy,
Diffusing kind beneficence around,

Boastless, as now descends the silent dew;
To him the long review of ordered life

Is inward rapture only to be felt.

POWER OF LOVE.

TUPPER.

I had a seeming friend,-I gave him gifts, and he was

gone,

I had an open enemy ;-I gave him gifts, and won him ; Common friendship standeth on equalities and cannot

bear a debt;

But the very heart of hate melteth at a good man's

love,

IT IS EASY TO FORGIVE.

THOMSON.

'Tis easier for the generous to forgive,

Than for offence to ask it.

TRUE GREATNESS.

ROWE.

Great minds, like heaven, are pleased in doing good,
Though the ungrateful subjects of their favors
Are barren in return.

LOVE OMNIPOTENT.

SHAKSPEARE.

Things base and vile, holding no quality,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.

APOSTROPHE TO LOVE.

MOORE.

Blest infant of eternity!

Before the day-star learned to move,
In pomp of fire, along his grand career,
Glancing the beamy shafts of light

From his rich quiver to the farthest sphere,
Thou wert alone, Oh Love!

Nestling beneath the wings of ancient night Whose horrors seemed to smile in shadowing thee!

THE NOBLEST MINSTRELSY.

MOORE.

Though War's high-sounding harp may be
Most welcome to the heroes cars,
Alas, his chords of victory

Are bathed, all o'er, with tears.

How far more sweet their numbers run
Who hymn like saints above,
No victor but the Eternal One,
No trophies but of Love!

NOBILITY OF KINDNESS

BYRON.

The drying up a single tear has more
Of honest fame than shedding fields of gore.

WONDERS OF LOVE.

FATTERSON.

Almighty Love! what wonders are not thine
Soon as thy influence breathes upon the soul,
By thee, the haughty bend a suppliant knee,
By thee, the hand of avarice is opened
Into profusion; by thy power the heart
Of cruelty is melted into softness :

.The rude grow tender, and the fearful bold.

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