“ Bold is the man, at this licentious time,1
“ When with such tow’ring strides the robbers climb,2
“ With sense, or satire, to confront their power,3
“ And change them in the great decisive hour.4
“ Bold is the man at this disastrous day,5
“ Who in the gap of fate disputes their way :6
“ Whose heart by frowning arrogance unawed,7
“ Or the deep lurking snares of precious fraud ;8
“ The threats of giant-robbers can deride,9
“ And stem, with stubborn arm, their roaring tide ;10
“ For him unnumbered brooding ills await,11
“ Scorn, malice, insolence, reproach and hate ;12
“ At him who dares, these robbers to defy,13
“ A thousand mortal shafts in secret fly ;14
“ Revenge, exulting with malignant joy,15
“ Pursues the incautious victim to destroy ;16
“ In vain the wretch retreats, while in full cry,17
“ Fierce on his throat the hungry bloodhounds fly,18
“ Around him satan’s harpies flap their wings,19
“ And poisonous vermin dart their deadly stings.20
“ While slander strives with unrelenting aim,21
“ To spit her blasting venom on his name.22
“ Shall we then, at this trying hour, retire,23
“ And quench, in Lethe’s wave oppression’s fire ?24
“ No. Honor forbid ! we fear no threat’ning foe,25
“ While conscious justice bids the bosom glow.”26
Ours is the cause of moral truth, and worth,27
Theirs is the bane of every thing on earth.28
Speech was bestowed (fair nature’s eldest-born)29
To hold all robbers up to public scorn.30