42. Fair Words
{88}
THY words are good, and freely given,
As though thou felt
them true;
Friend, think thee well, to hell or heaven
A serious heart is
due.
It pains thee sore, man's will should swerve
In his true path
divine;
And yet thou ventur'st nought to serve
Thy neighbour's
weal nor thine.
Beware! such words may once be said,
Where shame and
fear unite;
But, spoken twice, they mark instead
A sin against the
light.
Gibraltar.
December 17, 1832.