It never was our guise
To slight the poor, or aught humane despise.

It never was our guise
To slight the poor, or aught humane despise.

In misery's darkest caverns known,
His useful care was ever nigh,
Where hopeless Anguish pour'd his groan,
read more

In misery's darkest caverns known,
His useful care was ever nigh,
Where hopeless Anguish pour'd his groan,
And lonely want retir'd to die.

To pity distress it but human; to relieve it is Godlike.

To pity distress it but human; to relieve it is Godlike.

Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that read more

Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that we are never so alive as when we concern ourselves with other people.

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
Heaven did a recompense as largely send;
He gave read more

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
Heaven did a recompense as largely send;
He gave to misery (all he had) a tear,
He gain'd from Heaven ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.

Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence, of this
virtue.

Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence, of this
virtue.

Who gives himself with his alms feeds three,
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me.

Who gives himself with his alms feeds three,
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me.

He scorn'd his own, who felt another's woe.

He scorn'd his own, who felt another's woe.

He is one of those wise philanthropists who, in a time of famine,
would vote for nothing but a read more

He is one of those wise philanthropists who, in a time of famine,
would vote for nothing but a supply of toothpicks.