The better mind will sometimes feel the pain
Of benefactions—­favour is a chain;
But they the feeling scorn, and what they wish, disdain;
While beings form’d in coarser mould will hate
The helping hand they ought to venerate: 
No wonder George should in this cause prevail,
With one contending who was glad to fail: 
“Isaac, farewell! do wipe that doleful eye;
Crying we came, and groaning we may die;
Let us do something ’twixt the groan and cry: 
And hear me, brother, whether pay or prize,
One half to thee I give and I devise;
Por thou hast oft occasion for the aid
Of learn’d physicians, and they will be paid;
Their wives and children men support at sea,
And thou, my lad, art wife and child to me: 
Farewell!  I go where hope and honour call,
Nor does it follow that who fights must fall,”
   Isaac here made a poor attempt to speak,
And a huge tear moved slowly down his cheek;
Like Pluto’s iron drop, hard sign of grace,
It slowly roll’d upon the rueful face,
Forced by the striving will alone its way to trace. 
   Years fled—­war lasted—­George at sea remain’d,
While the slow Landman still his profits gain’d: 
An humble place was vacant—­he besought
His patron’s interest, and the office caught;
For still the Virgin was his faithful friend,
And one so sober could with truth commend,
Who of his own defects most humbly thought,
And their advice with zeal and reverence sought: 
Whom thus the Mistress praised, the Maid approved,
And her he wedded whom he wisely loved. 
   No more he needs assistance—­but, alas! 
He fears the money will for liquor pass;
Or that the Seaman might to flatterers lend,
Or give support to some pretended friend: 
Still he must write—­he wrote, and he confess’d
That, till absolved, he should be sore distress’d;
But one so friendly would, he thought, forgive
The hasty deed—­Heav’n knew how he should live;
“But you,” he added, “as a man of sense,
Have well consider’d danger and expense: 
I ran, alas! into the fatal snare,
And now for trouble must my mind prepare;
And how, with children, I shall pick my way
Through a hard world, is more than I can say: 
Then change not, Brother, your more happy state,
Or on the hazard long deliberate.” 
   George answered gravely, “It is right and fit,
In all our crosses, humbly to submit: 
Your apprehensions are unwise, unjust;
Forbear repining, and expel distrust.” 
He added, “Marriage was the joy of life,”
And gave his service to his brother’s wife;
Then vow’d to bear in all expense a part,
And thus concluded, “Have a cheerful heart.” 
   Had the glad Isaac been his brother’s guide,
In the same terms the Seaman had replied;
At such reproofs the crafty Landman smiled,
And softly said, “This creature is a child.” 
   Twice had the gallant ship a capture made —