Him only honour'd, only lov'd we find,
Who fights not to destroy, but save mankind:
PELIDES' fury may our wonder move,
But god-like HECTOR is the man we love.
See WILLIAM'S sword a tyrant's pride disarm:
See LEWIS trembling under MARLB'RO'S arm:
Say, which to human kind are friends or foes;
And who detests not These, and loves not Those?
Conquest unjust can ne'er command applause;
'Tis not the vict'ry charms you, but the cause:
Not Caesar's self can feign the patriot's part,
Nor his false virtues hide his poison'd heart:
But round thy brows the willing laurels twine,
Whose voice wak'd freedom in the savage mine!
Yes: truly glorious, only great is he,
Who conquers, or who bleeds for liberty.
"Heroes are much the same, the point's agreed,
"From Macedonia's mad-man to the Swede.
Like baleful comets flaming in the skies,
At destin'd times th' appointed scourges rise;
A while in streaming lustre sweep along,
And fix in wonder's gaze th' admiring throng;
But reason's eye detects the spurious ray,
And the false blaze of glory dies away.