Fair Play

FRIENDS, Britons, and Countrymen, heed what you say,
Let Englishmen ever shew all folks fair play;
Look up, and reflect, e'er ye dare to despise,
We are all Sons alike of one LORD of the Skies.

Does HE give to the Savage, the Turk, or the Jew,
The Indian, or Catholic, less than to You?
But Prejudice blinds us, that mind-madd'ning Elf,
We all wou'd be wiser than WISDOM itself.

The unfeeling Base deny Sorrow a tear,
Vulgarities dare at Deformity sneer;
Tho' pity, 'tis true, but Observance will find
The term Vulgar takes in two-thirds of Mankind.

We wrangle, we ridicule, laugh, and despair,
Then rashly our, what we call, Reasons declare;
Illib'ral on Customs and Countries decree,
And sentence each Being born t'other side Sea.

At Scotsmen we spurn, and at Irishmen sneer;
Partiality, prithee a word in your ear—
With looks of contempt other Nations you view,
With equal injustice they thus deride you.

Hospitality, somehow, was banish'd from town,
Good nature enquir'd where Welcome was flown;
By Faction drove off, she returns here no more,
Contentedly settled on Ireland's shore.

For the Scots—if we suffer not Party to rate,
There are Wise Men among 'em; and Good Men and Great;
Where e'er Merit's found, give that Merit its due,
To praise the Praise-worthy, adds Merit to you.

To Oblivion consign those Distinctions of Soil,
Distinction among Men all born in one Isle?
The same sea encircles our shores with its tide,
What Creation unites thus shall Clamour divide?

Here's to all the Good Fellows, in ev'ry Degree,
Who dare do as we do, drink, think, and speak free;
And here's to those Lasses who Liberty prove,
And pledge from their Hearts this Toast, FREEDOM IN LOVE.