Hymns for the Use of Families, 64

How fast the chains of nature bind
Our poor degenerate race!
What darkness clouds the parent's mind
If unrenew'd by grace!
As sworn to take the tempter's part
They fatally employ
Their utmost power and utmost art
Their offspring to destroy.

By Satan's subtilty beguiled,
To Satan's school they send,
And each delights the favourite child
To humour and commend:
The proud with ranker pride they fill,
Heighten their worst disease,
And fondly soothe the stubborn will
To tenfold stubbornness.

With lust of pleasure, wealth, and fame
Their children they inspire,
And every vain desire inflame,
And every passion fire:
They wish them good, but rather great,
Religious, but genteel;
Pious, yet fond of pomp and state;
As heaven would mix with hell.

Adorn'd in pearl and rich array
You see the murderer's prize!
As crown'd with flowers, the victims gay
Are led to sacrifice;
Down a broad easy way they glide
To endless misery,
And curse their doting parents' pride
To all eternity.

Others, a half-discerning few,
The fond excess condemn,
And rush with headlong zeal into
The merciless extreme;
They vent their passion's furious heat
In stern tyrannic sway,
Their children as their beasts they treat,
And force the slaves to' obey.

With notions fraught, the Stoics sour
Pursue their rigid plan,
In weakness look for perfect power,
In babes the strength of man;
The wisdom ripe of hoary hairs
From children they require,
Till time their schemes in pieces tears,
And all in smoke expire.

Harass'd by long domestic war
With scarce a truce between,
Their children's tender minds abhor
The' Egyptian discipline;
They quite throw off the yoke severe,
O'er nature's wilds to rove,
And hate the objects of their fear
Whom they could never love.