A Tale Founded on a Fact Which Happened in January 1779 by William Cowper

Lyrics

Where Humber pours his rich commercial stream There dwelt a wretch, who breathed but to blaspheme In subterraneous caves his life he led Black as the mine, in which he wrought for bread When on a day, emerging from the deep A Sabbath-day, (such Sabbaths thousands keep!) The wages of his weekly toil he bore To buy a cock -- whose blood might win him more; As if the noblest of the feathered kind Were but for battle and for dеath designed; As if the consеcrated hours were meant For sport, to minds on cruelty intent It changed, (such chances Providence obey,) He met a fellow-labourer on the way Whose heart the same desires had once inflamed But now the savage temper was reclaimed Persuasion on his lips had taken place; For all plead well who plead the cause of grace His iron-heart with Scripture he assailed Wooed him to hear a sermon, and prevailed His faithful bow the mighty preacher drew Swift as the lightning-glimpse the arrow flew He wept; he trembled; cast his eyes around To find a worse than he; but none he found He felt his sins, and wondered he should feel Grace made the wound, and grace alone could heal Now farewell oaths, and blasphemies, and lies! He quits the sinner's for the martyr's prize That holy day was washed with many a tear Gilded with hope, yet shaded too by fear The next his swarthy brethren of the mine Learned by his altered speech, the change divine Laughed when they should have wept, and swore the day Was nigh when he would swear as fast as they "No," said the penitent: "such words shall share This breath no more; devoted now to prayer Oh! if thou seest, (thine eye the future sees,) That I shall yet again blaspheme, like these Now strike me to the ground, on which I kneel Ere yet this heart relapses into steel; Now take me to that heaven I once defied Thy presence, thy embrace!" -- He spoke, and died!