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Animal Rights History Timeline » [1785-1837] Romantic Age » John Bidlake

John Bidlake

To the Red-Breast

[1794] Rev. John Bidlake, To the Red-Breast in Poetical Works (London, 1804; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks).

SWEET bird! companion of mankind,
I hail thee with a grateful mind,
As to my cot thou drawest near:
O enter then! devoid of fear,
And peck the crumbs of scatter'd bread
Which wanton waste has idly shed;
For He, who makes thee e'er his care,
Bids man for deeds of mercy spare;
Bids lux'ry stay its mad career,
And learn the aching heart to cheer;
For e'en the refuse of its store
May bless the hungry and the poor;
While God has nothing made in vain,
Nor wastes on earth a single grain
Which does not feed,—so great his care!—
Some commoner of earth or air.

Then peck at ease, and take thy fill,
For Winter frowns, and all is chill;
Fast falls the snow, and cold the skies,
And all below in ruin lies.…

O may thy warbled pray'r ascend
To Him who taught me to defend
From harm, not only thee, but all
Who might on my protection call!
For in his works I learnt to spare,
Where love and mercy blended are:
Then may our Maker shelter me,
As I, poor bird, would shelter thee!