"The brave love mercy and delight to save."
Dateca. 1824–1828
abstractA composition written while a student at Dartmouth. Opening with a quote by English poet and dramatist John Gay, Mitchell comments on bravery as a desirable quality. He specifies the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) and Henry Martyn (1781-1812) as exemplars of bravery, representing political and religious contexts.
RepositoryMcCord Stewart Museum
Call NumberMitchell Family Fonds P044/A,3.3
Persistent Identifier
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"The brave love mercy, and delight to save."
Of those qualities, which in every age have adorned human
nature, and which in every country have been applauded by
the multitude, bravery has ever stood deservedly
high. The savage and the civilized, the barbarous and the refined,
have ever viewedthis
[in]
it with delight and admiration.
Every nation has felt proud to number among its
worthies, men of undaunted courage and heroick
spirit. The national honour is connected with these.
Their boldness and intrepidity are treasured, as public[k]
wealth, regarded as the bulwark of publick defence,
and celebrated as the foundation of publick glory.
Great accession has been made to that admiration,
which acquired by mere bravery, when the bosom
of the hero has been the seat of generosity and compassion, And
when these united qualities have stood forth, to deliver
the oppressed, to defend the weak, and to save the help
less; the acclamation of mankind has been loud and
reiterating
ed. Doubtless it was this compound of bravery
with other ennobling qualities, which the Poet would
celebrate, who sung "the brave love mercy, and de
light to save." Whether I see the man of this character
in the rank of the subalterns, or entrusted with the
sword of authority;in either case, I behold the same
greatness of soul, the same intrepidity and courage.
To whatever place his duty, the interest of his country, or
the welbeing of his fellow men call, thither he
hastens, indifferent as to the consequences. His proper
ty, comfort, or lifeare
is unimportant, when brought
in contact
Competition with the great object, which engages his
generous mind. Of these he is profuse, that he may
serve his country, protect the innocent, or cheer
[2] and succour those, whose are struggling for life, liberty and
independence. If an individual is required to illustrate
this part of the subject, let the illustrious Lafayette
[3] be selected. Had he merely possess
[xxx]
courage and military skill, void
of those feelings, which sympathize with the weak and helpless;
perhaps, he would never have visittd the shores of
America, or if he had, it would have been in the
hope of wealth, orin the expectation
of power. But en
dowed with a larger share of disinterestedness, than usually
[8] fallsto [lat]
of mortals, he was prepared to surpass all
former heroes in true magnanimity, and to set an
example of heroism and generous sympathy to
all those who should follow. When we hear him say,
"I will go in my own ship"; when we see him spending a
princely fortune, exposing himself to the hatred
[8] of tyrants, and ready to sacrifice his own life, to
[2] assist a people struggling for political existence;
truly we may say, Lo! a brave man, who loved mercy,
and delighted to save.
nature, and which in every country have been applauded by
the multitude, bravery has ever stood deservedly
high. The savage and the civilized, the barbarous and the refined,
have ever viewed
Every nation has felt proud to number among its
worthies, men of undaunted courage and heroick
spirit. The national honour is connected with these.
Their boldness and intrepidity are treasured, as public[k]
wealth, regarded as the bulwark of publick defence,
and celebrated as the foundation of publick glory.
Great accession has been made to that admiration,
of the hero has been the seat of generosity and compassion, And
when these united qualities have stood forth, to deliver
the oppressed, to defend the weak, and to save the help
less; the acclamation of mankind has been loud and
reiterat
with other ennobling qualities, which the Poet would
celebrate, who sung "the brave love mercy, and de
light to save." Whether I see the man of this character
in the rank of the subalterns, or entrusted with the
sword of authority;
greatness of soul, the same intrepidity and courage.
To whatever place his duty, the interest of his country, or
the welbeing of his fellow men call, thither he
hastens, indifferent as to the consequences. His proper
ty, comfort, or life
generous mind. Of these he is profuse, that he may
serve his country, protect the innocent, or cheer
[2] and succour those, who
independence. If an individual is required to illustrate
this part of the subject, let the illustrious Lafayette
[3] be selected. Had he merely possess
of those feelings, which sympathize with the weak and helpless;
perhaps, he would never have visittd the shores of
America, or if he had, it would have been in the
hope of wealth, or
dowed with a larger share of disinterestedness, than usually
[8] falls
former heroes in true magnanimity, and to set an
example of heroism and generous sympathy to
all those who should follow. When we hear him say,
"I will go in my own ship"; when we see him spending a
princely fortune, exposing himself to the hatred
[8] of tyrants, and ready to sacrifice his own life, to
[2] assist a people struggling for political existence;
truly we may say, Lo! a brave man, who loved mercy,
and delighted to save.
But it is not in the military field alone, that heroes are
found, whose laurelswere
are acquired by bravery and mercy;
The field of christian toil, will afford examples, by no
means inferior. Men whose praise is in the churches;
the effects, of whose courage and beneficence will be felt in eternity. The
mind, which loves to contemplate heroism, displayed in
sympathy and kindness, may be entertain'd in sur
veying the short, but brilliant course of Henry Martyn.
found, whose laurels
The field of christian toil, will afford examples, by no
means inferior. Men whose praise is in the churches;
the effects, of whose courage and beneficence will be felt in eternity. The
mind, which loves to contemplate heroism, displayed in
sympathy and kindness, may be entertain'd in sur
veying the short, but brilliant course of Henry Martyn.
[faint numbers written in pencil in the left margin]
Examine that part of his life spent in Persia. See him
in that country, enshrouded in Mahomadan delusion.
[illegible pencil]Himself Constitutionally feeble, repeatedly attack'd
by sickness, exposed to the ridicule and smeers of the
disciples of Mahomet, and threatened to be
[swns]
answered
with the "sword", he nevertheless, stands alone and firm;
exposing, both in publick debates and in writing,
the imposture of Mahomet, and the falsity of
the Koran, preaching the Saviour and per
suading Muselmen to accept of him. Is it not
[3] easy to recognized in him, a brave man, anxious
to save his fellow men?
in that country, enshrouded in Mahomadan delusion.
[illegible pencil]
by sickness, exposed to the ridicule and smeers of the
disciples of Mahomet, and threatened to be
with the "sword", he nevertheless, stands alone and firm;
exposing, both in publick debates and in writing,
the imposture of Mahomet, and the falsity of
the Koran, preaching the Saviour and per
suading Muselmen to accept of him. Is it not
[3] easy to recognized in him, a brave man, anxious
to save his fellow men?
This is one, from a host of christian heroes. Those
who love to dwell on the character of such, willwl
read with pleasure the lives ofMyr Martyrs, and the
[8] sufferings modern missionaries.
who love to dwell on the character of such, will
read with pleasure the lives of
[8] sufferings modern missionaries.
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