Classic Poem

Why shou'd Good-Nature be proud Man's Disgrace?
Which is his Maker's Honour, and his Praise,
Since, but for his Forgiveness of us, he
Wou'd our Destroyer of our Maker be;
Then our Good-Nature's not our Reason's Shame,
Without which Reason makes Man more to blame,
Who, for more Sense, shows less Humanity,
And for more Reason, lives less reas'nably;
Since Wit, which still Good-Nature will disown,
Is but, by finding Faults, in others shown;
Which, to Mankind's Esteem, and Fame pretends,
For its Ill-Nature making Foes of Friends,
The Wit's the Fool then, who wou'd sooner chuse
His good Friend rather, than bad Jest to lose,
Displease his Friends, to humour Critic Foes.
But, if that be the best and greatest Wit,
Which seems most hard for Men to compass it,
Good-Natur'd Wit o'er t'other shou'd prevail,
Since 'tis more hard justly to Praise than Rail;
Good-Nature then good Sense shou'd justifie,
As Men their good Faith by their Charity:
And truest Charity Good-Nature is,
Without which Virtue wou'd itself turn Vice;
Without which, we lose all the Good we do,
Good-Nature then is Faith, Religion too;
So far from Folly shou'd for Wisdom go;
Since by good Nature more than good Sense, Man
Does much more his Humanity maintain,
Obtains his Mind's, and Conscience's best Peace,
Tranquillity of Thought, and Body's Ease;
By Sense, or Wit, with which Man wou'd impose
His Will, on others, he worse Natur'd grows,
Shows most his Malice, but as more his Wit,
'Till all his Virtues lessen'd are by it;
Whilst our Good-Nature, Virtues does increase,
And makes our Vices and Offences less,
Nay, Man's excuse of all his Vice is, since,
'Tis but our Malice makes our Fault offence:
And our Good-Nature, as it finds Faults, so
Does but the more our Virtues merit, show,
In less'ning one, increasing t'other too:
Without Good-Nature, which is Charity,
Ev'n the Devout wou'd serve God wickedly,
Justice its self wou'd grow most Injury;
The Height of which, turns Rigour, and unjust;
Friendship base Int'rest, pure Love foulest Lust;
Courage, but brutal Butchery wou'd grow,
Man's Guilt, and Shame, but of his Honour so,
And of his Fame's support, disgraceful Vanity,
His Bounty too, but selfish Usury;
Then, but for his good Nature, Friendship, Love,
Wou'd mean, and mercenary Int'rest prove;
Of Generosity, a bart'ring Trade,
Nor for Exchange of Hearts, but Int'rests made:
Bounty, without it, were no Charity,
Religion, but for it, Hypocrisy.
Since Faith were, without Charity, in vain,
So 'tis good Nature, which the World began,
Does it, by Faith, Love, Charity, maintain.
Thus, against all Opinion, and Pretence
Of Selfish Craft, Good-Nature, is good Sense;
Nay, since our selves, we (pleasing others) please,
Good-Nature is most gen'rous Selfishness;
So far from Easie Folly, it shou'd go
For Height of Reason, Wit, and Wisdom too;
The best Distinction betwixt Man and Brute,
Whose own Speech else, his Reason wou'd refute,
Bring his Humanity more in Dispute;
If his Good-Nature, did not always sway
His Passions, make them Reason still obey;
So, the Support 'tis of Society,
But for which, Men wou'd live more brutally;
And, for their Reason, more unreasonably.
Good-Nature then, best Proof is of Good Sense,
'Twixt Man and Beast, proves best the Difference.
So far from Folly then Good-Nature is,
That the best Sign of Human Prudence 'tis;
Which makes Men Friends of jarring Enemies;
The sole Proof of God's Image, on Mankind;
Since It or Spight, makes Men seem God, or Fiend.
The best Distinction of Humanity,
From Brutishness, makes Man himself deny,
His Passion with his Reason to comply;
To make frail Man above all Self-love grow,
And of a Man, become a God below;
Good to Mankind, without Return, to do;
Then none Good-Nature want of Sense can call,
Since Heav'n, which knows all, helps, and pardons all.