If, callous, thou dost not mistake, And murder for mild Mercy’s sake; And think thou followest Pity’s call, When slaughtered thousands round thee fall,— Know this, Thou think’st amiss; And to think true, Must conquer prejudice, and think anew. IV. If, when good men are to be slain, Thou hear’st them plead, nor plead in vain; Or, when thou answerest, if it be With one jot of humanity,— Know this, Thou think’st amiss; And to think true, Must pardon leave to fools, and think anew. V. If, when all kings, priests, nobles hated, Lie headless, thy revenge is sated, Nor thirsts to load the reeking block With heads from thine own murd’rous flock,— Know this, Thou think’st amiss; And to think true, Thou must go on in blood, and think anew. VI. If, thus, by love of executions, Thou provest thee fit for revolutions; Yet one achieved, to _that_ art true, Nor wouldst begin to change anew,— Know this, Thou think’st amiss; Deem, to think true, All constitutions bad, but those bran new. [The preceding “ODE TO A JACOBIN” is parodied from the following ODE TO A LOVER, BY SIR JOHN SUCKLING. I. Honest lover whosoever, If in all thy love was ever One wav’ring thought; if e’er thy flame Were not still even, still the same,— Know this, Thou lov’st amiss; And to love true, Thou must begin again, and love anew. II. If, when she appears i’ th’ room, Thou dost not quake, and art struck dumb; And, in striving this to cover, Dost not speak thy words twice over,— Know this, Thou lov’st amiss; And to love true, Thou must begin again, and love anew. III.