Nevertheless, give; for it shall be a discriminating test Separating honesty from falsehood, weeding insincerity from friendship. Give, it is like God; thou weariest the bad with benefits: Give, it is like God; thou gladdenest the good by gratitude. Give to thy near of kin, for providence hath stationed thee his helper: Yet see that he claim not, as his right, thy freewill offering of duty. Give to the young, they love it; neither hath the poison of suspicion Spoilt the flavour of their thanks, to look for latent motives. Give to merit, largely give; his conscious heart will bless thee: It is not flattery, but love,--the sympathy of men his brethren. Give, for encouragement in good; the weak desponding mind Hath many foes, and much to do, and leaneth on its friends. Yet heed thou wisely these; give seldom to thy better; For such obtrusive boon shall savour of presumption; Or, if his courteous bearing greet thy proffered kindness, Shall not thine independent honesty be vexed at the semblance of a bribe? Moreover, heed thou this; give to thine equal charily, The occasion fair and fitting, the gift well chosen and desired: Hath he been prosperous and blest? a flower may show thy gladness; Is he in need? with liberal love, tender him the well-filled purse: Disease shall welcome friendly care in grapes and precious unguents; And where a darling child hath died, give praise, and hope, and sympathy. Yet once more, heed thou this; give to the poor discreetly, Nor suffer idle sloth to lean upon thy charitable arm: To diligence give, as to an equal, on just and fit occasion; Or he bartereth his hard-earned self-reliance for the casual lottery of gifts. The timely loan hath added nerve, where easy liberality would palsy; Work and wages make a light heart; but the mendicant asked with a heavy spirit. A man's own self-respect is worth unto him more than money, And evil is the charity that humbleth, and maketh man less happy. There are who sow liberalities, to reap the like again; But men accept his boon, scorning the shallow usurer: I have known many such a fisherman lose his golden baits: And oftentimes the tame decoy escapeth with the flock. Yea, there are who give unto the poor, to gain large interest of God,-- Fool,--to think His wealth is money, and not mind: And haply after thine alms, thy calculated givings, The hurricane shall blast thy crops, and sink the homeward ship; Then shall thy worldly soul murmur that the balances were false, Thy trader's mind shall think of God,--He stood not to His bargain!