The mind may to a kingdom be compared, Where Reason occupies the throne. Beneath Its scepter bow, in perfect vassalage, The faculties, desires, and appetites. These then are acted on by motive powers, And straight report the action to their king, Who does impartially decide for each. The unruled motive is without the mind, And forms no part of it, although the parts, Receiving motive action, so are called. Thus when you hunger, the desire of food, Confined to mind, is not a motive power; But urged by motive bodily demand, It tells the need to Reason, who decides. Thus when you pare your peach, the tempting fruit And fleshly need, move on the appetite, Who begs the Reason for consent to eat; Your friend’s opinion of your self-control, Is motive to Desire of esteem, Who begs the Reason to refuse consent. The Reason, then, like righteous judge, decrees In favor of that one, more strongly shown; And feels a perfect freedom in its choice. ’Tis most unfair to wait the action’s end, Then cry, the mind was forced to choose this act; But choice is Reason’s free decree. Sometimes The Reason errs, and evil then ensues; But Reason, now more conscious that ’tis free, Regrets it had not acted otherwise. By knowing what your reason deems the best, You judge how other men will act. You learn, By intercourse, what they permit to change The Reason’s sentence. So, while with a friend, You show your wealth, because you know he’s free, And can, and will, resist impulse to crime. Were he not free, you’d dare not go alone With him, for, any moment, might arise A motive irresistible, and he Would kill and rob, because that motive’s slave. Were he not free, you were no more secure, In pleasant parlance, than on desert isle. The laws are made for man, alone, as free. For, otherwise, the motives they present Were blind attempts so coincide with Fate. They would complete the gross absurdity, Of Man collective governing himself, And therefore free, while individuals Are helpless slaves of motives they but aid To furnish. Fate, as held in fullest form, Yourself has proved the theory of fools; For were it true, a blind passivity Were Man’s perfection on the Earth. Compare The two; Free-will as held, whate’er their faith, By every one, in daily practices; A world of harmony, for very wars Yield good; a mechanism complicate, That even Angels, wondering at, admire; A world, whose wondrous progress is maintained By practical belief in liberty. And on the other hand, behold a world Of universal inactivity! Its millions starving for delinquent Fate;-- I doubt your faith would last till dinner-time, A morning’s lapse would change a hungry globe To firm belief in free-will work for food.