by Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775 - 1818)
The Felon
Language: English
Oh mark his wan and hollow cheeks, and mark his eye-balls glare, and mark his teeth in anguish clinched, the anguish of despair. Know, since three days, his penance o'er, yon felon left a jail, and since three days no food has past those lips so parch'd and pale. "Where shall I turn?" the wretch exclaims, "where hide my shameful head, how fly from scorn, or how contrive to earn an honest bread? This branded hand would gladly toil, but when for work I pray, who views this mark, 'A felon!' cries and loathing turns away. My heart has greatly erred, but now would fain return to good! My hand has deeply sinned, but yet has ne'er been stained with blood. For alms or work in vain I sue, the scorners both deny; I starve and starve, and what remains? This choice: to sin or die. Here virtue spurns me with disdain, there pleasure spreads her snare; strong habit drags me back to vice, and, urged by fierce despair, I strive, while hunger gnaws my heart, to fly from shame in vain; world, 'tis thy cruel will! I yield and plunge in guilt again. There's mercy in each ray of light that mortal eyes e'er saw! There's mercy in each breath of air, that mortal lips e'er draw! There's mercy both for bird and beast in God's indulgent plan, there's mercy for each creeping thing, but man has none for man. Ye proudly honest, when you heard my wounded conscience groan, had generous hand or feeling heart one glimse of mercy shown, that act had made from burning eyes sweet tears of virtue roll, had fix'd my heart, assured my faith, and heaven had gained a soul.
Authorship:
- by Matthew Gregory Lewis (1775 - 1818) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Harriet Abrams (1760 - 1825), "The Felon", published 1803 [ voice and piano ], London : Lavenu & Mitchell [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2023-10-06
Line count: 48
Word count: 287