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[His Reflections on the Propensity to gaze on Misery.—­Military Punishments.—­Eager Curiosity of Spectators.—­Theatric Amusements.—­He examines the Motives where the Distress is real.—­His Dread from the Disposition of Mankind.—­The Jury withdrawn....  His Reflections.—­Full of apprehension.... effect of Pride in maintaing an opinion.—­His fears from the diminished regard of an Oath.—­This idea pursued.—­Instance of false Shame.... of contempt of Shame.—­Perjury.—­Duty of Deliberation....  Misbodings.—­Hopes from mild and conscientious feelings.—­Conflict of Hope, Doubt, and Fear.—­The Verdict.]

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  ’Man hard of heart! of horrid things
    Most horrid! and of strange most strange:’... 
  Thus the mournful Poet sings,
    Experienc’d in Life’s various range.

  In the hopeful morn of Youth,
    This serious Song I lov’d and learn’d,
  Nor ever thought the mournful truth
    Would ever thus by me be mourn’d.

  Ne’er thought I ever thus should stand,
    The butt of every tearful eye;
  To raise the Culprit’s trembling hand,
    To heave the Culprit’s anxious sigh.

  Now the mournful truth to prove,
    Gazing crouds around I see,
  For sure ’tis cruel selfish love
    That brings them here to gaze on me.

  ’Tis thus wherever human woe,
    Wherever deep distress appears;
  Thither curious gazers go,
    To’ insult the wretched with their tears.

  E’en where hostile armies join
    In the horrid frightful fray,
  Where groaning mortals life resign,
    I’ve heard their fellow-mortal say—­

  ’Oh! for a safe and lofty stand,
    Where I the Battle’s rage might see;
  When Carnage, with relentless hand,
    Strews the Ground, or stains the Sea.’[9]

  When list’ning, with suspended breath,
    A wretch his dreadful sentence hears,
  In Martial Court, where worse than Death
    The Military Culprit fears.

  And when encircled by the band,
    Lingering torments, public shame,
  Severity’s most ruthless hand
    Lacerates his manly frame: 

  When many a hardy Soldier weeps,
    And grieves that he’s compell’d to stay;
  Who perforce his station keeps,
    Or would soon be far away;

  Yet see beyond the circling guard,
    Idle gazers flocking round,
  To see and hear are pressing hard,
    As if the spot were fairy ground.

  What is it that a charm imparts? 
    Why do they press to hear and see? 
  Can it be that human hearts
    Delight in human misery?

  When the inexorable hour
    Chills the hopeless convict’s blood;
  When sunk and drown’d his eve’ry power,
    In sorrow’s overwhelming flood: 

  To view the scene the many run,
    And o’er the hapless wretch to sigh: 
  Nor once enquire the crime he’ has done; ... 
    They only come to see him die.