George Canning

Here you will find the Poem Moderate Men and Moderate Measures of poet George Canning

Moderate Men and Moderate Measures

Praise to placeless proud ability,
 Let the prudent muse disclaim;
And sing the Statesman--all civility--
 Whom moderate talents raise to fame.
He, no random projects urging,
 Make us wild alarms to feel;
With moderate measures, gently purging 
 Ills that prey on Britain's weal.


CHORUS.
 Gently purging,
 Gently purging,
 Gently purging Britain's weal.[1]


Addington, with measured motion,
 Keep the tenor of thy way;
To glory yield no rash devotion,
 Led by luring lights astray;
Splendid talents are deceiving;
Tend to councils much too bold;
Moderate men we prize, believing,
 All that glitters is not gold.


GRAND CHORUS.
 All that Glisters,
 All that Glisters,
 All that Glisters is not gold![2]