Raging abroad, and the rough wind, endear The filence and the warmth enjoy'd within. I faw the woods and fields, at close of day, A variegated show; the meadows green, Though faded; and the lands, where lately wav'd The golden harvest of a mellow brown, Upturn'd fo lately by the forceful share. I faw far off the weedy fallows fmile With verdure not unprofitable, graz'd By flocks, faft feeding and selecting each His fav'rite herb; while all the leaflefs groves, That skirt th' horizon, wore a fable hue, Scarce notic'd in the kindred dusk of eve. To-morrow brings a change, a total change! Which even now, though filently perform'd, And flowly, and by most unfelt, the face Of univerfal nature undergoes,
Faft falls a fleecy fhow'r: the downy flakes Defcending, and, with never-ceafing lapfe, Softly alighting upon all below,
Affimilate all objects. Earth receives
Gladly the thick'ning mantle, and the green And tender blade, that fear'd the chilling blaft, Escapes unhurt beneath fo warm a veil.
In fuch a world, fo thorny, and where none Finds happiness unblighted, or, if found, Without fome thiftly forrow at its fide, It seems the part of wisdom, and no fin
Against the law of love, to measure lots
With less distinguish'd than ourselves, that thus We may with patience bear our mod❜rate ills, And fympathize with others, fuff'ring more. Ill fares the trav'ller now, and he that stalks In pond'rous boots befide his reeking team. The wain goes heavily, impeded fore By congregated loads adhering close
To the clogg'd wheels; and in its fluggish pace, Noiseless, appears a moving hill of fnow.
The toiling steeds expand the noftril wide, While ev'ry breath, by respiration strong Forc'd downward, is confolidated foon Upon their jutting chefts. He, form'd to bear The pelting brunt of the tempeftuous night,
With half-fhut eyes, and pucker'd cheeks, and
Prefented bare against the storm, plods on.
One hand fecures his hat, fave when with both He brandishes his pliant length of whip, Refounding oft, and never heard in vain. Oh happy! and, in my account, denied That fenfibility of pain with which Refinement is endu'd, thrice happy thou. Thy frame, robust and hardy, feels indeed The piercing cold, but feels it unimpair'd. The learned finger never need explore Thy vig'rous pulfe, and the unhealthful East,
That breaths the fplen, and fearches ev'ry bone Ofthe infrm, is wholefome aur to thee. Thy days roll on exempt from houíhold care; Thy waggon is thy wife; and the poor beats That drag the dull companion to and fro, Thine helpless charge, dependent on thy care. Ah, treat them kindly! rude as thou appear'ft, Yet fhow that thou haft mercy, which the great With needless hurry whirl'd from place to place Humane.as they would feem, not always fhow.
Poor, yet induftrious, modeft, quiet, neat, Such claim compaffion in a night like this, And have a friend in ev'ry feeling heart. Warm'd, while it lafts, by labour, all day long They brave the feason, and yet find at eve, Ill clad and fed but fparely, time to cool. The frugal housewife trembles when she lights Her scanty stock of brufh-wood, blazing clear, But dying foon, like all terreftrial joys. The few fmall embers left the nurses well, And while her infant race, with outspread hands And crowded knees, fit cow'ring o'er the sparks, Retires, content to quake, fo they be warm'd. The man feels leaft, as more inur'd than she To winter, and the current in his veins More brifkly mov'd by his feverer toil; Yet he too finds his own distress in theirs. The taper foon extinguish'd, which I faw
Dangled along at the cold finger's end
Juft when the day declin'd, and the brown loaf Lodg'd on the shelf, half eaten without fauce Of fav'ry cheese, or butter costlier ftill, Sleep feems their only refuge: for, alas! Where penury is felt the thought is chain'd, And fweet colloquial pleasures are but few. With all this thrift they thrive not.
Ingenious parfimony takes, but juft
Saves the small inventory, bed and stool, Skillet and old carv'd cheft, from public fale. They live, and live without extorted alms
From grudging hands, but other boast have none To footh their honeft pride, that fcorns to beg; Nor comfort elfe, but in their mutual love. I praise you much, ye meek and patient pair, For ye are worthy; chufing rather far A dry but independent crust, hard earn'd, And eaten with a figh, than to endure The rugged frowns and infolent rebuffs
Of knaves in office, partial in the work Of diftribution; lib'ral of their aid
To clam'rous importunity in rags,
But oft-times deaf to fuppliants, who would blufh To wear a tatter'd garb however coarse, Whom famine cannot reconcile to filth; These ask with painful fhyness, and refus'd Because deserving, filently retire.
But be ye of good courage.
Shall much befriend you.
Time itself
Time fhall give in
And all your num'rous progeny, well-train'd But helpless, in few years fhall find their hands, And labour too. Meanwhile ye fhall not want What, conscious of your virtues, we can spare, Nor what a wealthier than ourselves may fend. I mean the man, who, when the distant poor Need help, denies them nothing but his name.
But poverty, with most who whimper forth, Their long complaints, is felf-inflicted woe; Th' effect of laziness or sottish waste. Now goes the nightly thief prowling abroad For plunder; much folicitous how beft He may compenfate for a day of floth, By works of darkness and nocturnal wrong. Woe to the gard'ner's pale, the farmer's hedge Plash'd neatly, and fecur'd with driven stakes Deep in the loamy bank. Uptorn by strength, Refistless in so bad a cause, but lame To better deeds, he bundles up the spoil, An afs's burthen, and, when laden moft And heavieft, light of foot steals fast away. Nor does the boarded hovel better guard The well-ftack'd pile of riven logs and roots From his pernicious force. Nor will he leave Unwrench'd the door, however well fecur'd, VOL. II.
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