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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