Belongs, but there in his allotted Home Abides, from year to year, a genuine Priest, The shepherd of his flock; or, as a king Is styled, when most affectionately praised, The father of his people. Such is he; And rich and poor, and young and old, rejoice Under his spiritual sway. He hath vouchsafed To me some portion of a kind regard; And something also of his inner mind Hath he imparted-but I speak of him As he is known to all.
The calm delights
Of unambitious piety he chose,
And learning's solid dignity; though born Of knightly race, nor wanting powerful friends. Hither, in prime of manhood, he withdrew From academic bowers. He loved the spot- Who does not love his native soil ?--he prized The ancient rural character, composed
Of simple manners, feelings unsupprest And undisguised, and strong and serious thought; A character reflected in himself,
With such embellishments as well beseems His rank and sacred function. This deep vale Winds far in reaches hidden from our sight,
And one a turreted manorial hall
Adorns, in which the good Man's ancestors Have dwelt through ages-Patrons of this Cure. To them, and to his own judicious pains, The Vicar's dwelling, and the whole domain, Owes that presiding aspect which might well Attract your notice; statelier than could else
Have been bestowed, through course of common
On an unwealthy mountain Benefice."
This said, oft pausing, we pursued our way; Nor reached the village-churchyard till the sun Travelling at steadier pace than ours, had risen Above the summits of the highest hills,
And round our path darted oppressive beams.
As chanced, the portals of the sacred Pile Stood open; and we entered. On my frame, At such transition from the fervid air,
A grateful coolness fell, that seemed to strike The heart, in concert with that temperate awe And natural reverence which the place inspired. Not raised in nice proportions was the pile, But large and massy; for duration built; With pillars crowded, and the roof upheld By naked rafters intricately crossed, Like leafless underboughs, in some thick wood All withered by the depth of shade above. Admonitory texts inscribed the walls, Each, in its ornamental scroll, enclosed; Each also crowned with winged heads-a pair Of rudely-painted Cherubim. The floor Of nave and aisle, in unpretending guise, Was occupied by oaken benches ranged In seemly rows; the chancel only showed Some vain distinctions, marks of earthly state By immemorial privilege allowed; Though with the Encincture's special sanctity But ill according. An heraldic shield,
Varying its tincture with the changeful light, Imbued the altar-window; fixed aloft A faded hatchment hung, and one by time Yet undiscolored. A capacious pew
Of sculptured oak stood here, with drapery lined; And marble monuments were here displayed Thronging the walls; and on the floor beneath Sepulchral stones appeared, with emblems graven And foot-worn epitaphs, and some with small And shining effigies of brass inlaid.
The tribute by these various records claimed, Duly we paid, each after each, and read The ordinary chronicle of birth,
Office, alliance, and promotion-all
Ending in dust; of upright magistrates,
Grave doctors strenuous for the mother-church,
And uncorrupted senators, alike
To king and people true. A brazen plate,
Not easily deciphered, told of one Whose course of earthly honor was begun In quality of page among the train
Of the eighth Henry, when he crossed the seas His royal state to show, and prove his strength In tournament, upon the fields of France. Another tablet registered the death,
And praised the gallant bearing, of a Knight Tried in the sea-f a-fights of the second Charles. Near this brave Knight his Father lay entombed ; And, to the silent language giving voice, I read,-how in his manhood's earlier day He, mid the afflictions of intestine war And rightful government subverted, found
One only solace that he had espoused A virtuous Lady tenderly beloved For her benign perfections; and yet more Endeared to him, for this, that, in her state Of wedlock richly crowned with Heaven's regard, She with a numerous issue filled his house, Who throve, like plants, uninjured by the storm That laid their country waste. No need to speak Of less particular notices assigned
To Youth or Maiden gone before their time, And Matrons and unwedded Sisters old;
Whose charity and goodness were rehearsed
What would they tell?" said I,-but, from the task
Of puzzling out that faded narrative,
With whisper soft my venerable Friend
Called me; and, looking down the darksome aisle, I saw the Tenant of the lonely vale Standing apart; with curvéd arm reclined On the baptismal font; his pallid face Upturned, as if his mind were rapt, or lost In some abstraction;-gracefully he stood, The semblance bearing of a sculptured form That leans upon a monumental urn
peace, from morn to night, from year to year.
Him from that posture did the Sexton rouse Who entered, humming carelessly a tune, Continuation haply of the notes
That had beguiled the work from which he came, With spade and mattock o'er his shoulder hung; To be deposited, for future need,
In their appointed place. The pale Recluse Withdrew; and straight we followed,—to a spot Where sun and shade were intermixed; for there A broad oak, stretching forth its leafy arms From an adjoining pasture, overhung
Small space of that green churchyard with a light And pleasant awning. On the moss-grown wall My ancient Friend and I together took
Our seats; and thus the Solitary spake, Standing before us :-
'Did you note the mien Of that self-solaced, easy-hearted churl,
Death's hireling, who scoops out his neighbor's grave, Or wraps an old acquaintance up in clay,
All unconcerned as he would bind a sheaf,
Or plant a tree. And did you hear his voice? I was abruptly summoned by the sound
From some affecting images and thoughts,
Which then were silent; but crave utterance now.
Much," he continued, with dejected look,
Much, yesterday, was said in glowing phrase Of our sublime dependencies, and hopes
For future states of being; and the wings Of speculation, joyfully outspread, Hovered above our destiny on earth:
But stop, and place the prospect of the soul
In sober contrast with reality,
And man's substantial life. If this mute earth Of what it holds could speak, and every grave Were as a volume, shut, yet capable
Of yielding its contents to eye and ear,
We should recoil, stricken with sorrow and shame,
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