To thy ftraw couch, and flumber unalarmed;
For I have gained thy confidence, have pledged All that is human in me to protec
Thine unfufpecting gratitude and love. If I survive thee I will dig thy grave; And, when I place thee in it, fighing say,
I knew at least one hare that had a friend *.
How various his employments, whom the world Calls idle; and who justly in return
Efteems that busy world an idler too.
Friends, books, a garden, and perhaps his pen, Delightful induftry enjoyed at home,
And nature in her cultivated trim Dreffed to his taste, inviting him abroad— Can he want occupation who has these? Will he be idle who has much to enjoy? Me therefore ftudious of laborious ease, Not flothful, happy to deceive the time, Not wafte it, and aware that human life Is but a loan to be repaid with use, When He fhall call his debtors to account, From whom are all our bleffings; business finds E'en here: while fedulous I feek to improve,
* See the note at the end of this volume.
At least neglect not, or leave unemployed,
The mind he gave me; driving it, though slack
Too oft, and much impeded in its work By caufes not to be divulged in vain, To its juft point-the service of mankind. He, that attends to his interior self,
That has a heart, and keeps it; has a mind That hungers, and fupplies it; and who seeks A focial, not a diffipated life,
Has bufinefs; feels himself engaged to achieve No unimportant, though a filent, task.
A life all turbulence and noise may feem To him that leads it wife, and to be praised; But wisdom is a pearl with most success Sought in ftill water, and beneath clear skies. He that is ever occupied in ftorms,
Or dives not for it, or brings up instead, Vainly induftrious, a difgraceful prize.
The morning finds the felf-fequestered man Fresh for his talk, intend what task he may. Whether inclement seasons recommend His warm but fimple home, where he enjoys
With her, who shares his pleasures and his heart,
Sweet converfe, fipping calm the fragrant lymph,
Which neatly the prepares; then to his book Well chosen, and not sullenly perused
In felfish filence, but imparted oft,
As aught occurs, that the may fmile to hear, Or turn to nourishment, digested well. Or if the garden with its many cares,
All well repaid, demand him, he attends
The welcome call, conscious how much the hand
Of lubbard labour needs his watchful eye, Oft loitering lazily, if not o'erfeen,
Or mifapplying his unskilful strength.
Nor does he govern only or direct,
But much performs himself. No works indeed, That afk robust tough finews, bred to toil, Servile employ; but fuch as may amufe, Not tire, demanding rather skill than force. Proud of his well-fpread walls, he views his trees That meet (no barren interval between) With pleasure more than e'en their fruits afford, Which, fave himself who trains them, none can feel; These therefore are his own peculiar charge; No meaner hand may discipline the shoots, None but his steel approach them. What is weak,
Diftempered, or has loft prolific powers, Impaired by age, his unrelenting hand
Dooms to the knife: nor does he fpare the foft And fucculent, that feeds its giant growth,
But barren, at the expence of neighbouring twigs Lefs oftentatious, and yet ftudded thick
With hopeful gems. The reft, no portion left That may difgrace his art, or disappoint Large expectation, he disposes neat At measured distances, that air and fun, Admitted freely may afford their aid, And ventilate and warm the fwelling buds. Hence fummer has her riches, autumn hence, And hence e'en winter fills his withered hand With blufhing fruits, and plenty not his own*. Fair recompenfe of labour well bestowed, And wife precaution; which a clime fo rude Makes needful ftill, whose spring is but the child Of churlish winter, in her froward moods Discovering much the temper of her fire. For oft, as if in her the stream of mild Maternal nature had reversed its course,
* Miraturque novos fructus et non fua poma. VIRG.
She brings her infants forth with many fmiles; But once delivered kills them with a frown. He therefore timely warned himself supplies Her want of care, screening and keeping warm The plenteous bloom, that no rough blaft may sweep His garlands from the boughs. Again, as oft As the fun peeps and vernal airs breathe mild, The fence withdrawn, he gives them every beam, And spreads his hopes before the blaze of day.
To raife the prickly and green-coated gourd, So grateful to the palate, and when rare So coveted, elfe bafe and difefteemed- Food for the vulgar merely-is an art That toiling ages have but juft matured, And at this moment unaffayed in song.
Yet gnats have had, and frogs and mice, long fince, Their eulogy; those fang the Mantuan bard, And these the Grecian, in ennobling ftrains; And in thy numbers, Phillips, fhines for aye The folitary fhilling. Pardon then, Ye fage difpenfers of poetic fame,
The ambition of one meaner far, whose powers, Prefuming an attempt not lefs fublime,
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