The future Peace and Glory of the Church

Prayer for a Blessing

I will praise the LORD at all Times
The Light and Glory of the World

The Negro's Complaint

Pity for poor Africans

THE TASK,

A POEM.

BOOK I.

ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK.

Hiftorical deduction of feats, from the flool to the Sofa. A fchool boy's ramble.-A walk in the country.-The feene defcribed-Rural founds as well as fights delight ful.-Another walk.-Miftake concerning the charms of folitude corrected.—Colonnades commended.— Alcove, and the view from it.The wilderness.-The grove. -The threfter. The neceffity and benefits of exercife.-The works of nature superior to, and in fome inflances inimitable by, art.-The wearisomeness of what is commonly called a life of pleasure.--Change of fcene fometimes expedient.-A common defcribed, and the character of crazy Kate introduced.Gipfies.The bleffings of civilized life.-That flate moft favourable to virtue. The South Sea Islanders compaffion ated, but chiefly Omai. His prefent fate of mind fuppofed.-Civilized life friendly to virtue, but not great cities. Great cities, and London in particular, allowed their due praife, but cenfured.-Fete champetre.-The book concludes with a reflection on the fatal effects of diffipation and effeminacy upon our public measures.

THE TASK.

BOOK I.

THE SOFA.

ISING the Sofa. I, who lately fang

Truth, Hope, and Charity *, and touch'd with awe
The folemn chords, and with a trembling hand,
Escap'd with pain from that advent'rous flight,
Now feek repose upon an humbler theme;
The theme though humble, yet august and proud
Th' occafion-for the Fair commands the fong.

Time was, when clothing fùmptuous or for use, Save their own painted fkins, our fires had none. black breeches were not; fattin fmooth, Or velvet foft, or plush with fhaggy pile:

As

yet

The hardy chief upon the rugged rock
Wafh'd by the fea, or on the grav❜ly bank
Thrown up by wintry torrents roaring loud,
Fearless of wrong, repos'd his weary strength.
Those barb'rous ages paft, fucceeded next
The birth-day of invention; weak at first,
Dull in defign, and clumfy to perform."
Joint-ftools were then created; on three legs
Upborne they flood. Three legs upholding firm
A maffy flab, in fashion fquare or round.
On fuch a stool immortal ALFRED fat,

And fway'd the fceptre of his infant realms;
And fuch in ancient halls and manfions drear
May still be feen; but perforated fore,
And drill'd in holes, the folid oak is found,
By worms voracious eating through and through.

At length a generation more refin'd

Improv'd the fimple plan; made three legs four,
Gave them a twisted form vermicular,

And o'er the seat, with plenteous wadding stuff'd2
Induc'd a fplendid cover, green and blue,
Yellow and red, of tap'ftry richly wrought
And woven clofe, or needle-work fublime.
There might ye fee the piony fpread wide,
The full-blown rofe, the fhepherd and his lafs,