 | Poems |  |
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THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.
TO --- --- ESQ.
“O, friendly to the best pursuits of man,
Friendly to thought, to virtue, and to peace,
Domestic life in rural leisure pass'd!
Few know thy value—”
Cowper's Task, Book III.
Friendly to thought, to virtue, and to peace,
Domestic life in rural leisure pass'd!
Few know thy value—”
Cowper's Task, Book III.
As one, who long in joyless solitude
Hath roam'd mid Alpine deserts vast and rude,
Where Reuss impetuous hurls his dashing tide,
Or, Rhone, thy torrents cleave the mountain's side,
Where seas extend of everlasting ice,
And horror shaggs the unsunn'd precipice;
If chance he gain some still and shelter'd dale,
Fair Urseren, or Hasli's fairer vale,
What time the golden beams of eve are shed
On each fantastic mountain's snow-crown'd head;
Charm'd with the beauties of the varied scene,
White flocks, and herds, that stray thro' pastures green;
Pines, that high-waving shade the cottag'd steep;
And streams, that now the vale in silence sweep,
And now thro' hanging beeches glittering fall,
Responsive to the goat-herd's madrigal:
With livelier joy he eyes the landscape o'er,
Fresh from the dreary waste he trod before:—
Thus in those scenes of woe, where Vice hath sway'd,
And round, a moral desolation spread,
O'erjoy'd we turn, the good man's deeds to bless,
Fair deeds of love, of peace, and holiness.
For Virtue, tho', in native radiance bright,
Her form be beauty and her vesture light,
Can still a brighter lovelier shape assume,
And like the star of eve, shines fairest thro' the gloom.
Hath roam'd mid Alpine deserts vast and rude,
Where Reuss impetuous hurls his dashing tide,
Or, Rhone, thy torrents cleave the mountain's side,
Where seas extend of everlasting ice,
And horror shaggs the unsunn'd precipice;
If chance he gain some still and shelter'd dale,
Fair Urseren, or Hasli's fairer vale,
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On each fantastic mountain's snow-crown'd head;
Charm'd with the beauties of the varied scene,
White flocks, and herds, that stray thro' pastures green;
Pines, that high-waving shade the cottag'd steep;
And streams, that now the vale in silence sweep,
And now thro' hanging beeches glittering fall,
Responsive to the goat-herd's madrigal:
With livelier joy he eyes the landscape o'er,
Fresh from the dreary waste he trod before:—
Thus in those scenes of woe, where Vice hath sway'd,
And round, a moral desolation spread,
O'erjoy'd we turn, the good man's deeds to bless,
Fair deeds of love, of peace, and holiness.
For Virtue, tho', in native radiance bright,
Her form be beauty and her vesture light,
Can still a brighter lovelier shape assume,
And like the star of eve, shines fairest thro' the gloom.
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In such a scene, (no venom'd shaft I aim
To wound the honour of a virtuous name;)
In such a scene (alas! the truth too well
Religion scorn'd and slighted Love can tell)
Thy lot is cast; and, oh! the praise be thine
By the pure light of virtuous deeds to shine!
To wound the honour of a virtuous name;)
In such a scene (alas! the truth too well
Religion scorn'd and slighted Love can tell)
Thy lot is cast; and, oh! the praise be thine
By the pure light of virtuous deeds to shine!
Friend of domestic joys and rural ease,
Be these thy praise, and thy delight be these!
Nor thou to scenes of distant splendour roam;
Fashion may stray, but Pleasure dwells at home.
In peaceful solitude she loves to trace
The flow'rs of genius, that unfading grace
Tiber, and old Ilissus, classic streams;
And Tuscan Arno, and imperial Thames:
She loves around the hospitable hearth
To view the smile, and hear the voice, of mirth;
And, rapt in visions of delight, to prove
The soft endearments of connubial love.
Be these thy praise, and thy delight be these!
Nor thou to scenes of distant splendour roam;
Fashion may stray, but Pleasure dwells at home.
In peaceful solitude she loves to trace
The flow'rs of genius, that unfading grace
Tiber, and old Ilissus, classic streams;
And Tuscan Arno, and imperial Thames:
She loves around the hospitable hearth
To view the smile, and hear the voice, of mirth;
And, rapt in visions of delight, to prove
The soft endearments of connubial love.
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And see, abroad thy devious step invite
All that can fill the heart, and charm the sight.
For thee the long and verdant lawn is spread;
For thee the forest waves his branching head;
For thee the meadows spring, the harvests shine;
And every joy the country yields, is thine.
Repay the debt, and let the country share
The present influence of thy soft'ring care!
All that can fill the heart, and charm the sight.
For thee the long and verdant lawn is spread;
For thee the forest waves his branching head;
For thee the meadows spring, the harvests shine;
And every joy the country yields, is thine.
Repay the debt, and let the country share
The present influence of thy soft'ring care!
Friend of the poor, be thine the praise to spread
Content and comfort thro' his lowly shed:
To help the fatherless and weak; to dry
The widow's tears; the unknown cause to try;
To check licentious riot's mad career;
The heart of meek and patient toil to cheer,
Teach him in health the path of right to tread,
And in the hour of sickness smooth his bed.
Content and comfort thro' his lowly shed:
To help the fatherless and weak; to dry
The widow's tears; the unknown cause to try;
To check licentious riot's mad career;
The heart of meek and patient toil to cheer,
Teach him in health the path of right to tread,
And in the hour of sickness smooth his bed.
True to thy God, and steadfast in his cause,
Be thine the praise to guard his holy laws.
Lo! from yon plain the village steeple swells!
Hark! 'tis the music of the sabbath-bells!
To thee they speak; they call thee to repair,
Thee, and thy house, to bend in worship there.
See! where with mien devout and holy hands
The white-rob'd priest beside the altar stands!
To thee he speaks; he bids thee to the board,
Thee and thy house, in memory of thy Lord.
Ah! scorn not thou to tread the church-ward road;
Ah! scorn not thou the table of thy God;
Nor e'er forget, in pleasure's dazzling hour,
The pride of riches, and the pomp of pow'r,
To bow thy knee before th' Eternal throne;
Thy sins in lowliness of heart to own;
To bid thy pray'r, like morning incense, rise,
And praise him with thine evening sacrifice.
Be thine the praise to guard his holy laws.
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Hark! 'tis the music of the sabbath-bells!
To thee they speak; they call thee to repair,
Thee, and thy house, to bend in worship there.
See! where with mien devout and holy hands
The white-rob'd priest beside the altar stands!
To thee he speaks; he bids thee to the board,
Thee and thy house, in memory of thy Lord.
Ah! scorn not thou to tread the church-ward road;
Ah! scorn not thou the table of thy God;
Nor e'er forget, in pleasure's dazzling hour,
The pride of riches, and the pomp of pow'r,
To bow thy knee before th' Eternal throne;
Thy sins in lowliness of heart to own;
To bid thy pray'r, like morning incense, rise,
And praise him with thine evening sacrifice.
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And see, to guide at once, and cheer thy way,
Celestial Truth the banner'd Cross display,
Where shines in characters divinely bright,
“My yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
And hark, her voice in accents strong and clear:
“Go on, my Son, pursue thy firm career;
“Thy heart shall feel it, and thy tongue confess,
“My ways are peace, my paths are pleasantness.
“Propt by thy hand, and nurtur'd by thy care,
“For thee the poor shall breathe his humble pray'r.
“The wedded mother, in her husband blest,
“Straining her lovely infant to her breast,
“No more afraid of lawless lust, shall see
“With joy the guardian of her babe in thee.
“The widow's heart shall sing for joy, and send
“Its suit to heav'n for thee her only friend.
“E'en he, whose heart was dead to heav'n before,
“Warn'd by thy voice, by thy example more,
“Shall shun the treach'rous path, which once he prest,
“Shall feel new virtue springing in his breast,
“On future scenes of purer rapture gaze,
“And speak the words of penitence and praise;
“While his heart's wish and servent pray'r shall be
“The blessing of eternal peace on thee.
“The eye, that sees thee, shall thy worth express;
“The ear, that hears thee, shall thy accents bless;
“And e'en the stranger, as he journeys by,
“Charm'd with thy fair and honest fame, shall cry,
‘Blest in the blessings he to others gives,
‘Behold the dwelling, where the good man lives.’
Celestial Truth the banner'd Cross display,
Where shines in characters divinely bright,
“My yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
And hark, her voice in accents strong and clear:
“Go on, my Son, pursue thy firm career;
“Thy heart shall feel it, and thy tongue confess,
“My ways are peace, my paths are pleasantness.
“Propt by thy hand, and nurtur'd by thy care,
“For thee the poor shall breathe his humble pray'r.
“The wedded mother, in her husband blest,
“Straining her lovely infant to her breast,
“No more afraid of lawless lust, shall see
“With joy the guardian of her babe in thee.
“The widow's heart shall sing for joy, and send
“Its suit to heav'n for thee her only friend.
“E'en he, whose heart was dead to heav'n before,
“Warn'd by thy voice, by thy example more,
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“Shall feel new virtue springing in his breast,
“On future scenes of purer rapture gaze,
“And speak the words of penitence and praise;
“While his heart's wish and servent pray'r shall be
“The blessing of eternal peace on thee.
“The eye, that sees thee, shall thy worth express;
“The ear, that hears thee, shall thy accents bless;
“And e'en the stranger, as he journeys by,
“Charm'd with thy fair and honest fame, shall cry,
‘Blest in the blessings he to others gives,
‘Behold the dwelling, where the good man lives.’
“The still small voice within shall bear its part,
“And whisper comfort to thy fainting heart
“(As down the vale of years thou mov'st along)
“With accents sweet as is an Angel's song.
“And whisper comfort to thy fainting heart
“(As down the vale of years thou mov'st along)
“With accents sweet as is an Angel's song.
“Angels themselves shall tend thy bed of death,
“And soothe thy sorrows, and receive thy breath,
“And bear thee to the mansions of the sky,
“With shouts of joy and heav'nly minstrelsy.
“And soothe thy sorrows, and receive thy breath,
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“With shouts of joy and heav'nly minstrelsy.
“There, from the bosom of an orient cloud,
“The Lord, the righteous Judge, shall speak aloud;
‘Servant of Christ, well done! well hast thou trod,
‘Just to thy brethren, faithful to thy God,
‘The path of life; thy day of trial o'er,
‘Enter thy Master's joy, and dwell for evermore.’
Thus speaks Celestial Truth: attend, behold
“The Lord, the righteous Judge, shall speak aloud;
‘Servant of Christ, well done! well hast thou trod,
‘Just to thy brethren, faithful to thy God,
‘The path of life; thy day of trial o'er,
‘Enter thy Master's joy, and dwell for evermore.’
Her precepts in the book of life enroll'd.
And now farewell! receive in friendly part
The well-meant off'ring of a friendly heart;
Nor spurn the poet, tho' obscure his name:
Unknown to thee, nor less unknown to fame;
By nature fond of hills and lonely dells,
Remote from noise where rural Quiet dwells;
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By feeling grateful for its mercies given;
Delighted most, when most diffus'd around
Religious truth and harmless joys are found;
A friend to Virtue; and, if Virtue be
Thy choice, (O grant it, heav'n!) a friend to thee.
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