The Dance of Life A Poem, by the author of "Doctor Syntax;%" [i.e. William Combe] Illustrated with coloured engravings, by Thomas Rowlandson |
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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
 | CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD. The Dance of Life |  |
With more than village learning fraught,
The Widow now the children taught
Of those, who every Sabbath heard
From the good man the eternal word,
Which to his flock he did dispense
With Apostolic eloquence.
Nor did she dwell on sounds alone—
More than mere letter'd words were shown;
And while their structure was explain'd
She taught the doctrines they contain'd;
And many a faithful hist'ry told
From Holy Book, or volumes old,
The fond instruction to unfold.
The cushion, on the table plac'd,
Which whilom had a pulpit grac'd,
Was by the sacred volume press'd,
In which the weary look for rest;
Where, for all ills our minds endure,
The page holds forth the promis'd cure;
And tells, in all that mortals share,
The good are Heaven's peculiar care;
While it unveils to mental eye
The joys of Immortality.
The Widow now the children taught
Of those, who every Sabbath heard
From the good man the eternal word,
Which to his flock he did dispense
With Apostolic eloquence.
Nor did she dwell on sounds alone—
More than mere letter'd words were shown;
And while their structure was explain'd
She taught the doctrines they contain'd;
And many a faithful hist'ry told
From Holy Book, or volumes old,
The fond instruction to unfold.
The cushion, on the table plac'd,
Which whilom had a pulpit grac'd,
Was by the sacred volume press'd,
In which the weary look for rest;
67
The page holds forth the promis'd cure;
And tells, in all that mortals share,
The good are Heaven's peculiar care;
While it unveils to mental eye
The joys of Immortality.
| CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD. The Dance of Life | |