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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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
 | CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD. The Dance of Life |  |
Whether the Peasant urchin sought
Whate'er the cottage learning taught,
Or the young Sempstress dar'd to try
The path of future Industry,
And point the needle doom'd to lead,
In its due course, th'obedient thread;
Or when the flax the swift wheel wound,
With hurrying haste and whirring sound,
The attentive Dame, with cheering smile
And kind words, would the toil beguile.
Nay, if some blunder should be seen,
Or here or there to intervene,
No angry chidings would appear,
In the young heart, to cause a fear.
No rod was shewn, no lifted hand
Gave terror to a stern command:
But the remonstrance of a friend,
With better caution to attend;
To mark the error, and prepare
The mind for an improving care.
In all she said, in all she did,
What was ordain'd or what forbid,
The little List'ners understood
The only happy were the good:
That whatsoe'er the Mistress taught
Was with their future welfare fraught.
Whate'er the cottage learning taught,
Or the young Sempstress dar'd to try
The path of future Industry,
And point the needle doom'd to lead,
In its due course, th'obedient thread;
Or when the flax the swift wheel wound,
With hurrying haste and whirring sound,
The attentive Dame, with cheering smile
And kind words, would the toil beguile.
Nay, if some blunder should be seen,
Or here or there to intervene,
No angry chidings would appear,
In the young heart, to cause a fear.
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Gave terror to a stern command:
But the remonstrance of a friend,
With better caution to attend;
To mark the error, and prepare
The mind for an improving care.
In all she said, in all she did,
What was ordain'd or what forbid,
The little List'ners understood
The only happy were the good:
That whatsoe'er the Mistress taught
Was with their future welfare fraught.
| CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD. The Dance of Life | |