The bard of the dales or poems and miscellaneous pieces; with a life of the author, written by himself. By John Castillo |
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INTEMPERANCE. |
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 | The bard of the dales |  |
INTEMPERANCE.
What Vulture is this, whose wings affect the light,
And makes men fall and stumble at noon day?
Dark'ning the Sun by day, and Moon by night,
To snare the simple in his crooked way!
And makes men fall and stumble at noon day?
Dark'ning the Sun by day, and Moon by night,
To snare the simple in his crooked way!
With ear attentive to the tavern's song,
He, hovering, haunts the precious souls of men,
With fiery eyes, and talons sharp and strong,
Enough to tear the Lion from his den.
He, hovering, haunts the precious souls of men,
With fiery eyes, and talons sharp and strong,
Enough to tear the Lion from his den.
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He sings to see men welt'ring in their gore,
And triumphs o'er, or feeds upon the dead;
Your hearts would bleed could you the graves explore
To see the horrid havoc he has made.
And triumphs o'er, or feeds upon the dead;
Your hearts would bleed could you the graves explore
To see the horrid havoc he has made.
What is his name, say you? who best can tell;
Writ on his vest—behold it as he flies;
For to great numbers he is known too well;—
Oh! read it, all ye prudent, and be wise!
Writ on his vest—behold it as he flies;
For to great numbers he is known too well;—
Oh! read it, all ye prudent, and be wise!
O read it! and the mighty danger flee!—
In letters large his subtlety's exposed;
Still only those who walk upright can see,
Whose wakeful eyelids sloth has seldom closed.
In letters large his subtlety's exposed;
Still only those who walk upright can see,
Whose wakeful eyelids sloth has seldom closed.
He couches down, and darkens all the street,
Where yon poor reeling drunkard seeks his door!
Through midnight gloom he watches careless feet,
In hopes to see them rise to fall no more!
Where yon poor reeling drunkard seeks his door!
Through midnight gloom he watches careless feet,
In hopes to see them rise to fall no more!
Deluded men, who thus abhor the light,
And love more dear to wander in the dark;
To drink and revel through the live-long night,
Then snore content beneath the morning lark.
And love more dear to wander in the dark;
To drink and revel through the live-long night,
Then snore content beneath the morning lark.
To what may we those noble men compare?
A King informs us what a drunkard is,
Who rushes sensibly into the snare,
And fancies it a kind of earthly bliss!
A King informs us what a drunkard is,
Who rushes sensibly into the snare,
And fancies it a kind of earthly bliss!
A drunkard is a spoil to common wealth,
The Brewer's agent, and the Surgeon's friend;
Wastes by degrees his substance and his health,
Nor values those who do the truth defend.
The Brewer's agent, and the Surgeon's friend;
Wastes by degrees his substance and his health,
Nor values those who do the truth defend.
An enemy to all domestic bliss,
A stranger to real comfort and content;
His castings up are like the troubled seas;
While death to him his fatal shafts present.
A stranger to real comfort and content;
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While death to him his fatal shafts present.
Mild modesty his glaring favour shuns,
And points him out a beggar in disguise;
And blushing Prudence from his presence runs,
And weeps in silence, wonder, and surprise!
And points him out a beggar in disguise;
And blushing Prudence from his presence runs,
And weeps in silence, wonder, and surprise!
An advocate for mischief and distress,
The ale-house benefactor and support;
A trumpet discord in a land of peace,
Where fools and scoffers constantly resort.
The ale-house benefactor and support;
A trumpet discord in a land of peace,
Where fools and scoffers constantly resort.
A trouble to defenders of the law,
His own tormentor, and his parent's grief;
His children's sorrow, and his helpmate's woe!
He wounds, and for those wounds seeks no relief!
His own tormentor, and his parent's grief;
His children's sorrow, and his helpmate's woe!
He wounds, and for those wounds seeks no relief!
A slothful lump of earth, a tub of swill,
He sleeps in summer while his neighbours toil;
Puts no restraint upon his headstrong will,
While lazy songs his precious hours beguile.
He sleeps in summer while his neighbours toil;
Puts no restraint upon his headstrong will,
While lazy songs his precious hours beguile.
Worse than a beast this monster man must be,
Who thus forgetful of himself, sits down
And drinks his messmate's health so cheerfully,
Still all the while he thus destroys his own!
Who thus forgetful of himself, sits down
And drinks his messmate's health so cheerfully,
Still all the while he thus destroys his own!
Oh see to what distress those tribes are brought,
O hear their widows weep, and orphans cry;
They spend their wretched strength and wealth for naught;
They without honour live, and hopeless die!
O hear their widows weep, and orphans cry;
They spend their wretched strength and wealth for naught;
They without honour live, and hopeless die!
O if such be their course, and such their end,
Into their secret come not, O my soul!
Who thus for ease and luxury contend,
Then drown their sorrows in the flowing bowl.
Into their secret come not, O my soul!
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Then drown their sorrows in the flowing bowl.
Tho' they entice with flattering words and fair,
Mine honor, join not their society;
O breathe not thou in such unhealthy air,
But rather far into the desert flee!
Mine honor, join not their society;
O breathe not thou in such unhealthy air,
But rather far into the desert flee!
The crystal fountain and the shaggy bank
Will yield more satisfaction unto thee,
Where tufted trees arise in silent rank,
With woodland songsters, and the humming bee!
Will yield more satisfaction unto thee,
Where tufted trees arise in silent rank,
With woodland songsters, and the humming bee!
| The bard of the dales | |