 | Jane and Ann Taylor: Original Poems for Infant Minds |  |
THE PALACE AND COTTAGE.
High on a mountain's haughty steep
Lord Hubert's palace stood;
Before it roll'd a river deep,
Behind it waved a wood.
Lord Hubert's palace stood;
Before it roll'd a river deep,
Behind it waved a wood.
Low in an unfrequented vale,
A peasant built his cell;
Sweet flowers perfumed the cooling gale,
And graced his garden well.
A peasant built his cell;
Sweet flowers perfumed the cooling gale,
And graced his garden well.
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Loud riot through Lord Hubert's hall
In noisy clamour ran:
He scarcely closed his eyes at all,
Till breaking day began.
In noisy clamour ran:
He scarcely closed his eyes at all,
Till breaking day began.
In scenes of quiet and repose
Young William's life was spent:
With morning's early beam he rose,
And forth to labour went.
Young William's life was spent:
With morning's early beam he rose,
And forth to labour went.
On sauces rich and viands fine
Lord Hubert daily fed;
His goblet fill'd with sparkling wine,
His board with dainties spread.
Lord Hubert daily fed;
His goblet fill'd with sparkling wine,
His board with dainties spread.
Warm from the sickle or the plough,
His heart as light as air,
His garden-ground and dappled cow
Supplied young William's fare.
His heart as light as air,
His garden-ground and dappled cow
Supplied young William's fare.
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On beds of down, beset with gold,
With satin curtains drawn,
His feverish limbs Lord Hubert rolled
From midnight's gloom to morn.
With satin curtains drawn,
His feverish limbs Lord Hubert rolled
From midnight's gloom to morn.
Stretch'd on a hard and flocky bed,
The cheerful rustic lay:
And sweetest slumbers lull'd his head,
From eve to breaking day.
The cheerful rustic lay:
And sweetest slumbers lull'd his head,
From eve to breaking day.
Fever and gout, and aches and pains,
Destroy'd Lord Hubert's rest;
Disorder burnt in all his veins,
And sicken'd in his breast.
Destroy'd Lord Hubert's rest;
Disorder burnt in all his veins,
And sicken'd in his breast.
A stranger to the ills of wealth,
Behind his rugged plough,
The cheek of William glow'd with health,
And cheerful was his brow.
Behind his rugged plough,
The cheek of William glow'd with health,
And cheerful was his brow.
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No gentle friend to soothe his pain,
Sat near Lord Hubert's bed;
His friends and servants, light and vain,
From scenes of sorrow fled.
Sat near Lord Hubert's bed;
His friends and servants, light and vain,
From scenes of sorrow fled.
But William, when, with many a year,
His dying day came on,
Had wife and child, with bosom dear,
To lean and rest upon.
His dying day came on,
Had wife and child, with bosom dear,
To lean and rest upon.
The solemn hearse, the waving plume,
A train of mourners grim,
Carried Lord Hubert to the tomb;
But no one grieved for him.
A train of mourners grim,
Carried Lord Hubert to the tomb;
But no one grieved for him.
No weeping eye, no gentle breast,
Lamented his decay,
Nor round his costly coffin prest,
To gaze upon his clay.
Lamented his decay,
Nor round his costly coffin prest,
To gaze upon his clay.
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But when within the narrow bed,
Old William came to lie,
When clammy sweats had chilled his head,
And death had glazed his eye,
Old William came to lie,
When clammy sweats had chilled his head,
And death had glazed his eye,
Sweet tears, by fond affection dropped,
From many an eyelid fell;
And many a lip, by anguish stopped,
Half spoke the sad farewell.
From many an eyelid fell;
And many a lip, by anguish stopped,
Half spoke the sad farewell.
No marble pile, or costly tomb,
Is seen where William sleeps;
But there wild thyme and cowslips bloom,
And there affection weeps.
Is seen where William sleeps;
But there wild thyme and cowslips bloom,
And there affection weeps.
| Jane and Ann Taylor: Original Poems for Infant Minds | |