University of Virginia Library

SOLITUDE

Solitude I love thee well
Now the evens warning bell
Starts me oer the pasture free
To converse & talk wi thee
Wether side the woods we rove
Or sweep neath the willow grove
Wether sauntering we proceed
Cross the green or down the mead
Wether sitting down we look
On the bubbles of the brook
Wether curious waste an hour
Pausing oer each tasty flower
Or expounding natures spells
From the silt pick out the shells
Or as lingering by the streams
Where more sweet the music seems
Listen to the softning swells
Of some distant chiming bells
Mellowing sweetly on the breeze
Raising falling by degrees
Dying now then wakd again
In full many a witching strain
Sounding as the gale flits bye
Flats & sharps of melody
Sweet with thee to wind the rill
Sweet wi thee to climb the hill
On whose lap the bullock free
Chews his cud most placidly
Or beat sheep tracks wandering down
Oer the fallows bare & brown
Where the mole unwearied still
Roots up many a crumbling hill
& the little chimbling mouse
Knarls the dead weed for her house
While the ploughs unfeeling share
Lays full many a dwelling bare
Where the lark wi russet breast
Hind the big clod hides her nest
& the black snails founderd pace
Finds from noon a hiding place
Where the matted twitches run
Breaking off the scorching sun
Solitude I love thee well
Brushing thro the wilderd dell
Picking from the ramping grass
Namless blossoms as I pass
Which the dews of eve bedeck
Sweet as pearls on womans neck
Marking shepherds rou[s]d from sleep
Blundering off to fold their sheep
& the swain wi toils distrest
Hide his tools to seek his rest
While the cows wi hobbling strides
Switching slow their flye bit hides
Rubs the pastures creaking gate
Milking maids & boys to wait
As the sunshine leaves the skye
As the day light shuts her eye
O wi thee to meet the breeze
Neath the shade of awthorn trees
By the pastures wilderd round
Where the pissmire hills abound
Where the blushing fin weeds flower
Closes up at evenings hour
Leaving then the green behind
Narrow hoof plod lanes to wind
Oak & ash embowrd beneath
Winding to the lonly heath
Were the unmolested furze
& the burdocks clinging burs
& the briars by freedom sown
Claims the wilderd spots their own
Blest while we the scene survey
Clad in natures wild array
Swelld wi ling clad hillocks green
Suiting the disorderd scene
Haply we may rest us here
On the banishd herdsmans cheer
Where the whattld hulk is fixt
Propt some double oak betwixt
Where the swain the branches lops
& bove head wi rushes tops
While the woodbines sweet perfume
& the roses blushing bloom
Lovly cieling of the bower
Arches in & peeps a flower
While a hill of thyme so sweet
Or a mosst stone forms a seat
There as tween light hangs the eve
Sweet to watch thy bosom heave
Sweet to mark the darksome folds
Nights gloom in thy mantle rolls
Sweet to gaze upon thine eye
As it rolld its extacy
When thy solemn musings caught
Told thy soul absorbd in thought
When thy finley folded arm
Oer thy bosom beating warm
Wrapt thee mellancholy round
& thy ringlets wild unbound
On thy lily breasts doth lye
Like dark streaks in mornings skye
O how sweet I cannot tell
With thee at that hour to dwell
Peace & silence sits wi thee
& peace alone is heaven to me
While the moonlights infant hour
Faint gins creep to gild the bower
& the wattld hedge gleams round
Its diamond shadows oer the ground
O thou soothing solitude
From the vain & from the rude
When this silent hour is come
& I meet thy welcome home
What balm is thine to troubles deep
When on thy breast I sink to sleep
What bliss on evens silence flows
When thy wisht opium brings repose
& I have found thee doubly sweet
Sheltering from the noon day heat
As neath hazels I have stood
In the gloomy hanging wood
Where the sun beams filtering small
Freckling thro the branches fall
& the flapping leaf the ground
Flits its shadow round & round
Glimering where the channels wreath
Many a crooked root beneath
Unseen gliding day by day
Oer its solitary way
Smooth or rough as onward led
Where the wild weed dips its head
Murmuring dribbling drop by drop
Where dead leaves its progress stop
Winding sweet its restless way
While the frothy bubles play
Stretchd the mossy bank beside
Lye to view the random tide
Wildness I do love thee dear
In such wildernesses were
Neer an axe was heard to sound
Or a trees fall gulshd the ground
Where no clowns has chopt from thence
Bush nor stake to mend his fence
Where (as if that spot coud be)
First foot markt the ground by me
Sweetly still & wildly gay
Left as at creations day
But or this or that to see
I am blest if Im wi thee
& I love then too to look
For thy steps in shady nook
Where by hedge side cooly led
Brooks curl oer their sandy bed
In whose tide the clouds reflect
In whose margin flags are freckt
While the waters winding blue
Single archd brig flutter thro
Cornerd stones & pebbles round
Breaking dasht wi mellow sound
While the willow branches grey
Damps the sultry eye of day
& in wispers mildly sooth
Chafes the mossy keystone smooth
Where the banks beneath em spread
Levels in a easy bed
While the wild thymes pinky bells
Pe[r]forates reviving smells
& the breezes feather feet
Crimping oer the waters sweet
Trembling fans the sun tand cheek
& gives the comfort one woud seek
Stretching there in soft repose
Far from peace & freedoms foes
Spots so still so wild so rude
Dear to meet thee solitude
There wi thee to watch the ground
Every insect flitting round
Such as painted summer brings
Lady flye wi freckled wings
Watch him up the tall bent climb
And from notted flowers of thyme
Where the wood land banks are deckt
See the bee his load colect
As he turns the petals bye
Gold dust gathering on his thigh
As full many a hum he heaves
While he pats the truding leaves
Lost in many a heedless spring
Wearing home on heavy wing
Wether this or that to see
I am blest if Im wi thee
& full dear has been the hour
Spent wi in thy noon day bower
Prest wi thee thy mossy seat
O its unexpressive sweet
But as sorrows more opress
As the world does more distress
Yielding as misfortunes lower
Dulging mellancholys hour
Wishing to despise as then
Brunts of fate & scorn of men
When fates demons thus intrude
Then I seek thee solitude
Where the abbys height appears
Hoary neath a weight of years
Where the mouldering walls are seen
Hung wi pelitorry green
Where the steeples taper stretch
Tries the eye its length to reach
Dizzy nauntling high & proud
Top stone loosing in a cloud
Where the cross to time resignd
Creaking harshly in the wind
Crowning high the rifted dome
Points the pilgrims wisht for home
While the look fear turns away
Shuddering at its dread decay
Then let me my peace pursue
Neath the shades of gloomy yew
Dolfull hung wi mourning green
Suiting well the solemn scene
There as I may learn to scan
Mites illustrious called man
Turning there the nettles bye
Where the grave stone meets ones eye
Soon full soon to read & see
That all below is vanity
& man to me a gauling thing
Ownd creations lord & king
A minutes length a zephers breath
Sport of fate & prey of death
Neath the power of death the same
As wants low wormlings are to him
Tyrant to day to morrow gone
All 'stinguished only by a stone
That feign woud have the eye to know
Prides better dust is laid below
While worms like me are mouldering laid
Wi nothing set to say theyre dead
All the difference trifling thing
That notes at last the slave & king
As witherd leaves lifes bloom was stopt
That drops in autumn so they dropt
As snails wi in their painted shell
So snugly once was known to dwell
When in the schoolboys care we view
The pleasing toys of varied hue
By age or accident theyre flown
An empty shell & tenant gone
So pass we from the worlds affairs
& carless vanish from its cares
So leave wi silent long farwell
Vain life—as left the snail his shell
All this when there my eyes behold
On every stone & heap of mould
Solitude & thou art sweet
Somthing solemn tho to meet
When wi listning pause I look
Round the pillars ruind nook
Glooms revealing dim descryd
Ghosts companiond by thy side
Where in old deformity
Ancient arches sweepeth high
& the storms the painted pane
Growls in angry mood again
Where the isles to light unknown
Creates darkness all her own
Save the moon as on we pass
Splinters thro the broken glass
Or the torn roof patchd wi cloud
Or the crackt wall bulgd & bowd
Glimering past along the ground
Shooting solemn & profound
Lighting up the silent gloom
Just to read an ancient tomb
Oer it as it gliding creeps
We may see some abot sleeps
& as on we met[e] the isle
Daring scarce to breath the while
Soft as creeping feet can fall
Still the damp green stained wall
As the startled ghost flits bye
Mocking murmurs faintly sigh
Minding our intruding fear
Such visits are unwelcome here
Seemly then each hollow urn
Gentle steps our steps return
Ere so soft & ere so still
Check our breath or how we will
Listning spirits still reply
Step for step & sigh for sigh
Murmuring oer ones wearied woe
Life as once was theirs to know
Wispering to such slaves as me
A buried tale of misery—
‘We once was life ere lifes decline
‘Flesh blood & bones as like to thine
‘We knew its pains & shard its grief
‘Till death long wishd for brought relief
‘We had our hopes & like to thee
‘Hopd morrows better day to see
‘But like as thine our hopes the same
‘To morrows kindness never came
‘We had our tyrants een as thou
‘Our wants met many a scornful brow
‘But death laid low their wealthy powers
‘Their harmless ashes mix wi ours
‘& this vain world its pride its form
‘That treads on thee as on a worm
‘Its mighty heirs—the time shall be
‘When they as quiet sleep by thee’
O heres thy comforts solitude
When overpowering woes intrude
Then thy sad thy solemn dress
Owns the balm my soul to bless
Here I judge the world aright
Here see vain man in his own light
Learn patience in this trying hour
To gild lifes brambles wi a flower
Take pattern from the hints thoust given
& follow in thy steps to heaven