 | The embargo ; or, sketches of the times |  |
THE CONTENTED PLOUGHMAN.
A SONG.
“LUXURIOUS plenty's festive board,
And beauty's fascinating smiles;
The careful miser's golden hoard,
And glory's charms, have all their wiles.
And beauty's fascinating smiles;
The careful miser's golden hoard,
And glory's charms, have all their wiles.
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“Expos'd in tempting view, they please
The lighter passions of mankind;
We madly rush, and blindly seize,
The honied poison of the mind.
The lighter passions of mankind;
We madly rush, and blindly seize,
The honied poison of the mind.
“But through each soul-seducing snare,
Thrice happy he who keeps his way!
Free from the manacles of care,
Free from delusive pleasure's sway!
Thrice happy he who keeps his way!
Free from the manacles of care,
Free from delusive pleasure's sway!
“Young health shall shed her roses round.
And vigour nerve th' elastic limb,
The muse shall roam Parnassus' ground,
And pluck unfading flowers for him.
And vigour nerve th' elastic limb,
The muse shall roam Parnassus' ground,
And pluck unfading flowers for him.
“More blest, though poor, the ploughman's lot
Than the rich placeman's wrap'd in care:
Contented with his homely cot,
His coarse attire and frugal fare.—
Than the rich placeman's wrap'd in care:
Contented with his homely cot,
His coarse attire and frugal fare.—
“His pleasure is his daily toil,
On no fantastic visions built;
His treasure is the teeming soil,
His boon a conscience void of guilt.’
On no fantastic visions built;
His treasure is the teeming soil,
His boon a conscience void of guilt.’
Thus sang the ploughman to his lyre,
While oft his lingering team he cheers,
Th' enchanting strains delight, inspire,
Soft as the music of the spheres.
While oft his lingering team he cheers,
Th' enchanting strains delight, inspire,
Soft as the music of the spheres.
“And, oh!” I cried, as I withdrew,
Pleas'd with the skill the Hind display'd
“Oh, would my country-youth pursue.
The path so luringly pourtray'd!”
Pleas'd with the skill the Hind display'd
“Oh, would my country-youth pursue.
The path so luringly pourtray'd!”
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“Then Vice, foul parent of disease,
Should never root, and flourish here;
Hygeia breathe in every breeze,
And freshen round the flying year!”
Should never root, and flourish here;
Hygeia breathe in every breeze,
And freshen round the flying year!”
June, 1808.
| The embargo ; or, sketches of the times | |