 | The Poetical Works of John Scott |  |
188
ODE VIII. TO A FRIEND.
Where Grove-hill
shows thy villa fair,
But late, my Lettsom, there with thee
'Twas mine the tranquil hour to share—
The social hour of converse free;
To mark the arrangement of thy ground,
And all the pleasing prospect round,
Where, while we gaz'd, new beauties still were found.
But late, my Lettsom, there with thee
'Twas mine the tranquil hour to share—
The social hour of converse free;
To mark the arrangement of thy ground,
And all the pleasing prospect round,
Where, while we gaz'd, new beauties still were found.
There, as the impending cloud of smoke
Fled various from the varying gale,
Full on the view fresh objects broke
Along the extensive peopled vale,
Beside Thamesis' bending stream,
From ancient Lambeth's west extreme,
To Limehouse glittering in the evening beam.
Fled various from the varying gale,
Full on the view fresh objects broke
Along the extensive peopled vale,
189
From ancient Lambeth's west extreme,
To Limehouse glittering in the evening beam.
And now and then the glancing eye
Caught glimpse of spots remoter still,
On Hampstead's street-clad slope so high,
Or Harrow's far conspicuous hill;
Or eastward wander'd to explore
All Peckham's pleasant level o'er,
To busy Deptford's vessel-crowded shore:
Caught glimpse of spots remoter still,
On Hampstead's street-clad slope so high,
Or Harrow's far conspicuous hill;
Or eastward wander'd to explore
All Peckham's pleasant level o'er,
To busy Deptford's vessel-crowded shore:
Or sought that southern landscape's bound,
Those swelling mounts—one smooth and green,
And one with oaken coverts crown'd,
And one where scattering trees are seen .
'Twas these, with Summer's radiance bright,
That gave my earliest youth delight,
Of rural scenes the first that met my sight .
Those swelling mounts—one smooth and green,
And one with oaken coverts crown'd,
And one where scattering trees are seen .
190
That gave my earliest youth delight,
Of rural scenes the first that met my sight .
That Business, with fatiguing cares,
For this delightful seat of thine
Such scanty store of moments spares,
Say, Friend, shall I for thee repine?—
Were it the commerce of the main,
Or culture of the teeming plain,
From blame or pity I should scarce refrain.
For this delightful seat of thine
Such scanty store of moments spares,
Say, Friend, shall I for thee repine?—
Were it the commerce of the main,
Or culture of the teeming plain,
From blame or pity I should scarce refrain.
But O! to alleviate human woes,
To banish sickness, banish pain,
To give the sleepless eye repose,
The nerveless arm its strength again;
From parent eyes to dry the tear,
The wife's distressful thought to chear,
And end the husband's and the lover's fear;
To banish sickness, banish pain,
To give the sleepless eye repose,
The nerveless arm its strength again;
From parent eyes to dry the tear,
The wife's distressful thought to chear,
And end the husband's and the lover's fear;
191
Where Want sits pining, faint, and ill,
To lend thy kind, unpurchas'd aid,
And hear the exertions of thy skill
With many a grateful blessing paid—
'Tis luxury to the feeling heart,
Beyond what social hours impart,
Or Nature's beauteous scenes, or curious works of Art!
To lend thy kind, unpurchas'd aid,
And hear the exertions of thy skill
With many a grateful blessing paid—
'Tis luxury to the feeling heart,
Beyond what social hours impart,
Or Nature's beauteous scenes, or curious works of Art!
| The Poetical Works of John Scott | |