University of Virginia Library

THE WISH

If wishes could be gaind and I might have
What ere of worldly things I lik'd to crave
Such as would free me from all labouring strife
And make me happy to the end of life,
In doing this I'de take the surest plan
To bind contentment with the future man;
And first if wishing could such pleasure give,
I'de chuse a descent house wherein to live.
The spot should be beneath a neighbouring hill
Fronting the south close to a winding rill;
As other cots the plan both wide and long
With walls made roughly durable and strong,
One outward door might all my needs suffice
Tho' in such trifles I should not be nice.
Of british oak the roofing should be made
And best of slate should be upon them lade,
I would chuse slate tho thatch is my desire
Because slate roofs will not so easy fire,
Then when the outside wall and roof where lade
Inside convenience should be nicely made,
First room for a small cellar should be found
Wholesome and cool but not made under ground;
They serve to loose the fabrics weighty load
And proves a harbour for the nuisom toad,
Therefore it should be level with the rest
Well stor'd with ale the oldest and the best
On whose good cheering strength I might depend
When making welcome with a trusty friend
For lifes a drone where friendship has not part
A utter stranger to the feeling heart.
And next a pantry suitable indeed
To store that nourishment we mostly need;
With dairy joining where the brimming pale
Demands a situation very swale,
For this a window northward should be made
With clumps of elder closley set to shade.
Methinks thus far the things are so compleat
They promise fair a comfortable seat.
A noice small parlour too I should desire
So well convinient for a winter fire
For in that season larger rooms are cold
Small ones are snuger as the less they hold,
Hung round with little pictures it should be
For these are trifles which I love to see,
Near the fireside close fitted in the wall
I'de have a nice made cubboard not too small
Each shelf in breadth so uniformly pland
That books in eightvo size or more might stand
For this one use I'd have the cubboard made
Where none but choisest authors should be laid,
Such as Dermody Scott Macniel and Burn
With rural Bloomfield Templeman and Hurn
These are the authors that can boast the power
Of giving raptures in a leisure hour,
And tho I read some of them every night
Their songs near fail of adding fresh delight.
A descent Bed too here would surley prove
A neat appendage for a winter stove
Where daily living in't would make the air
More warm and dry then emty chambers are;
Now this would be compleat—but then I doubt
A little kitchen can't be done without,
Then this I'de have with coppers neatly hung,
Likewise a oven closley arch'd and strong
With other things nescesity would plan
As shelves for dishes or a wellscour'd pan,
But these are trifles which might soon be got,
Two chambers now would just compleat my cot,
In chusing these I'de ask no more than two
They would be plenty quite and nicely do,
The one wherein thro summer I might sleep
The other should my orchards produce keep
Yet both sho[u]ld boast a bed as one might be
Useful for those that came to visit me,
Of this there should be very little shown
Tho friends and nearest kin I'd never cease to own
But as my self they both alike should fare,
And while it lasted might be welcome there.
My chamber window should oer look the east
That in delicious views my eyes might feast
There girt with crimson see the morning sun
Thro distant trees his journey just begun
Still mounting every moment stages higher
And as his height increases so the fire
At other times succeeds the vapouring mist
Hiding each object quite from east to west.
While other mornings shine with pearly dews
Then is the time to look for distant views.
The Tree the Wood the Cot and distant Spire
I would search after with a fond desire.
In this said window too I would peruse
Each sweet production of the rural muse
While sparrows from the eves in chirping throng
Should never fail to welcome with their song.
And now the house is fram'd beyond excuse
Wanting naught else but household goods for use:
They should preserve one order all along
Made roughly descent durable and strong
For like to Pomfret I could n'er endure
The needles pomp of gaudy furniture.
What I should want few words may soon explain
All that was useful nesessary plain
These and no more would bound my ample choise
And decorate my cot extreemly nice.
And now a garden pland with nicest care
Should be my next attention to prepare;
For this I'd search the soil of different grounds
Nor small nor great should mark its homley bounds:
Between these two extreems the plan should be
Compleat throughout and large enough for me;
A strong brick wall should bound the outward fence
Where by the suns allcheering influence
Walltrees should flourish in a spreading row
And Peach and Pear in ruddy lustre glow.
A five foot bed should follow from the wall
To look compleat or save the trees withall
On which small seeds for sallading I'd sow
While curl-leaf Parsley should for edges grow.
My Garden in four quarters I'd divide
To show good taste and not a gaudy pride;
In this the middle walk should be the best
Being more to sight exposed than the rest,
At whose southend a harbour should be made
So well belov'd in summer for its shade:
For this the rose would do or jessamine
With virginbower or the sweet woodbine,
Each one of these would form exactly well
A compleat harbour both for shade or smell.
Here would I sit when leisure did agree
To view the pride of summer scenery
See the productions promis'd from my spade
While blest with liberty and cooling shade.
But now a spot should be reserv'd for flowers
That would amuse me in those vacant hours
When books and study cease their charms to bring
And Fancy sits to prune her shatterd wing,
Then is the time I'd view the flowrets eye
And all loose stragglers with scotch-mattin tye;
The borders too I'd clean with nicest care
And not one smothering weed should harbour there:
In trifling thus I should such pleasure know
As nothing but such trifles could bestow.
This charming spot should boast a charming place
Southwardly plan'd my cottage front to grace.
There a nice gras plat should attract the eye
Mow'd every week more level then the dye.
Ah! think how this would decorate the scene
So fine a level and a finer green.
My borders they should lie a little flue
And rear the finest flowers that sip the dew
The roses blush the lilies vying snow
Should uniform their namles beauties show,
With fine ranuncullus and jonquil fair
That sweet perfumer of the evening air
The scabious too so jocolatley dusk
Should there be seen with tufts of smelling musk
The woodbine tree should all her sweets unfurl
Close to my door in many a wanton curl.
Aside my wall the vine should find a place
While damask roses did my window grace:
And now a walk as was the plan before
Exactly coresponding with the door
Should lead my footsteps to another bower
Whenever leisure gave the pleasent hour.
But once again the greens delightful spot
Should wear a ornament I quite forgot;
A little pond within a circle laid
It would look nice and might be useful made:
The side with freestone should be walled round
And steps the same to bevel with the ground.
There sweet Nymphea lover of the tide
Should deck my mimic pool with spangling pride.
Oft would I seek the steps in midday hour
When sol mounts high in full meredian power
To see its leaves that on the surface lie
Prove Boats of Pleasure to the dragon flye.
Ah scenes so happy void of all controul
Your seeming prospects heightens up my soul;
E'en now so bright the fairy vision flies,
I mark its flight as with possesing eyes
But thats in vain—to hope the wish was gave
It clogs the mind and binds the heart a slave.
Tis nothing but a wish one vents at will
Still vainly wishing and be wanting still
For when a wishing mind enjoys the view
He dont expect it ever will come true,
Yet when he cherishes the pleasing thought
He still keeps wishing till he wants for nought,
And so will I—My eyes shall wander oer
A Pleasent prospect, Acres just threescore,
And this the measure of my whole domains
Should be divided into woods and plains,
O'er the fair plains should roam a single cow
For not one foot should ever want the plough
This would be toiling so I'd never crave
One single thing where labour makes a slave.
Tho health from exercise is said to spring
Foolhardy toil that health will never bring.
But 'stead of health—dire ills a numerous train
Will shed their torments with afflictive pain.
Be as it will I hold in spite of strife
That health ne'er rises from a labouring life;
Therefore the busines that such labour gave
When I could do without I'd never have:
All I would do should be to view my grounds
And every morning take my daily rounds
To see that all was right and keep secure the bounds:
With trifling in the garden now and then
Which finds employment for the greatest men
Each coming day the labour should renew
And this is all the labour I would do,
The other hours I'd spend in letterd ease
To read or study just as that might please,
This is the way my plan of life should be
Unmaried Happy in Contentment free.
For he that's pester'd with a noisey wife
Can neer enjoy that quietnes of life
That does to life belong—Therefore I'd ne'er
Let Hymen's torch within my cot appear.
For all domestic needs that did require
Womans assistance—I'd a servant hire
She should be mistres of the whole conscern
And what she could'n't do she soon might learn
But this should be the character I'd seek
Well made not proud her looks entirley meek
Not fond—but witty nor unknown to books
With mind entirley modest as her looks.
That charming she that was adorn'd with these
Could never fail in quietnes to please.
And now my income which I have not made
Should touch at living desent yearly paid,
This would suffice me—for I'd never stride
O'er scenes of descency to follow pride.
A little over plus I might expend
T'relieve a Beggar or to treat a friend
For while I'd money left or bread to spare
The Beggar always should be welcome there.
Tho' this was all in wishing I would have
Posses'd of these I nothing more should crave,
Save when the worn out numbers of fourscore
Had fix'd their standard on my grey grown shore
Then one more wish should be the last I'd crave
A Painless Exit to a welcome grave.