The Farmer's Boy;: A Rural Poem

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Vernor, Hood, and Sharpe, ... and Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, ... at the Union Printing-Office, 1806 - Country life - 99 pages

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Page 21 - Or gazed in merry clusters by your side ? Ye who can smile, to wisdom no disgrace, At the arch meaning of a Kitten's face : If spotless innocence, and infant mirth, Excites to praise, or gives reflection birth ; In shades like these pursue your fav'rite joy, 'Midst Nature's revels, sports that never cloy.
Page 21 - Midst nature's revels, sports that never cloy. A few begin a short but vigorous race, And indolence abash'd, soon flies the place ; Thus challenged forth, see thither one by one, From every side assembling playmates run ; A thousand wily antics mark their stay, A starting crowd, impatient of delay. Like the fond dove from fearful prison freed, Each seems to say, " come, let us try our speed...
Page 30 - And ripening harvest rustles in the gale. A glorious sight, if glory dwells below, Where Heaven's munificence makes all the show O'er every field and golden prospect found, That glads the ploughman's Sunday morning's round," When on some eminence he takes his stand, To judge the smiling produce of the land.
Page xl - The rising vapours catch the silver light ; Thence fancy measures, as they parting fly, Which first will throw its shadow on the eye, Passing the source of light ; and thence away, Succeeded quick by brighter still than they.
Page 45 - Refills the jug his honour'd host to tend, To serve at once the master and the friend; Proud thus to meet his smiles, to share his tale, His nuts, his conversation, and his ale.
Page 30 - E'en then the songster a mere speck became. Gliding like fancy's bubbles in a dream, The gazer sees ; but yielding to repose, Unwittingly his jaded eyelids close. Delicious sleep ! From sleep who could forbear, With no more guilt than Giles, and no more care? Peace o'er his slumbers waves her guardian wing, Nor Conscience once disturbs him with a sting ; He wakes refresh'd from every trivial pain, And takes his pole, and brushes round again.
Page 3 - O COME, blest spirit ! whatsoe'er thou art, Thou kindling warmth that hoverest round my heart, Sweet inmate, hail ! thou source of sterling joy, That poverty itself cannot destroy, Be thou my muse ; and faithful still to me, Retrace the paths of wild obscurity. No deeds of arms my humble lines rehearse ; No Alpine wonders thunder through my verse, The roaring cataract, the snow-topt hill, Inspiring awe, till breath itself stands still ; Nature's sublimer scenes ne'er charm'd mine eyes, Nor science...
Page 34 - To turn the swarth, the quiv'ring load to rear, Or ply the busy rake, the land to clear. Summer's light garb itself now cumbrous grown, Each his thin doublet in the shade throws down ; Where oft the mastiff skulks with half-shut eye, And rouses at the stranger passing by...
Page 27 - THE FARMER'S life displays in every part A moral lesson to the sensual heart. Though in the lap of Plenty, thoughtful still, He looks beyond the present good or ill ; Nor estimates alone one blessing's worth, From changeful seasons, or capricious earth ; But views the future with the present hours, And looks for failures as he looks for showers ; For casual as for certain want prepares, And round his yard the reeking haystack rears ; Provident turn of the Fanner's mind.
Page 7 - Fled now the sullen murmurs of the North, The splendid raiment of the SPRING peeps forth ; Her universal green, and the clear sky, Delight still more and more the gazing eye. Wide o'er the fields, in rising moisture strong, Shoots up the simple flower, or creeps along The...

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