Page images
PDF
EPUB

HOSPITALITY.

The latent cause, yet such I know there is,
Which gives the body motion, nor can tell
By what strange impulse the so ready limb
Performs the purposes of will. How then
Shall thou and I, who cannot span ourselves,
In this our narrow vessel, comprehend
The being of a God?

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD.

BORN, 1766; DIED, 1823.

HOSPITALITY.

DEAR boy, throw that icicle down,

And sweep this deep snow from the door;
Old Winter comes on with a frown,
A terrible frown for the poor.

In a season so rude and forlorn,
How can age, how can infancy, bear
The silent neglect and the scorn
Of those who have plenty to spare?

Fresh broached is my cask of old ale;
Well timed now the frost is set in,—
Here's Job come to tell us a tale,
We'll make him at home to a pin.

Abundance was never my lot;

But out of the trifle that's given, That no curse may alight on my cot, I'll distribute the bounty of Heaven.

The fool and the slave gather wealth;
But if I add nought to my store,
Yet while I keep conscience in health,
I've a mine that will never grow poor.

263.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. W
BORN, 1770; DIED, 1850.

THE YEW-TREE SEAT.

WHO he was. H

T

That piled these stones, and with a mossy sod
First cover'd o'er, and taught this aged tree, 10
With its dark arms, to form a circling bower,?
I well remember.-He was one who owned
No common soul. In youth by science nursed,
And led by nature into a wild scene

Of lofty hopes, he to the world went forth

[ocr errors]

A favoured being, knowing no desire
Which genius did not hallow,-'gainst the taint
Of dissolute tongues, and jealousy, and hate,
And scorn,-against all enemies prepared,
All but neglect. The world, for so it thought,
Owed him no service: wherefore he, at once,
With indignation, turned himself away,
And with the food of pride sustained his soul
In solitude. Stranger! these gloomy boughs
Had charms for him; and here he lov'd to sit,
His only visitants a straggling sheep,
The stone-chat, or the glancing sand-piper;
And on these barren rocks, with fern and heath,
And juniper and thistle, sprinkled o'er,
Fixing his downcast eye, he, many an hour,
A morbid pleasure nourished, tracing here
An emblem of his own unfruitful life;
And, lifting up his head, he then would gaze
On the more distant scene,-how lovely 'tis
Thou see'st,—and he would gaze till it became
Far lovelier, and his heart could not sustain
The beauty, still more beauteous! Nor, that time,
When nature had subdued him to herself,
Would he forget those beings, to whose minds-
Warm from the labours of benevolence-
The world and human life appeared a scene
Of kindred loveliness: then he would sigh,
With mournful joy, to think that others felt T

را

107

EDUCATION OF THE POOR.

What he must never feel: and so, lost man!

On visionary views would fancy feed,

265

Till his eye streamed with tears. In this deep vale He died-this seat his only monument.

If thou be one whose heart the holy forms

Of young imagination have kept pure,

Stranger! henceforth be warned; and know that pride,
Howe'er disguised in its own majesty,

Is littleness; that he who feels contempt
For any living thing, hath faculties

Which he has never used; that thought with him
Is in its infancy. The man whose eye

Is ever on himself doth look on one,

The least of nature's works, one who might move
The wise man to that scorn which wisdom holds
Unlawful, ever. O! be wiser, thou!

Instructed that true knowledge leads to love—
True dignity abides with him alone

Who, in the silent hour of inward thought,
Can still suspect, and still revere himself,

In lowliness of heart.

EDUCATION OF THE POOR, THE DUTY OF THE STATE, O FOR the coming of that glorious time

When, prizing knowledge as her noblest wealth

And best protection, this imperial realm,
While she exacts allegiance, shall admit
An obligation, on her part, to teach

Them who are born to serve her and obey;
Binding herself by statute to secure

For all the children whom her soil maintains
The rudiments of letters, and inform

The mind with moral and religious truth,
Both understood and practised,—so that none,
However destitute, be left to droop

By timely culture unsustained; or run
Into a wild disorder: or be forced

To drudge through a weary life without the help VOL. I.

2

N

Of intellectual implements and tools;
A savage horde among the civilized.
A servile band among the lordly free!
This sacred right the lisping babe proclaims
To be inherent in him, by Heaven's will,
For the protection of his innocence;
And the rude boy-who, having overpast
The sinless age, by conscience is enrolled,
Yet mutinously knits his angry brow,

And lifts his wilful hand on mischief bent,
Or turns the godlike faculty of speech

-by process indirect

To impious use

Declares his due, while he makes known his need. This sacred right is fruitlessly announced,

This universal plea in vain addressed,

To eyes and ears of parents who themselves
Did, in the time of their necessity,

Urge it in vain; and, therefore, like a prayer
That from the humblest floor ascends to heaven,
It mounts to reach the State's parental ear;
Who, if indeed she own a mother's heart,
And be not most unfeelingly devoid

Of gratitude to Providence, will grant

Th' unquestionable good-which, England, safe
From interference of external force,

May grant at leisure; without risk incurred,
That what in wisdom for herself she doth,

Others shall e'er be able to undo.

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

BORN, 1771.

THE FIELD OF THE WORLD.

Sow in the morn thy seed.

At eve hold not thine hand;

To doubt and fear give thou no heed,

Broad-cast it o'er the land.

7

INSTRUCTION.

Beside all waters sow;

The highway furrows stock;

Drop it where thorns and thistles grow;
Scatter it on the rock.

The good, the fruitful ground,
Expect not here nor there;

O'er hill and dale, by plots, 'tis found;
Go, forth, then, everywhere.

Thou know'st not which may thrive,
The late or early sown;

Grace keeps the precious germs alive,
When and wherever strown.

And duly shall appear,

In verdure, beauty, strength,

The tender blade, the stalk, the ear,
And the full corn at length.

Thou canst not toil in vain :

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry,
Shall foster and mature the grain,
For garners in the sky.

Thence, when the glorious end,
The day of God is come,
The angel-reapers shall descend,

And heaven cry-" Harvest home."

INSTRUCTION.

FROM heaven descend the drops of dew,
From heaven the gracious showers,

Earth's winter aspect to renew,

And clothe the spring with flowers;

From heaven the beams of morning flow,

That melt the gloom of night;

From heaven the evening breezes blow

Health, fragrance, and delight.

267

« PreviousContinue »