ARGUMENT of the FIRST BOOK. Hiftorical deduction of feats, from the ftool to the Sofa.Afchool-boy's ramble.—A walk in the country.—The fcene defcribed.-Rural founds as well as fights delightful. Another walk.-Miftake concerning the charms of folitude, corrected.-Colonnades commended.-Alcove and the view from it.—The Wilderness. -The Grove.-The Thresher.-The neceffity and the benefits of exercise. The works of nature fuperior to and in fome inftances inimitable by art.-The wearifomeness of what is commonly called a life of pleasure. -Change of fcene fometimes expedient.— A common defcribed, and the character of crazy Kate introduced upon it.-Gipfies.-The bleffings of civilized life.That state most favourable to virtue.-The South Sea Iflanders compaffionated, but chiefly Omai.—His prefent ftate of mind fuppofed.-Civilized life friendly to virtue, but not great cities.-Great cities, and London in particular, allowed their due praife, but censured.— Fete Champetre.-The book concludes with a reflec tion on the fatal effects of diffipation and effeminacy upon our public measures. TA S K. воок 1. THE S OF A. SING the SOFA. I who lately fang Truth, Hope, and Charity, and touch'd with awe The folemn chords, and with a trembling hand, Efcap'd with pain from that advent'rous flight, Now feek repose upon an humbler theme; The theme though humble, yet august and proud Th' occafion-for the Fair commands the fong. Time was, when cloathing fumptuous or for use, Save their own painted skins, our fires had none. black breeches were not; fattin fmooth, As yet Or velvet soft, or plufh with fhaggy pile: And sway'd the fceptre of his infant realms; And fuch in ancient halls and manfions drear And drill'd in holes the folid oak is found, By worms voracious eating through and through. At length a generation more refined Improv'd the fimple plan, made three legs four, Gave them a twifted form vermicular, Now came the cane from India, fmooth and bright With Nature's varnish; fever'd into stripes That interlaced each other, these supplied Of texture firm a lattice-work, that braced The new machine, and it became a chair. But restless was the chair; the back erect Diftrefs'd the weary loins that felt no ease; The flipp'ry feat betray'd the fliding part That prefs'd it, and the feet hung dangling down, Anxious in vain to find the diftant-floor. |