THE SOFA The distant plough slow moving, and beside His labouring team, that swerved not from the track, The sturdy swain diminished to a boy. Here Ouse, slow winding through a level plain Of hedge-row beauties numberless, square tower, Groves, heaths, and smoking villages remote. Nor rural sights alone, but rural sounds To soothe and satisfy the human ear. Ten thousand warblers cheer the day, and one But cawing rooks, and kites that swim sublime 253 160 170 180 190 200 Sounds inharmonious in themselves and harsh, Peace to the artist, whose ingenious thought Once went I forth, and found, till then unknown, 210 220 From such unpleasing sounds as haunt the ear 230 Incessant, clinking hammers, grinding wheels, The poet's treasure, silence, and indulge Vain thought! the dweller in that still retreat Its elevated site forbids the wretch To drink sweet waters of the crystal well; He dips his bowl into the weedy ditch, Not distant far, a length of colonnade 240 250 THE WEATHER HOUSE, THE PEASANTS NEST, AND COWPER'S HARES FROM A DRAWING BY WILLIAM BLAKE, ENGRAVED BY HIM FOR HAYLEY'S LIFE OF COWPER |