ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK. Hiftorical deduction of feats, from the ftool to the Sofa.-A School-boy's ramble-A walk in the country.—The Scene 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 benefits of exercise.-The works of nature fuperior to, and in fome inftances inimitable by, art.-The wearisomeness of what is commonly called a life of pleasure.-Change of Scene fometimes expedient.-A common defcribed, and the character of crazy Kate introduced.-Gipfies.-The blessings of civilized life. That flate mofi favourable to virtue.-The South Sea iflanders compaffionated, but chiefly Omai. His prefent ftate of mind supposed.--Civilized life friendly to virtue, but not great cities.-Great cities, and London in particular, allowea their due praife, but cenfured.-Fete champetre. The book concludes with a reflection on the fatal effects of diffipation and effeminacy upon our public measures. THE TASK.. BOOK I. THE SOFA. I SING the Sofa. I, who lately fang Truth, Hope, and Charity*, and touch'd with awe The folemn chords, and with a trembling hand, Time was, when clothing fumptuous or for use, Save their own painted skins, our fires had none. As yet black breeches were not; fatin smooth, Or velvet foft, or plush with fhaggy pile: The hardy chief upon the rugged rock And fway'd the fceptre of his infant realms : At length a generation more refin'd Improv'd the fimple plan; made three legs four, And o'er the feat, with plenteous wadding stuff'd, Lap-dog and lambkin with black staring eyes, Now came the cane from India, fmooth and bright That prefs'd it, and the feet hung dangling down, These for the rich: the reft, whom fate had plac'd With base materials, fat on well tann'd hides, With here and there a tuft of crimson yarn, If cushion might be call'd, what harder seem'd In Albion's happy ifle. The umber food |