The world may dance along the flowery plain,
Cheer'd as they go by many a sprightly strain ;
Where Nature has her mossy velvet spread,
With unshod feet they yet securely tread;
Admonish'd, scorn the caution and the friend,
Bent all on pleasure, heedless of its end.
But He, who knew what human hearts would prove,
How slow to learn the dictates of his love,
That, hard by nature and of stubborn will,
A life of ease would make them harder still,
In pity to the souls his grace design'd
To rescue from the ruins of mankind,
Call’d for a cloud to darken all their years,
And said, “ Go spend them in the vale of tears !"
O balmy gales of soul-reviving air !
() salutary streams that murmur there!
These flowing from the Fount of Grace above,
Those breathed from lips of everlasting love.
The flinty soil indeed their feet annoys,
Chill blasts of trouble nip their springing joys,
An envious world will interpose its frown
To mar delights superior to its own,
And many a pang experienced still within,
Reminds them of their hated inmate, Sin ;
But ills of every shape and every name,
Transform'd to blessings, miss their cruel aim ;
And
every

moment's calm that sooths the breast Is given in earnest of eternal rest.

Ah, be not sad, although thy lot be cast Far from the flock, and in a boundless waste ! No shepherd's tents within thy view appear, But the chief Shepherd even there is near;

Thy tender sorrows and thy plaintive strain
Flow in a foreign land, but not in vain ;
Thy tears all issue from a source divine,
And every drop bespeaks a Saviour thine.
So once in Gideon's fleece the dews were found,
And drought on all the drooping herbs around.

THE YEARLY DISTRESS;

OR,

TITHING-TIME AT STOCK IN ESSEX.

VERSES ADDRESSED TO A COUNTRY CLERGYMAN, COMPLAINING OF THE

DISAGREEABLENESS OF THE DAY ANNUALLY APPOINTED FOR RECEIVING THE DUES AT THE PARSONAGE.

COME, ponder well, for 'tis no jest,

To laugh it would be wrong ;
The troubles of a worthy priest

The burden of my song.
This priest he merry is and blithe

Three quarters of the year,
But oh! it cuts him like a scythe

When tithing-time draws near.
He then is full of frights and fears,

As one at point to die,
And long before the day appears

He heaves up many a sigh.
For then the farmers come, jog, jog,

Along the miry road,
Each heart as heavy as a log,

To make their payments good.

In sooth the sorrow of such days

Is not to be express'd, When he that takes and he that pays

Are both alike distress'd.

Now all unwelcome at his gates

The clumsy swains alight,
With rueful faces and bald pates ;-

He trembles at the sight.

And well he may, for well he knows

Each bumpkin of the clan, Instead of paying what he owes,

Will cheat him if he can.

So in they come-each makes his leg,

And flings his head before, And looks as if he came to beg,

And not to quit a score.

“ And how does miss and madam do,

The little boy and all ?" “ All tight and well. And how do you,

Good Mr. What-d'ye-call?"

The dinner comes, and down they sit:

Were e'er such hungry folk ? There's little talking, and no wit;

It is no time to joke.

One wipes his nose upon his sleeve,

One spits upon the floor,
Yet not to give offence or grieve,
Holds

up

the cloth before.

The punch goes round, and they are dull

And lumpish still as ever ;
Like barrels with their bellies full,

They only weigh the heavier.
At length the busy time begins,

“ Come, neighbours, we must wag.” The money chinks, down drop their chins,

Each lugging out his bag.

One talks of mildew and of frost,

And one of storms and hail, And one of pigs that he has lost

By maggots at the tail.

Quoth one,

“ A rarer man than you In pulpit none shall hear; But yet, methinks, to tell you true,

You sell it plaguey dear.”

Oh why are farmers made so coarse,

Or clergy made so fine? A kick that scarce would move a horse,

May kill a sound divine.

Then let the boobies stay at home;

'Twould cost him, I dare say, Less trouble taking twice the sum,

Without the clowns that pay.

SONNET TO HENRY COWPER, ESQ.

ON HIS EMPHATICAL AND INTERESTING DELIVERY OF THE DEFENCE OF

WARREN FASTINGS, ESQ. IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS,

COWPER, whose silver voice, task'd sometimes hard,

Legends prolix delivers in the ears

(Attentive when thou read’st) of England's peers, Let verse at length yield thee thy just reward. Thou wast not heard with drowsy disregard,

Expending late on all that length of plea
Thy generous powers, but silence honour'd thee,
Mute as e'er gazed on orator or bard.
Thou art not voice alone, but hast beside
Both heart and head: and couldst with music sweet

Of attic phrase and senatorial tone,
Like thy renown'd forefathers, far and wide
Thy fame diffuse, praised not for utterance meet

Of others' speech, but magic of thy own.

LINES ADDRESSED TO DR. DARWIN,

AUTHOR OF THE “ BOTANIC GARDEN."

Two Poets', (poets, by report,

Not oft so well agree,)
Sweet harmonist of Flora's court!

Conspire to honour thee.

| Alluding to the poem by Mr. Hayley, which accompanied these lines.