Her brittle toys, reftores me to myself.

How calm is my recefs; and how the froft,
Raging abroad, and the rough wind, endear
The filence and the warmth enjoy'd within!
I faw the woods and fields, at close of day,
A variegated fhow; the meadows green,
Though faded; and the lands, where lately wav'd
The golden haryeft, of a mellow brown,
Upturn'd fo lately by the forceful fhare.

I faw far off the weedy fallows fimile
With verdure not unprofitable, graz'd
By flocks, faft feeding, and felecting each
His fav'fite herb; while all the leaflefs groves,
That skirt th' horizon, wore a fable hue,
Scarce notic'd in the kindred dusk of eve.
To-morrow brings a change, a total change!
Which even now, though filently perform'd,
And flowly, and by moft unfelt, the face
Of univerfal nature undergoes.

Faft falls a fleecy fhow'r: the downy flakes,

Descending, and with never-ceafing lapfe,

Softly alighting upon all below,

Affimilate all objects. Earth receives

Gladly the thick'ning mantle; and the green And tender blade, that fear'd the chilling blaft, Escapes unhurt beneath so warm a veil.

In fuch a world; fo thorny, and where none Finds happiness unb'ighted; or, if found, Without fome thiftly forrow at its fide; It seems the part of wisdom, and no fin Against the law of love, to measure lots With less distinguish'd than ourselves; that thus We may with patience bear our mod'rate ills, And fympathife with others, fuff'ring more. Ill fares the trav'ller now, and he that stalks In pond'rous boots befide his recking team. The wain goes heavily, impeded fore

By congregated loads adhering clofe

To the clogg'd wheels; and in its fluggish pace,

Noiseless, appears a moving hill of fnow.
The toiling steeds expand the noftril wide,
While ev'ry breath, by refpiration ftrong
Forc'd downward, is confolidated foon

Upon their jutting chefts. He, form'd to bear
The pelting brunt of the tempeftuous night,

With half-fhut eyes, and pucker'd cheeks, and teeth
Presented bare against the storm, plods on.

One hand fecures his hat, fave when with both
He brandishes his pliant length of whip,

Refounding oft, and never heard in vain.

Oh happy; and, in my account, denied
That fenfibility of pain with which
Refinement is endued, thrice happy thou!
Thy frame, robust and hardy, feels indeed
The piercing cold, but feels it unimpair'd.
The learned finger never need explore

Thy vig'rous pulfe; and the unhealthful east,
That breathes the spleen, and fearches ev'ry bone
Of the infirm, is wholefome air to thee.

Thy days roll on, exempt from household care;

Thy waggon is thy wife; and the poor beafts,
That drag the dull companion to and fro,
Thine helpless charge, dependent on thy care.
Ah, treat them kindly! rude as thou appear'ft,
Yet fhow that thou haft mercy! which the great,
With needlefs hurry whirl'd from place to place,
Humane as they would feem, not always fhow.

Poor, yet induftrious, modeft, quiet, neat; Such claim compaffion in a night like this, And have a friend in ev'ry feeling heart. Warm'd, while it lafts, by labour, all day long They brave the feafon, and yet find at eve, Ill clad and fed but fparely, time to cool. The frugal housewife trembles when the lights Her fcanty stock of brufh-wood, blazing clear, But dying foon, like all terreftrial joys. The few fmall embers left fhe nurfes well;

And, while her infant race, with outfpread hands

And crowded knees, fit cow'ring o'er the fparks, Retires, content to quake, fo they be warm'd.. The man feels leaft, as more inur'd than fhe

To winter, and the current in his veins.

More brifkly mov'd by his feverer toil;
Yet he, too, finds his own diftrefs in their's.
The taper foon extinguish'd, which I faw
Dangled along at the cold finger's end

Juft when the day declin'd, and the brown loaf
Lodg'd on the fhelf, half-eaten, without fauce
Of fav'ry cheese, or butter, costlier still;
Sleep feems their only refuge: for, alas,
Where penury is felt the thought is chain'd,
And sweet colloquial pleasures are but few!
With all this thrift they thrive not.

Ingenious parfimony takes but juft

All the care

Saves the small inventory, bed, and stool,

Skillet, and old carv'd cheft, from public fale.
They live, and live without extorted alms

From grudging hands; but other boast have none