For all the favage din of the fwift pack, Of cruel man, exulting in her woes. Innocent partner of my peaceful home, Whom ten long years' experience of my care Has made at laft familiar; fhe has loft Much of her vigilant instinctive dread, Not needful here, beneath a roof like mine. Yes-thou may'ft eat thy bread, and lick the hand That feeds thee; thou may'ft frolic on the floor At evening, and at night retire fecure To thy ftraw couch, and flumber unalarm'd; For I have gain'd thy confidence, have pledg'd All that is human in me to protect Thine unfufpecting gratitude and love. How various his employments, whom the world Calls idle; and who juftly, in return, Efteems that bufy world an idler too! Friends, books, a garden, and perhaps his pen, And nature in her cultivated trim Is but a loan to be repaid with use, When He fhall call his debtors to account From whom are all our bleffings; bus'nefs finds To its just point-the fervice of mankind. That has a heart, and keeps it; has a mind Has bufinefs; feels himself engag'd t' achieve A life all turbulence and noise may feem, But wisdom is a pearl with most fuccefs He that is ever occupied in storms, Or dives not for it, or brings up instead, The morning finds the felf-fequefter'd man Fresh for his task, intend what task he may. Whether inclement feafons recommend His warm but fimple home, where he enjoys, With her who shares his pleasures and his heart, Sweet converfe, fipping calm the fragrant lymph Which neatly the prepares; then to his book, Well chofen, and not fullenly perus'd In felfifh filence, but imparted oft As aught occurs that he may smile to hear, Or, if the garden with its many cares, All well repaid, demand him, he attends The welcome call, confcious how much the hand Of lubbard labour needs his watchful eye, Oft loit'ring lazily, if not o'erfeen, Or mifapplying his unfkilful ftrength. Nor does he govern only or direct, But much performs himself. No works indeed Not tire, demanding rather fkill than force. With pleasure more than ev'n their fruits afford, Which, fave himself who trains them, none can feel: These, therefore, are his own peculiar charge; No meaner hand may difcipline the shoots, None but his steel approach them. What is weak, Diftemper'd, or has loft prolific pow'rs, Impair'd by age, his unrelenting hand Dooms to the knife: nor does he spare the soft But barren, at th' expence of neighb'ring twigs |