Classic Poem

Before his cackling dames, the passive slaves
Of his promiscuous pleasure. O'er the pond,
See the grey gander, with his female train,
Bending their lofty necks; and gabbling ducks,
Rejoicing on the surface, clap their wings!
Whilst wheeling round, in airy wanton flights,
The glossy pigeons chace their sportive loves,
Or in soft cooings tell their am'rous tale.
Pale stacks of hay, there pyramids of corn,
Promise the future market large supplies:
While with an eye of triumph he surveys
His piles of wood, and laughs at winter's frown.
He lent rumination, see the kine,
Beneath the walnut's shade patiently wait
To pour into his pails their milky stores,
While pent from mischief, far from sight remov'd,
The bristly herd within their fatt'ning styes,
Remind him to prepare, in many a row,
The gaily blooming pea, the fragrant bean,
And broad-leav'd cabbage for the ploughman's feast.
These his amusements, his employments these;
Which still arising in successive change,
Give to each vary'd hour a new delight.
Peace and Contentment with their guardian wings
Enclose his nightly slumbers. Roly health,
When the gay lark's sweet martin wakes the morn,
Treads in his dewy footsteps round the field;
And cheerfulness attends his closing day.
No racking jealousy, nor sullen hate,
Nor fear, nor envy, discompose his breast.
His only enemies the prowling fox,
Whose nightly murders thin the bleating fold;
The hardy badger, the rapacious kite,
With eye malignant on the little brood,
Sailing around portentous; the rank store
Thirsting, ah, savage thrist! for harmless blood;
The corn-devouring partridge; tim'rous hare;
Th' amphibious otter bold; the weasel fly,
Pilfering the yolk from its enclosing shell;
And moles, a dirty undermining race.
These all his foes, and these, alas! compar'd
With man to man, an inoffensive train.
" Gainst these, assisted by th' entagling net,
Th' explosive thunder of the levell'd tube,
Or toils unweary'd of his social friend,
The faithful dog, he wages rural war;
And health and pleasure in the sportive fields
Obtaining, he forgives their venial crimes.
O happy he! happiest of mortal men!
Who far remov'd from slav'ry as from pride,
Fears no man's frown, nor cringing waits to catch
The gracious nothing of a great man's nod:
Where the lac'd beggar bustles for a bribe,
The purchase of his honour; where deceit.
And fraud, and circumvention, drest in smiles,
Hold shameful commerce; and beneath the mask
Of friendship and sincerity, betray.
Him, nor the stately mansion's gilded pride,
Rich with whate'er the imitative arts,
Painting or sculpture, yield to charm the eye;
Nor shining heaps of massy plate enwrought
With curious costly workmanship, allure.
Tempted nor with the pride nor pomp of power,
Nor pageants of ambition, nor the mines
Of grasping av'rice, nor the poison'd sweets
Of pamper'd luxury, he plants his foot
With firmness on his old paternal fields,
And stands unshaken. There sweet prospects rise
Of meadows smiling in their flow'ry pride,
Green hills and dales, and cottages embower'd,
The scenes of innocence and calm delight.
There the wild melody of warbling birds,
And cool refreshing groves, and murm'ring springs,
Invite to sacred thought, and lift the mind
From low pursuits, to meditate the God!
Turn, then, at length, O turn, ye sons of wealth,
And ye who seek through life's bewild'ring maze,
To tread the paths of happiness, O turn!
And trace her footsteps in the rural walk;
In those fair scenes of wonder and delight,
Where, to the human eye, Omnipotence
Unfolds the map of nature, and displays
The matchless beauty of created things.
Turn to the arts, the useful pleasing arts
Of cultivation; and those fields improve
Your erring fathers have too long despis'd.
Leave not to ignorance and low-bred hinds,
That noblest science, which in ancient time
The mind of sages and of kings employ'd,
Solicitous to learn the ways of God,
And read his works in agriculture's school.
Then hear the muse, now ent'ring, hand in hand
With sweet Philosophy, the secret bowers
Of deep mysterious nature; there t'explore
The causes of fecundity, and how
The various elements, earth, water, air,
And fire united: the enliv'ning ray
Diurnal, the prolific dews of night;
With all the rolling seasons of the year;
In vegitation's work their power combine.
Whither, O whither dost thou lead my steps,
Divine Philosophy? What scenes are these,
Which strike my wond'ring senses? Lo! enthron'd
Upon a solid rock, great Nature sits;
Her eyes to heaven directed, as from thence
Receiving inspiration. Round her head
A mingled wreath of fruits and flowers entwines.
Her robe, with every motion changing hue,
Flows down in plenteous foldings, and conceals
Her secret footsteps from the eyes of men.
List! list! what harmony, what heavenly sounds
Enchant my ravish'd ear? 'tis ancient Pan,
Who on his seven-fold pipe, to the rapt soul
Conveys the fancied music of the spheres.
See by his strains the elements inspir'd,
Join in mysterious work; their motions led
By active fire, in windings intricate,
But not perplex'd, nor vague. And who are they?
What pair obeying in alternate rounds
The tuneful melody? majestic one,
And grave, lifting her awful forehead, moves
In shadowy silence, borne on raven wings,
Which, waving to the measur'd sounds, beat time.
A veil obscures her face; a fable stole,
Be-deck'd with sparkling gems, conceals her form;