Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

XII.

ANECDOTE FOR FATHERS.

Retine vim istam, falsa enim dicam, si coges." — EUSEBIUS.

I HAVE a boy of five years old;
His face is fair and fresh to see;
His limbs are cast in beauty's mould,
And dearly he loves me.

One morn we strolled on our dry walk,
Our quiet home all full in view,
And held such intermitted talk
As we are wont to do.

My thoughts on former pleasures ran;
I thought of Kilve's delightful shore,
Our pleasant home when spring began,
A long, long year before.

A day it was when I could bear
Some fond regrets to entertain;
With so much happiness to spare,
I could not feel a pain.

The green earth echoed to the feet

Of lambs that bounded through the glasie,
From shade to sunshine, and as fleet

From sunshine back to shade.

[blocks in formation]

Birds warbled round me,

- and each trace

Of inward sadness had its charm ;
Kilve, thought I, was a favored place,
And so is Liswyn farm.

My boy beside me tripped, so slim
And graceful in his rustic dress!
And, as we talked, I questioned him,
In very idleness.

"Now tell me, had you rather be," I said, and took him by the arm,

"On Kilve's smooth shore, by the green sea, Or here at Liswyn farm?"

In careless mood he looked at me,
While still I held him by the arm,
And said, "At Kilve I'd rather be
Than here at Liswyn farm."

"Now, little Edward, say why so:
My little Edward, tell me why."
"I cannot tell, I do not know."

66

Why, this is strange," said I;

[ocr errors]

"For here are woods, hills smooth and warm'

There surely must some reason be

Why you would change sweet Liswyn farm

For Kilve by the green sea.”

At this, my boy hung down his head,

He blushed with shame, nor made reply;
And three times to the child I said,
"Why, Edward, tell me why?"

His head he raised; there was in sight,
It caught his eye, he saw it plain,
Upon the house-top, glittering bright,
A broad and gilded vane.

Then did the boy his tongue unlock,
And eased his mind with this reply:
"At Kilve there was no weather-cock;
And that's the reason why."

O dearest, dearest boy! my heart
For better lore would seldom yearn,
Could I but teach the hundredth part
Of what from thee I learn.

1798.

XIII.

RURAL ARCHITECTURE.

THERE's George Fisher, Charles Fleming, and Reginald Shore,

Three rosy-cheeked schoolboys, the highest not

more

Than the height of a counsellor's bag;

To the top of GREAT HOW* did it please them to climb:

And there they built up, without mortar or lime, A Man on the peak of the crag.

They built him of stones gathered up as they lay: They built him and christened him all in one day, An urchin both vigorous and hale;

And so without scruple they called him Ralph Jones.

Now Ralph is renowned for the length of his bone3; The Magog of Legberthwaite dale.

Just half a week after, the wind sallied forth,
And, in anger or merriment, out of the north,
Coming on with a terrible pother,

From the peak of the crag blew the giant away.
And what did these schoolboys? — The

day

They went and they built up another.

very next

Some little I've seen of blind boisterous works By Christian disturbers more savage than Turks, Spirits busy to do and undo:

At rememberance whereof my blood sometimes will flag;

* GREAT HOW is a single and conspicuous hill, which rises towards the foot of Thirlmere, on the western side of the beautiful dale of Legberthwaite, along the high road between Kes wick and Ambleside.

Then, light-hearted Boys, to the top of the crag; And I'll build up a giant with you.

XIV.

THE PET LAMB.

A PASTORAL.

1801.

THE dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink; I heard a voice; it said, "Drink, pretty créature, drink!"

And, looking o'er the hedge, before me I espied A snow-white mountain-lamb with a Maiden at its side.

Nor sheep nor kine were near; the lamb was all alone,

And by a slender cord was tethered to a stone; With one knee on the grass did the little Maiden

kneel,

While to that mountain-lamb she gave its evening meal.

The lamb, while from her hand he thus his supper

took,

Seemed to feast with head and ears; and his tail with pleasure shook.

« AnteriorContinuar »