ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK. Afrosty morning.-The foddering of cattle.-The woodman and his dog. The poultry.-Whimsical effects of frost at a waterfall.-The Empress of Russia's palace of ice.-Amusements of monarchs.-War, one of them. -Wars, whence-And whence monarchy.-The evils of it.-English and French loyalty contrasted.-The Bastile, and a prisoner there.-Liberty the chief recommendation of this country.-Modern patriotism questionable, and why.-The perishable nature of the best human institutions.-Spiritual liberty not perishable.—The slavish state of man by nature.-Deliver him, Deist, if you can.-Grace must do it.-The respective merits of patriots and martyrs stated. Their different treatment.Happy freedom of the man whom grace makes free.His relish of the works of God.-Address to the Crea tor. THE TASK. BOOK V. THE WINTER MORNING WALK. 'TIS morning; and the sun, with ruddy orb Seen through the leafless wood. His slanting ray As they design'd to mock me, at my side And patient of the slow-pac'd swain's delay. Shaggy, and lean, and shrewd, with pointed ears His dog attends him. Close behind his heel creeps he slow, and now with many a frisk Wide-scamp'ring, snatches up the drifted snow With iv'ry teeth, or ploughs it with his snout; Then shakes his powder'd coat, and barks for joy. Heedless of all his pranks, the sturdy churl Moves right towards the mark; nor stops for aught, But now and then with pressure of his thumb T'adjust the fragrant charge of a short tube That fumes beneath his nose: the trailing cloud Streams far behind him, scenting all the air. Now from the roost, or from the neighb'ring pale, Where, diligent to catch the first faint gleam Of smiling day, they gossip'd side by side, Come trooping at the housewife's well-known call The feather'd tribes domestic. Half on wing, And half on foot, they brush the fleecy flood, Conscious and fearful of too deep a plunge. The sparrows peep, and quit the shelt'ring eaves To seize the fair occasion. Well they eye The scatter'd grain; and, thievishly resolv'd T' escape th' impending famine, often scar'd, As oft return-a pert voracious kind. Clean riddance quickly made, one only care Remains to each-the search of sunny nook, Or shed impervious to the blast. Resign'd To sad necessity, the cock foregoes. His wonted strut; and, wading at their head With well-consider'd steps, seems to resent His alter'd gait and stateliness retrench'd. |