Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAP. XXXI.

NOVELTY.

CALL now to mind what high capacious pow'ra

Lie folded up in man; how far beyond

The praise of mortals, may th' eternal growth
Of nature to perfection half divine,

Expand the blooming foul. What pity then
Should Sloth's unkindly fogs deprefs to earth
Her tender bloffom; choke the streams of life,
And blaft her spring! Far otherwise defign'd
Almighty Wisdom; Nature's happy cares
Th' obedient heart far otherwife incline.
Witness the sprightly joy when aught unknown
Strikes the quick senfe, and wakes each active pow'r
To brifker meafures: witnefs the neglect

Of all familiar prospects, tho2 beheld

With transport once; the fond attentive gaze
Of young Aftonishment; the fober zeal
Of Age, commenting on prodigious things;
For fuch the bounteous providence of Heav'n,
In ev'ry breast implanting this defire
Of objects new and ftrange, to urge us on
With unremitted labour to purfue

Thofe facred ftores that wait the ripening foul,
In Truth's exhauftless bofom. What need words
To paint its pow'r? For this the daring youth,
Breaks from his weeping mother's anxious arms,
In foreign climes to rove; the penfive fage,

Heedlefa

Heedless of sleep, or midnight's harmful damp,
Hangs o'er the fickly taper; and untir'd
The virgin follows, with enchanted step,
The mazes of fome wife and wond'rous tale,
From morn to eve; unmindful of her form,
Unmindful of the happy dress that stole
The wishes of the youth, when ev'ry maid
With envy pin'd. Hence finally by night
The village matron, round the blazing hearth,
Sufpends the infant-audience with her tales,
Breathing aftonishment! of witching rhymes,
And evil spirits; of the death-bed call
Of him who robb'd the widow, and devour'd
The orphan's portion; of unquiet fouls
Ris'n from the grave to ease the heavy guilt
Of deeds in life conceal'd; of shapes that walk
At dead of night, and clank their chains, and wave.
The torch of hell around the murd'rer's bed.

At every folemn pause the crowd recoil

Gazing each other fpeechlefs, and congeal'd
With fhiv'ring fighs: till eager for th' event,,
Around the beldame all erect they hang,
Each trembling heart with grateful terrors quell'd.

ALENSIDE

BOOK

BOOK VIII.

PATHETIC PIECES.

CHAP. I.

THE STORY OF LE FEVRE.

IT was fome time in the fummer of that year in which Den

dermond was taken by the Allies,-which was about feven years before my father came into the country,-and about as many, after the time, that my uncle Toby and Trim had privately decamped from my father's houfe in town, in order to lay fome of the fineft fieges to some of the fineft fortified cities in Europe-when my uncle Toby was one evening getting his fupper, with Trim fitting behind him at a fmall fideboard.The landlord of a little inn in the village came into the parlour with an empty phial in his hand to beg a glass or two of fack; 'Tis for a poor gentleman,I think, of the army, faid the landlord, who has been taken ill at my house four days ago, and has never held up his head fince, or had a defire to taste any thing, till just now, that he

has

has a fancy for a glass of fack and a thin toaft,I think, says he, taking his hand from his forehead, it would comfort

же.

IF I could neither beg, borrow, or buy such a thing,added the landlord,-I would almost steal it for the poor gentleman, he is fo ill-I hope in God he will still mend, continued he-we are all of us concerned for him.

THOU art a good-natured foul, I will answer for thee, cried my uncle Toby; and thou fhalt drink the poor gen→ tleman's health in a glafs of fack thyfelf,and take a couple of bottles, with my fervice, and tell him he is heartily welcome to them, and to a dozen more, if they will do him good.

THOUGH I am perfuaded, faid my uncle Toby, as the landlord fhut the door, he is a very compaffionate fellowTrim, yet I cannot help entertaining a high opinion of his gueft too; there must be something more than common in him, that in fo fhort a time fhould win fo much upon the affections of his hoft:-And of his whole family, added the corporal, for they are all concerned for him.-Step after him, faid my uncle Toby-do Trim,and ask if he knows his name.

I HAVE quite forgot it, truly faid the landlord, coming back into the parlour with the corporal,-but· I› can ask his fon again: Has he a fon with him then? faid my uncle Toby.-A boy, replied the landlord, of about eleven or twelve years of age ;-but the poor creature has tafted almost as little as his father; he does nothing but mourn and lament for him night and day :-He has not ftirred from the bed-fide these two days.

My uncle Toby laid down his knife and fork, and thrust his plate from before him, as the landlord gave him the ac

count;

count; and Trim, without being ordered, took away with-out faying one word, and in a few minutes after brought him his pipe and tobacco.

STAY in the room a little, faid my uncle Toby.

TRIM faid my uncle Toby, after he lighted his 'pipe and fmoked about a dozen whiffs.Trim came in front of his master and made his bow;-my uncle Toby smoked on, and faid no more. -Corporal! faid my uncle Toby -the corporal made his bow My uncle Toby proceeded no farther, but finifhed his pipe.

TRIM faid my uncle Toby, I have a project in my head, as it is a bad night, of wrapping myfelf up warm in my roquelaure, and paying a vifit to this poor gentleman. Your honour's roquelaure, replied the corporal, has not once been had on, fince the night before your ho› nour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St. Nicholas ;- -and befides it is fo cold and rainy a night, that what with the roquelaure, and what with the weather, 'twill be enough to give your honour your death, and bring on your honour's torment in your groin. I fear fo, replied my uncle Toby: but I am not at reft in my mind, Trim, fince the account the landlord has given me.-I wish I had not known fo much of this affair-added my uncle Toby, or that I had known more of it-How shall we manage it ?. -Leave it, an't please your honour, to me, quoth the corporal; my hat and stick, and go to the house and reconnoitre, and act accordingly; and I will bring your honour a full account in an hour.- -Thou shalt go, Trim, faid my uncle Toby, and here's a fhilling for thee to drink with his fer-vant.-I. fhall get it all out of him, faid the corporal, shutting the door.

I'll take

Mr

« PreviousContinue »