The Task: In Six Books |
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Page 10
Put restless was the chair ; the back erect Distress'd the weary loins , that felt no
ease ; The slipp'ry seat betray'd the sliding part That press'd it , and the feet hung
dangling down , Anxious in vain to find the distant floor . ' These for the rich ; the ...
Put restless was the chair ; the back erect Distress'd the weary loins , that felt no
ease ; The slipp'ry seat betray'd the sliding part That press'd it , and the feet hung
dangling down , Anxious in vain to find the distant floor . ' These for the rich ; the ...
Page 11
The lumber stood Pond'rous and fix'd by its own massy weight . But elbows still
were wanting ; these , some say , An alderman of Cripplegate contriy'd ; And
some ascribe th ' invention to a priest Burly , and big , and studious of his ease .
The lumber stood Pond'rous and fix'd by its own massy weight . But elbows still
were wanting ; these , some say , An alderman of Cripplegate contriy'd ; And
some ascribe th ' invention to a priest Burly , and big , and studious of his ease .
Page 13
... and by degrees Their length and colour from the locks they spare ; The elastic
spring of an unwearied foot , That mounts the stile with ease , or leaps the fence ;
That play of lungs , inhaling and again Respiring freely the fresh air , that makes ...
... and by degrees Their length and colour from the locks they spare ; The elastic
spring of an unwearied foot , That mounts the stile with ease , or leaps the fence ;
That play of lungs , inhaling and again Respiring freely the fresh air , that makes ...
Page 20
Himself derives No mean advantage from a kindred cause , From strenuous toil
his hours of sweetest ease . The sedentary stretch their lazy length When Custom
bids , but no refreshment find , For none they need : the languid eye , the cheek ...
Himself derives No mean advantage from a kindred cause , From strenuous toil
his hours of sweetest ease . The sedentary stretch their lazy length When Custom
bids , but no refreshment find , For none they need : the languid eye , the cheek ...
Page 21
Like a coy maiden , Ease , when courted most , Purthest retires - an idol , at
whose shrine Who oft'nest sacrifice are favour'd least . The love of Nature , and
the scenes she draws , ' s nature's dictate . Strange ! there should be found , Who
, self ...
Like a coy maiden , Ease , when courted most , Purthest retires - an idol , at
whose shrine Who oft'nest sacrifice are favour'd least . The love of Nature , and
the scenes she draws , ' s nature's dictate . Strange ! there should be found , Who
, self ...
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Common terms and phrases
beauty beneath BOOK bounds breath cause charms cities clear close course death deep delight distant divine dream e'en earth ease effect ev'ry fair fall fancy fear feeds feel field flow'r force fruit gives glory grace green half hand happy head heart Heav'n holds hope hour human king land least leaves length less light live lost manners means mind nature never o'er once peace perhaps pleasures pow'r praise proud publick rest rise rural sake scene seek seems seen shine side sleep slow smiles song soon soul sound stands stream sweet task taste thee theme thine things thou thought thousand true truth turn vain virtue walk wind winter wisdom worth worthy
Popular passages
Page 161 - One song employs all nations ; and all cry, " Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain for us ! " The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks Shout to each other, and the mountain tops From distant mountains catch the flying joy ; Till, nation after nation taught the strain, Earth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.
Page 41 - Support and ornament of Virtue's cause. There stands the messenger of truth: there stands The legate of the skies! — His theme divine, His office sacred, his credentials clear. By him the violated law speaks out Its thunders ; and by him, in strains as sweet As angels use, the gospel whispers peace.
Page 155 - I would not enter on my list of friends (Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, Yet wanting sensibility) the man Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.
Page 43 - A messenger of grace to guilty men. Behold the picture ! — Is it like ? — Like whom ? The things that mount the rostrum with a skip, And then skip down again ; pronounce a text ; Cry — hem ! and reading what they never wrote, Just fifteen minutes, huddle up their work, And with a well-bred whisper close the scene...
Page 32 - I would not have a slave to till my ground, To carry me, to fan me while I sleep, And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth That sinews bought and sold have ever earn'd.
Page 42 - Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds May feel it too ; affectionate in look, And tender in address, as well becomes A messenger of grace to guilty men.
Page 161 - The garden fears no blight, and needs no fence, For there is none to covet; all are full. The lion, and the libbard, and the bear, Graze with the fearless flocks; all bask at noon Together, or all gambol in the shade Of the same grove, and drink one common stream ; Antipathies are none.
Page 32 - Slaves cannot breathe in England ; if their lungs Receive our air, that moment they are free ; They touch our country, and their shackles fall. That's noble, and bespeaks a nation proud And jealous of the blessing. Spread it then, And let it circulate through every vein Of all your empire ; that, where Britain's power Is felt, mankind may feel her mercy too.
Page 32 - We have no slaves at home — then why abroad ? And they themselves once ferried o'er the wave That parts us, are emancipate and loosed. Slaves cannot breathe in England ; if their lungs Receive our air, that moment they are free; They touch our country, and their shackles fall.
Page 31 - There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart, It does not feel for man ; the natural bond Of brotherhood is sever'd as the flax That falls asunder at the touch of fire.
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Task: In Six Books |
| Author | William Cowper |
| Publisher | J. & B. Williams, 1836 |
| Original from | the New York Public Library |
| Digitized | 28 Nov 2006 |
| Length | 172 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |