The Task: In Six Books |
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Page 16
... least I should possess The poet's treasure , Silence , and indulge The dreams of fancy , tranquil and secure . Vain thought ! the dweller in that still retreat Dearly obtains the refuge it affords . Its elevated site forbids the wretch ...
... least I should possess The poet's treasure , Silence , and indulge The dreams of fancy , tranquil and secure . Vain thought ! the dweller in that still retreat Dearly obtains the refuge it affords . Its elevated site forbids the wretch ...
Page 21
... least . The love of Nature , and the scenes she draws , s nature's dictate . Strange ! there should be found , Who , self - imprison'd in their proud saloons , Renounce the odours of the open field For the unscented fictions of the loom ...
... least . The love of Nature , and the scenes she draws , s nature's dictate . Strange ! there should be found , Who , self - imprison'd in their proud saloons , Renounce the odours of the open field For the unscented fictions of the loom ...
Page 28
... pamper'd cities , sloth , and lust , And wantonness , and gluttonous excess . In cities , vice is hidden with most ease , Or seen with least reproach ; and virtue , taught By frequent lapse , can hope no triumph there Beyond 23 THE TASK .
... pamper'd cities , sloth , and lust , And wantonness , and gluttonous excess . In cities , vice is hidden with most ease , Or seen with least reproach ; and virtue , taught By frequent lapse , can hope no triumph there Beyond 23 THE TASK .
Page 30
... least be threaten'd in the fields and groves ? Possess ye , therefore , ye who , borne about In chariots and sedans , know no fatigue But that of idleness , and taste no scenes But such as art contrives , possess ye still Your element ...
... least be threaten'd in the fields and groves ? Possess ye , therefore , ye who , borne about In chariots and sedans , know no fatigue But that of idleness , and taste no scenes But such as art contrives , possess ye still Your element ...
Page 30
... least be threaten'd in the fields and groves ? Possess ye , therefore , ye who , borne about In chariots and sedans , know no fatigue But that of idleness , and taste no scenes But such as art contrives , possess ye still Your element ...
... least be threaten'd in the fields and groves ? Possess ye , therefore , ye who , borne about In chariots and sedans , know no fatigue But that of idleness , and taste no scenes But such as art contrives , possess ye still Your element ...
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Common terms and phrases
abroad beauty beneath boast breath call'd cause charms clime death Deciduous delight distant divine domestick dream e'en earth ease ev'ning ev'ry fair fancy favour'd fear feeds feel field of glory flow'r folly form'd fountain of eternal frown fruit gives glory grace grave groves hand happy heart Heav'n honour hopes and fears Hosanna human king labour learn'd less liberty lost lov'd lyre magick mercy Mighty winds mind musick nature Nature's Nebaioth never nymphs o'er once peace perhaps pleas'd pleasures polish'd pow'r praise proud publick rapture riddance rude rural sacred sake scene seek seem'd shade shine sighs silent sleep sloth smiles SOFA soft song soon soul sound spleen stream sweet sycophant task taste thee theme thine thou art toil touch'd tow'r trembling truth Twas vale virtue walk wand'ring weary wind winter wisdom worthy
Popular passages
Page 165 - 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 45 - 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 159 - 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 47 - 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 36 - 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 46 - 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 165 - 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 36 - 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 36 - 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 35 - 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.