The Task: And Other Poems |
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beauty beneath betimes boast breath call'd cause charge charms declension delight design'd distant divine dream e'en earth ease Edmonton fair fame fancy fear feed feel flower folly form'd fountain of eternal frown fruit Gilpin give glory grace groves hand happy heart heaven honour human JOHN GILPIN JOSEPH HILL king labour learn'd less live lost lyre mercy Mighty winds mind muse nature Nature's Nebaioth never nymphs o'er once peace perhaps pleasure plebeian praise press'd prize proud rapture RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY riddance rude rural scene schools seek seem'd shine sight sleep sloth smile smooth Sofa song soon soul sound spare spleen stream sweet task taste thee theme thine thou art thou hast thought toil trembling truth Twas virtue voice waste WILLIAM COWPER wind winter wisdom wise wish'd wonder worth youth
Popular passages
Page 185 - JOHN GILPIN was a citizen Of credit and renown, A trainband captain eke was he Of famous London town. John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear, Though wedded we have been These twice ten tedious years, yet we No holiday have seen. To-morrow is our wedding day, And we will then repair Unto the Bell at Edmonton All in a chaise and pair. My sister, and my sister's child, Myself, and children three, Will fill the chaise ; so you must ride On horseback after we.
Page 188 - Until he came unto the Wash Of Edmonton so gay ; And there he threw the Wash about. On both sides of the way, Just like unto a trundling mop, Or a wild goose at play.
Page 188 - Away went hat and wig; He little dreamt, when he set out, Of running such a rig. The wind did blow, the cloak did fly Like streamer long and gay, Till, loop and button failing both, At last it flew away. Then might all people well discern The bottles he had slung ; A bottle swinging at each side, As hath been said or sung. The dogs did bark, the children scream'd Up flew the windows all; And every soul cried out, " Well done !
Page 35 - I would express him simple, grave, sincere ; In doctrine uncorrupt ; in language plain ; And plain in manner. Decent, solemn, chaste, And natural in gesture. Much impressed 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 168 - Religion ! what treasure untold Resides in that heavenly word ! More precious than silver and gold, Or all that this earth can afford : But the sound of the church-going bell These valleys and rocks never heard, Never sighed at the sound of a knell, Or smiled when a Sabbath appeared.
Page 165 - Tis now become a history little known, That once we called the pastoral house our own. Short-lived possession! but the record fair That memory keeps of all thy kindness there, Still outlives many a storm, that has effaced A thousand other themes less deeply traced. Thy nightly visits to my chamber made, That thou might'st know me safe and warmly laid...
Page 192 - Stop thief! stop thief! — a highwayman! Not one of them was mute; And all and each that passed that way Did join in the pursuit. And now the turnpike gates again Flew open in short space; The toll-men thinking as before That Gilpin rode a race. And so he did, and won it too, For he got first to town ; Nor stopped till where he had got up He did again get down. Now let us sing, long live the king...
Page 173 - Twas my distress that brought thee low, My Mary ! Thy needles, once a shining store, For my sake restless heretofore, Now rust disused, and shine no more; My Mary...
Page 165 - I heard the bell tolled on thy burial day; I saw the hearse that bore thee slow away; And, turning from my nursery window, drew A long, long sigh, and wept a last adieu! But was it such? — It was. — Where thou art gone Adieus and farewells are a sound unknown. May I but meet thee on that peaceful shore, The parting word shall pass my lips no more.
Page 166 - Might one wish bring them, would I wish them here? I would not trust my heart — the dear delight Seems so to be desired, perhaps I might.