To unite in one bond, and with her, and for ever, All hopes, each emotion, they else had denied.
WHERE words are weak, and foes encount'ring strong, Where mightier do assault than do defend,
The feebler part puts up enforced wrong,
And silent sees, that speech could not amend : Yet higher powers must think, though they repine, When sun is set the little stars will shine.
While pike doth range, the silly tench doth fly,
And crouch in privy creeks with smaller fish ;
Yet pikes are caught when little fish go by,
These fleet afloat, while those do fill the dish;
There is a time even for the worms to creep,
And suck the dew when all their foes do sleep.
The merlin cannot ever soar on high,
Nor greedy greyhound still pursue the chase; The tender lark will find a time to fly,
And fearful hare to run a quiet race.
He that high growth on cedars did bestow,
Gave also lowly mushrooms leave to grow.
In Haman's pomp poor Mardocheus wept,
Yet God did turn his fate upon his foe,
The Lazar pined, while Dives' feast was kept,
Yet he to heaven-to hell did Dives go.
We trample grass, and prize the flowers of May;
is green, when flowers do fade away.
ROBERT SOUTHWELL, 1560-1595
WHAT tongue!-no tongue shall tell what bliss o'erflow'd
The mother's tender heart, while round her hung
The offspring of her love, and lisp'd her name;
As living jewels dropp'd unstain'd from heaven,
That made her fairer far, and sweeter seem,
Than every ornament of costliest hue :
And who hath not been ravish'd, as she pass'd
With all her playful band of little ones,
Like Luna, with her daughters of the sky,
Walking in matron majesty and grace?
All who had hearts, here pleasure found: and oft
Have I, when tired with heavy task-for tasks
Were heavy in the world below-relax'd
My weary thoughts among their guiltless sports,
And led them by their little hands a-field,
And watch'd them run and crop the tempting flower,
Which oft, unask'd, they brought me, and bestow'd
With smiling face, that waited for a look
Of praise, and answer'd curious questions, put
In much simplicity, but ill to solve:
And heard their observations strange and new ;
And settled whiles their little quarrels, soon
Ending in peace, and soon forgot in love.
And still I look'd upon their loveliness,
And sought through nature for similitudes
Of perfect beauty, innocence, and bliss ;
And fairest imagery around me throng'd:
Dew-drops at dayspring on a seraph's locks,
Roses that bathe about the well of life,
Young Loves, young Hopes, dancing on Morning's cheek,
Gems leaping in the coronet of love!
So beautiful, so full of life, they seem'd
As made entire of beams of angels' eyes.
Gay, guileless, sportive, lovely, little things!
Playing around the den of sorrow, clad
In smiles, believing in their fairy hopes,
And thinking men and women true! all joy,
Happy all day, and happy all the night.
ROBERT POLLOK, 1799-1827.
SYMPATHY WITH ANIMAL ENJOYMENT.
THE heart is hard in nature, and unfit
For human fellowship, as being void
Of sympathy, and therefore dead alike
To love and friendship both, that is not pleased
With sight of animals enjoying life,
Nor feels their happiness augment his own.
The bounding fawn, that darts across the glade
When none pursues, through mere delight of heart,
And spirits buoyant with excess of glee;
The horse as wanton and almost as fleet,
That skims the spacious meadow at full speed,
Then stops and snorts, and, throwing high his heels,
Starts to the voluntary race again;
The very kine that gambol at high noon,
The total herd receiving first from one
That leads the dance a summons to be gay,
Though wild their strange vagaries and uncouth
Their efforts, yet resolved with one consent
To give such act and utterance as they may
To ecstasy too big to be suppress'd ;-
These, and a thousand images of bliss,
With which kind Nature graces every scene,
Where cruel man defeats not her design,
Impart to the benevolent, who wish
All that are capable of pleasure pleased,
A far superior happiness to theirs,
The comfort of a reasonable joy.
WILLIAM COWPER, 1731-1800.
A HAPPY bit hame this auld warld would be,
If men, when they're here, could make shift to agree,
An' ilk said to his neighbour, in cottage and ha',
"Come, gie me your hand-we are brethren a'."
I ken na why ane wi' anither should fight,
When to 'gree would make a'body cosie an' right,
When man meets wi' man, 'tis the best way ava,
To say,
"Gi'e me your hand-we are brethren a'."
My coat is a coarse ane, an' yours may be fine,
And I maun drink water while you may drink wine ;
But we baith ha'e a leal heart, unspotted, to shaw :
Sae gi'e me your hand-we are brethren a'.
The knave ye would scorn, the unfaithfu' deride;
Ye would stand like a rock, wi' the truth on your side;
Sae would I, an' nought else would I value a straw;
Then gi'e me your hand-we are brethren a'.
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