The Poetical Works of George Crabbe

143

LETTER IX. AMUSEMENTS

Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis,
Ut possis animo quemvis sufferre laborem.
CATULL. lib. iii.

Nostra fatescit
Laxaturque chelys, vires instigat alitque
Tempestiva quies, major post otia virtus.

STATIUS, Sylv. lib. iv. 4, vv. 32-34. Iamque mare et tellus nullum discrimen habebant;

Omnia pontus erant: deerant quoque littora ponto.

The needy-vain, themselves awhile to shun, For dissipation to these dog-holes run; Where each (assuming petty pomp) appears, And quite forgets the shopboard and the shears.

For them are cheap amusements: they
may slip

Beyond the town and take a private dip;
When they may urge that to be safe they

mean,

OVID, Metamorph. lib. i, vv. 291, 292. They've heard there's danger in a light Common Amusements of a Bathing-place They too can gratis move the quays about, machine; -Morning Rides, Walks, &c.-Company And gather kind replies to every doubt; resorting to the Town-Different Choice of Lodgings-Cheap Indulgences-Sea- There they a pacing, lounging tribe may view, side Walks-Wealthy Invalid-Summer- The stranger's guides, who've little else to do ; Evening on the Sands-Sea Productions- The Borough's placemen, where no more they Water parted from the Sea '-Winter gain Views serene-In what Cases to be avoided -Sailing upon the River-A small Islet of Sand off the Coast-Visited by Company -Covered by the Flowing of the Tide

Adventure in that Place.

Or our amusements ask you ?-We amuse
Ourselves and friends with sea-side walks and
views,

Or take a morning ride, a novel, or the news;
Or, seeking nothing, glide about the street,
And so engaged, with various parties meet;
Awhile we stop, discourse of wind and tide,
Bathing and books, the raffle, and the ride,
Thus, with the aid which shops and sailing
give,

Life passes on; 'tis labour, but we live.

When evening comes, our invalids awake,
Nerves cease to tremble, heads forbear to ache;
Then cheerful meals the sunken spirits raise,
Cards or the dance, wine, visiting, or plays.

Soon as the season comes, and crowds arrive,
To their superior rooms the wealthy drive;
Others look round for lodging snug and small,
Such is their taste-they've hatred to a hall ;
Hence one his fav'rite habitation gets,
The brick-floor'd parlour which the butcher
lets;

Where, through his single light, he may regard
The various business of a common yard,
Bounded by backs of buildings form'd of clay,
By stable, sties, and coops, et-caetera.

Than keeps them idle, civil, poor, and vain,
Then may the poorest with the wealthy look
On ocean, glorious page of Nature's book!
May see its varying views in every hour,

All softness now, then rising with all power,
As sleeping to invite, or threat'ning to devour ;
'Tis this which gives us all our choicest views;
Its waters heal us, and its shores amuse.

See! those fair nymphs upon that rising

strand,

Yon long salt lake has parted from the land;
Well pleased to press that path, so clean, so

pure,

To seem in danger, yet to feel secure ;
Trifling with terror, while they strive to shun
The curling billows; laughing as they run ;
They know the neck that joins the shore and
sea,

Or, ah! how changed that fearless laugh
would be.

Observe how various parties take their way,
By sea-side walks, or make the sand-hills gay
There group'd are laughing maids and sighing
swains,

And some apart who feel unpitied pains;
Pains from diseases, pains which those who

feel,

To the physician, not the fair, reveal :
For nymphs (propitious to the lover's sigh)
Leave these poor patients to complain and
die.

To this deceit you have but one reply,

This is the ancient stock by Wesley led;
They the pure body, he the reverend head : Give to the father of all lies, the lie.
All innovation they with dread decline,
Their John the elder, was the John divine.
Hence, still their moving prayer, the melting
hymn,

The varied accent, and the active limb;
Hence that implicit faith in Satan's might,
And their own matchless prowess in the fight.
In every act they see that lurking foe,
Let loose awhile, about the world to go;
A dragon flying round the earth, to kill
The heavenly hope, and prompt the carnal
will;

Whom sainted knights attack in sinners' cause,
And force the wounded victim from his paws;
Who but for them would man's whole race
subdue,

For not a hireling will the foe pursue.

'A sister's weakness he'll by fits surprise, His her wild laughter, his her piteous cries; And should a pastor at her side attend, He'll use her organs to abuse her friend : These are possessions-unbelieving wits Impute them all to nature: "They're her fits, Caused by commotions in the nerves and brains;

Vain talk! but they'll be fitted for their pains. 'These are in part the ills the foe has

wrought,

And these the churchman thinks not worth his thought;

They bid the troubled try for peace and rest, Compose their minds, and be no more distress'd;

As well might they command the passive shore 'Show me one churchman who will rise and To keep secure, and be o'erflowed no more; To the wrong subject is their skill applied,

pray Through half the night, though lab'ring all To act like workmen, they should stem the tide.

the day,

And few can trace this deadliest of their foes;
But I detect, and at his work surprise
The subtle serpent under all disguise

6 Thus to man's soul the foe of souls will
speak,

'These are the church-physicians; they

are paid

With noble fees for their advice and aid;
Yet know they not the inward pulse to feel,
To ease the anguish, or the wound to heal.
With the sick sinner, thus their work begins,
"Do you repent you of your former sins?
Will you amend if you revive and live?
And, pardon seeking, will you pardon give?
Have you belief in what your Lord has done,
And are you thankful ?-all is well, my son.'

6 A way far different ours-we thus surprise A soul with questions, and demand replies; "How dropp'd you first," I ask, "the legal yoke?

What the first word the living Witness spoke ? -"A saint elect, you can have nought to Perceived you thunders roar and lightnings

seek;

Why all this labour in so plain a case,

Such care to run, when certain of the race? "

All this he urges to the carnal will,

shine,

And tempests gathering ere the birth divine? Did fire, and storm, and earthquake all appear

He knows you're slothful, and would have Before that still small voice, What dost thou you still :

Be this your answer,-" Satan, I will keep
Still on the watch till you are laid asleep."
Thus too the Christian's progress he'll re-
tard:-

"The gates of mercy are for ever barr'd;
And that with bolts so driven and so stout,
Ten thousand workmen cannot wrench them
out."

here?

Hast thou by day and night, and soon and late,
Waited and watch'd before Admission-gate;
And so a pilgrim and a soldier pass'd

To Sion's hill through battle and through
blast?

Then in thy way didst thou thy foe attack, And mad'st thou proud Apollyon turn his back?"

In a small shop she 's raffled with a crowd, Gay as they seem, be sure with them are Breathed the thick air, and cough'd and

laugh'd aloud; She who will tremble if her eye explore 'The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor;

Whom the kind doctor charged with shaking head,

At early hour to quit the beaux for bed: She has, contemning fear, gone down the dance,

Till she perceived the rosy morn advance; Then has she wonder'd, fainting o'er her tea, Her drops and julep should so useless be: Ah! sure her joys must ravish every sense, Who buys a portion at such vast expense.

Among those joys, 'tis one at eve to sail On the broad river with a favourite gale; When no rough waves upon the bosom ride, But the keel cuts, nor rises on the tide ; Safe from the stream the nearer gunwale stands,

Where playful children trail their idle hands: Or strive to catch long grassy leaves that float

On either side of the impeded boat;
What time the moon arising shows the mud,
A shining border to the silver flood:
When, by her dubious light, the meanest
views,

Chalk, stones, and stakes, obtain the richest hues;

And when the cattle, as they gazing stand,

hearts

With sorrow tried; there's sadness in their

parts:

If thou couldst see them when they think alone,

Mirth, music, friends, and these amusements gone;

Couldst thou discover every secret ill
That pains their spirit, or resists their will;
Couldst thou behold forsaken Love's distress,
Or Envy's pang at glory and success,
Or Beauty, conscious of the spoils of Time,
Or Guilt alarm'd when Memory shows the
crime;

All that gives sorrow, terror, grief, and gloom;

Content would cheer thee trudging to thine home.5

There are, 'tis true, who lay their cares

aside,

And bid some hours in calm enjoyment glide;
Perchance some fair-one to the sober night
Adds (by the sweetness of her song) delight;
And, as the music on the water floats,
Some bolder shore returns the soften'd notes;
Then, youth, beware, for all around conspire
To banish caution and to wake desire;
The day's amusement, feasting, beauty, wire,
These accents sweet and this soft hour com-
bine,

When most unguarded, then to win that heart of thine:

Seem nobler objects than when view'd from But see, they land! the fond enchantment

The sleeping shell-ducks at the sound arise,
And utter loud their unharmonious cries;
Fluttering they move their weedy beds
among,

Or instant diving, hide their plumeless young.
Along the wall, returning from the town,
The weary rustic homeward wanders down;
Who stops and gazes at such joyous crew,
And feels his envy rising at the view;
He the light speech and laugh indignant hears,
And feels more press'd by want, more vex'd
by fears.

Ah! go in peace, good fellow, to thine home,

Nor fancy these escape the general doom;

flies,

And in its place life's common views arise. Sometimes a party, row'd from town, will land

On a small islet form'd of shelly sand,
Left by the water when the tides are low,
But which the floods in their return o'erflow:
There will they anchor, pleased awhile to
view

The watery waste, a prospect wild and new ;
The now receding billows give them space,
On either side the growing shores to pace;
And then returning, they contract the scene,
Till small and smaller grows the walk between;
As sea to sea approaches, shore to shores,
Till the next ebb the sandy isle restores.

Then what alarm! what danger and dis

may,

If all their trust, their boat should drift away;

Lo! where on that huge anchor sadly leans
That sick tall figure, lost in other scenes;
He late from India's clime impatient sail'd,
There, as his fortune grew, his spirits fail'd;
For each delight, in search of wealth he went,
For ease alone, the wealth acquired is spent-
And spent in vain; enrich'd, aggrieved, he

sees

The envied poor possess'd of joy and ease:

And now your view upon the ocean turn,
And there the splendour of the waves discern;
Cast but a stone, or strike them with an oar,
And you shall flames within the deep explore;
Or scoop the stream phosphoric as you stand,
And the cold flames shall flash along your
hand;

When, lost in wonder, you shall walk and
gaze

blaze.4

And now he flies from place to place, to gain On weeds that sparkle, and on waves that
Strength for enjoyment, and still flies in vain :
Mark with what sadness, of that pleasant

crew,

Boist'rous in mirth, he takes a transient view;
And fixing then his eye upon the sea,
Thinks what has been and what must shortly
be:

Is it not strange that man should health
destroy,

For joys that come when he is dead to joy?
Now is it pleasant in the summer-eve,
When a broad shore retiring waters leave,
Awhile to wait upon the firm fair sand,
When all is calm at sea, all still at land;
And there the ocean's produce to explore,
As floating by, or rolling on the shore;
Those living jellies which the flesh inflame,
Fierce as a nettle, and from that its name;
Some in huge masses, some that you may
bring

In the small compass of a lady's ring;
Figured by hand divine-there 's not a gem
Wrought by man's art to be compared to
them;

Soft, brilliant, tender, through the wave they
glow,

And make the moonbeam brighter where they flow.

Involved in sea-wrack, here you find a race, Which science doubting, knows not where to place;

On shell or stone is dropp'd the embryoseed,

And quickly vegetates a vital breed.

While thus with pleasing wonder you inspect

The ocean too has winter-views serene,
When all you see through densest fog is seen;
When you can hear the fishers near at hand
Distinctly speak, yet see not where they
stand;

Or sometimes them and not their boat discern,
Or half-conceal'd some figure at the stern;
The view's all bounded, and from side to
side

Your utmost prospect but a few ells wide;
Boys who, on shore, to sea the pebble cast,
Will hear it strike against the viewless mast;
While the stern boatman growls his fierce

disdain,

At whom he knows not, whom he threats in vain.

'Tis pleasant then to view the nets float

past,

Net after net till you have seen the last;
And as you wait till all beyond you slip,
A boat comes gliding from an anchor'd ship,
Breaking the silence with the dipping oar,
And their own tones, as labouring for the
shore;

Those measured tones which with the scene
agree,

And give a sadness to serenity.

All scenes like these the tender maid should

shun,

Nor to a misty beach in autumn run;
Much should she guard against the evening
cold,

And her slight shape with fleecy warmth in-
fold;

This she admits, but not with so much ease Gives up the night-walk when th' attendants please:

Treasures the vulgar in their scorn reject,
See as they float along th' entangled weeds
Slowly approach, upborne on bladdery beads; Her have I seen, pale, vapour'd through the
Wait till they land, and you shall then behold
The fiery sparks those tangled frons' infold,
Myriads of living points; th' unaided eye
Can but the fire and not the form descry.

day,

With crowded parties at the midnight play;
Faint in the morn, no powers could she exert;
At night with Pam delighted and alert;