The Poetical Works of William Cowper; of the Inner Temple, Esq Volume 3

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1806 edition. Excerpt: ... udiis florens ignobilis oti. Vihg. Georg. Lib. 4. Hackneyed in business, wearied at that oar, Which thousands, once fast chained to, quit no. more, But which, when life at ebb runs weak and low, All wish, or seem to wish, they could forego; The statesman, lawyer, merchant, man of trade, Pants for the refuge of some rural shade, Where, all his long anxieties forgot Amid the charms of a sequestered spot, Or recollected only to gild o'er, And add a smile to what was sweet before, He may possess the joys he thinks he sees, Lay his old age upon the lap of ease, Improve the remnant of his wasted span, And, having lived a trifler, die a uijin. Thus conscience pleads her cause within the breast, Though long rebelled against, not yet suppressed, And calls a creature formed for God alone, For heaven's high purposes, and not his own; Calls him away from selfish ends and aims, From what debilitates and what inflames, From cities humming with a restless crowd, Sordid as active, ignorant as loud, Whose highest praise is that they live in vain, The dupes of pleasure, or the slaves of gain, Where works of man are clustered close around, And works of God are hardly to be found, To regions where, in spite of sin and woe, Traces of Eden are still seen below Where mountain, river, forest, field, and grove, Remind him of his Maker's power and love. Tis well if, looked for at so late a day, In the last scene of such a senseless play, True wisdom will attend his feeble call, And grace his action ere the curtain fall. Souls, that have long despised their heavenly birth, Their wishes all impregnated with earth, For threescore years employed with ceaseless care In catching smoke and feeding upon air, Conversant only with the ways of men, Rarely redeem the short...