ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK. Hiftorical deduction of feats, from the ftool to the Sofa. -A School-boy's ramble.-A walk in the country. -The fcene defcribed.-Rural founds as well as fights delightful.-Another walk.-Mistake concerning the charms of folitude corrected.-Colonnades commended.-Alcove, and the view from it. -The wilderness.-The grove.-The thresher.The neceffity and the benefits of exercife.-The works of nature fuperior to, and in fome inftances. inimitable by, art.-The wearifomeness of what is commonly called a life of pleasure.-Change of Scene fometimes expedient.-A common defcribed, and the character of crazy Kate introduced.—Gipfies.— The bleffings of civilized life.-That state moft favourable to virtue.-The South Sea islanders compaffionated, but chiefly Omai.—His present state of mind fuppofed.-Civilized life friendly to virtue, but not great cities.-Great cities, and London in particular, allowed their due praife, but cenfured. -Fete champetre.-The book concludes with a reflection on the fatal effects of diffipation and effeminacy upon our public meafures. THE TASK. BOOK I. THE SOFA. I SING the SOFA. I, who lately fang Time was, when clothing sumptuous or for use, Save their own painted skins, our fires had none. As yet black breeches were not; satin smooth, Or velvet soft, or plush with fhaggy pile: And fway'd the fceptre of his infant realms: And drill'd in holes, the folid oak is found, At length a generation more refin'd Improv'd the fimple plan; made three legs four, And o'er the feat, with plenteous wadding ftuff'd, And woven clofe, or needle-work fublime. Now came the cane from India, fmooth and bright With Nature's varnish; fever'd into ftripes That interlac'd each other, these supplied Of texture firm a lattice-work, that brac'd The new machine, and it became a chair. But restless was the chair; the back erect Diftrefs'd the weary loins, that felt no ease; The flipp'ry feat betray'd the fliding part That prefs'd it, and the feet hung dangling down, Anxious in vain to find the diftant floor. These for the rich; the reft, whom fate had plac'd With base materials, fat on well-tann'd hides, If cushion might be call'd, what harder feem'd Than the firm oak of which the frame was form'd. No want of timber then was felt or fear'd 'Gan murmur, as became the fofter fex. Than when employ'd t' accommodate the fair, United yet divided, twain at once. So fit two kings of Brentford on one throne; Close pack'd, and smiling, in a chaise and one. |