The Works of James Thomson: With His Last Corrections and Improvements : to which is Prefixed, an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author

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Alexander Donaldson, 1774

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Page 194 - The rooms with costly tapestry were hung, Where was inwoven many a gentle tale ; Such as of old the rural poets sung...
Page 212 - I care not, Fortune, what you me deny : You cannot rob me of free Nature's grace ; You cannot shut the windows of the sky, Through which Aurora shows her brightening face; You cannot bar my constant feet to trace The woods and lawns, by living stream, at eve...
Page 240 - Tainting the gale, in which they flutter'd light; Of morbid hue his features, sunk and sad; His hollow eyne shook forth a sickly light; And o'er his lank jawbone, in piteous plight, His black rough beard was matted rank and vile; Direful to see!
Page 204 - One day there chanced into these halls to rove A joyous youth, who took you at first sight ; Him the wild wave of pleasure hither drove, Before the sprightly tempest tossing light...
Page 205 - Him through their inmost walks the muses lad, To him the sacred love of nature lent, And sometimes would he make our valley glad; Whenas we found he would not here be pent, To him the better sort this friendly message sent: LXVI.
Page 206 - Full oft by holy feet our ground was trod, Of clerks good plenty here you mote espy. A little, round, fat, oily man of God, Was one I chiefly mark'd among the fry : He had a roguish twinkle in his eye, And shone all glittering with ungodly dew, If a tight damsel chaunc'd to trippen by ; Which when observ'd, he shrunk into his mew, And straight would recollect his piety anew.
Page 201 - Wide pour'd abroad behold the giddy crew ; See how they dash along from wall to wall ! At every door, hark, how they thundering call ! Good Lord ! what can this giddy rout excite ? Why, on each other with fell tooth to fall ; A neighbour's fortune, fame, or peace, to blight, And make new tiresome parties for the coming night. The puzzling sons of party next appear'd, ' In dark cabals and nightly juntos met ; And now they whisper'd close, now shrugging rear'd Th' important shoulder; then, as if to...
Page 250 - OR ever, Fortune, wilt thou prove An unrelenting foe to love, And when we meet a mutual heart, Come in between, and bid us part: Bid us sigh on from day to day, And wish, and wish the soul away; Till youth and genial years are flown, And all the life of life...
Page 186 - Or prowl in courts of law for human prey, In venal senate thieve, or rob on broad highway.
Page 240 - Brentford town, a town of mud, An herd of bristly swine is prick'd along; The filthy beasts, that never chew the cud, Still grunt, and squeak, and sing their troublous song, And oft they plunge themselves the mire among...

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