George Crabbe

“ At length, the Youth, ordain’d to move her breast,
Before the Swains with bolder spirit press’d;
With looks less timid made his Passion known,
And pleas’d by Manners, most unlike her own;
Loud though in Love and confident though young;
Fierce in his air and voluble of tongue;{78}
By trade a Tailor, though, in scorn of trade,
He serv’d the Squire, and brush’d the Coat he made;
Yet now, would Phœbe her Consent afford,
Her slave alone, again he’d mount the Board;
With her should years of growing Love be spent,
And growing Wealth:—She sigh’d and look’d consent. ”

“ And all around us wonder when they find Such taste and strength, such skill and power combined; There is no mother, Colin, no not one, But envies me so kind, so good a son; 450 By thee supported on this failing side, Weakness itself awakes a parent’s pride; I bless the stroke that was my grief before, And feel such joy that ’tis disease no more; Shielded by thee, my want becomes my wealth— And, soothed by Colin, sickness smiles at health; The old men love thee, they repeat thy praise, And say, like thee were youth in earlier days ”

“ Daily on costly food and generous Wines,
Who feels no Pain, who no Complaint can make,
But only feels he can no Pleasure take—
And he will answer, that ’tis Fortune’s Will;
He may be weary, but he must be still.
Oh! had they told thee, when thou sat’st with pride,
And grateful joy, at Madam Johnson’s side,
And heard the lisping Flora, blue-eyed maid,
Bid thee be neither bashful nor afraid,
When Mrs. Jane thy burning blush had raised,
Because thy modesty and sense she praised—
Could’st thou have seen that in that place a room
Should be thine own, thy house, thy hall, thy home ”

“ Who, by the hands of wealth and fashion dress'd,
By slaves attended and by friends caress'd,
Shall move, a wonder, through the public ways,
And hear the whispers of adoring praise.
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Your female friends, though gayest of the gay,
Shall see you happy, and shall, sighing, say,
While smother'd envy rises in the breast—
'Oh! that we lived so beauteous and so bless'd!'
"Come then, my mistress, and my wife; for she
Who trusts my honour is the wife for me;
Your slave, your husband, and your friend employ,
In search of pleasures we may both enjoy." ”

“ But in this world the fondest and the best Are the most tried, most troubled, and distress’d: This is the place for trial, here we prove, And there enjoy, the faithfulness of love. “Nay, were he here in all the pride of youth, 810 With honour, valour, tenderness, and truth, Entirely mine, yet what could I secure, Or who one day of comfort could insure? “No! all is closed on earth, and there is now Nothing to break th’ indissoluble vow; But in that world will be th’ abiding bliss, That pays for every tear and sigh in this.” ”

“ What Age and Sickness for a Man so bold,
Had done, we know not;—none beheld him old:
By night as business urg’d, he sought the Wood,
The ditch was deep, the rain had caus’d a flood;
The foot-bridge fail’d, he plung’d beneath the Deep,
And slept, if truth were his, th’ eternal sleep.
These have we nam’d; on Life’s rough Sea they sail,
With many a prosperous, many an adverse gale!{67}
Where Passion soon, like powerful Winds, will rage,
While wearied Prudence with their Strength engage;
Then each, in aid, shall some Companion ask,
For Help or Comfort in the tedious task ”

“ With few such stately proofs of grief or pride,
By wealth erected, is our Church supplied;
But we have mural tablets, every size,
That wo could wish, or vanity devise.
Death levels man,—the wicked and the just,
The wise, the weak, lie blended in the dust;
And by the honours dealt to every name,
The king of terrors seems to level fame.
—See here lamented wives, and every wife
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The pride and comfort of her husband's life;
Here to her spouse, with every virtue graced,
His mournful widow has a trophy placed;
And here 'tis doubtful if the duteous son,
Or the good father, be in praise outdone. ”

“ But, if unworthy of a lot so bless’d,
’Twas something yet to rob the man of rest;
The heart, when stricken, she with hope could feed,
Could court pursuit, and, when pursued, recede.
Hearts she had won, and with delusion fed, 20
With doubt bewilder’d, and with hope misled;
Mothers and rivals she had made afraid,
And wrung the breast of many a jealous maid;
Friendship, the snare of lovers, she profess’d,
242And turn’d the heart’s best feelings to a jest.
Yet seem’d the Nymph as gentle as a dove,
Like one all guiltless of the game of love—
Whose guileless innocence might well be gay ”

“ To fleecing beauty his attention paid; His boiling passions were by oaths express’d, And lies he made his profit and his jest. Such was the boy, and such the man had been, But fate or happier fortune changed the scene; A fever seized him; “he should surely die—” He fear’d, and lo! a friend was praying by. 60 With terror moved, this teacher he address’d, And all the errors of his youth confess’d: The good man kindly clear’d the sinner’s way To lively hope, and counsell’d him to pray: Who then resolved, should he from sickness rise, To quit cards, liquors, poaching, oaths, and lies. ”