ON SEEING A TUFT OF SNOWDROPS

IN A STORM

1819 1820

WHEN haughty expectations prostrate lie,
And grandeur crouches like a guilty thing,
Oft shall the lowly weak, till Nature bring
Mature release, in fair society

Survive, and Fortune's utmost anger try;
Like these frail snowdrops that together cling,
And nod their helmets, smitten by the wing
Of many a furious whirl-blast sweeping by.
Observe the faithful flowers! if small to great
May lead the thoughts, thus struggling used to
stand

The Emathian phalanx, nobly obstinate;
And so the bright immortal Theban band,

Whom onset, fiercely urged at Jove's command,
Might overwhelm, but could not separate!

TO THE RIVER DERWENT

1819 1819

AMONG the mountains were we nursed, loved Stream,

Thou near the eagle's nest within brief sail,

I, of his bold wing floating on the gale,

Where thy deep voice could lull me! Faint the beam

Of human life when first allowed to gleam

On mortal notice. — Glory of the vale,

Such thy meek outset, with a crown, though frail, Kept in perpetual verdure by the steam

Of thy soft breath! - Less vivid wreath entwined
Nemæan victor's brow; less bright was worn,
Meed of some Roman chief in triumph borne
With captives chained; and shedding from his car
The sunset splendours of a finished war
Upon the proud enslavers of mankind!

WITH each recurrence of this glorious morn
That saw the Saviour in his human frame
Rise from the dead, erewhile the Cottage-dame
Put on fresh raiment - till that hour unworn:
Domestic hands the home-bred wool had shorn,
And she who span it culled the daintiest fleece,
In thoughtful reverence to the Prince of Peace,
Whose temples bled beneath the platted thorn.
A blest estate when piety sublime

These humble props disdained not! O green dales!
Sad may I be who heard your sabbath chime
When Art's abused inventions were unknown;
Kind Nature's various wealth was all your own;
And benefits were weighed in Reason's scales!

"GRIEF, THOU HAST LOST AN EVER

READY FRIEND"

1819 1819

I could write a treatise of lamentation upon the changes brought about among the cottages of Westmoreland by the silence of the spinning-wheel. During long winter nights and wet days, the wheel upon which wool was spun gave employment to a great part of a family. The old man, however infirm, was able to card the wool, as he sate in the corner by the fireside; and often, when a boy, have I admired the cylinders of carded wool which were softly laid upon each other by his side. Two wheels were often at work on the same floor, and others of the family, chiefly little children, were occupied in teasing and cleaning the wool to fit it for the hand of the carder. So that all, except the smallest infants, were contributing to mutual support. Such was the employment that prevailed in the pastoral vales. Where wool was not at hand, in the small rural towns, the wheel for spinning flax was almost in as constant use, if knitting was not preferred; which latter occupation has the advantage (in some cases disadvantage) that, not being of necessity stationary, it allowed of gossiping about from house to house, which good housewives reckoned an idle thing.

GRIEF, thou hast lost an ever-ready friend

Now that the cottage Spinning-wheel is mute;

And Care a comforter that best could suit

Her froward mood, and softliest reprehend;

And Love a charmer's voice, that used to lend,
More efficaciously than aught that flows

From harp or lute, kind influence to compose
The throbbing pulse-else troubled without end:
Even Joy could tell, Joy craving truce and rest
From her own overflow, what power sedate
On those revolving motions did await
Assiduously to soothe her aching breast;
And, to a point of just relief, abate

The mantling triumphs of a day too blest.