Of grove, of lawn, of mead survey,

Whose turf, whose shade, whose flowers among
Wanders the hoary Thames along

His silver-winding way:

Ah, happy hills! ah, pleasing shade!

Ah, fields belov'd in vain!

Where once my careless childhood stray'd,

A stranger yet to pain!

I feel the gales that from ye blow

A momentary bliss bestow,

As waving fresh their gladsome wing
My weary soul they seem to soothe,
And, redolent of joy and youth,

To breathe a second spring.

Say, Father Thames, for thou hast seen
Full many a sprightly race

Disporting on thy margent green,

The paths of pleasure trace,

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Yet see, how all around 'em wait
The ministers of human fate,

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And black Misfortune's baleful train! Ah, shew them where in ambush stand,

Or pining Love shall waste their youth,
Or Jealousy with rankling tooth

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That mocks the tear it forc'd to flow;

And keen Remorse with blood defil'd,
And moody Madness laughing wild
Amid severest woe.

Lo! in the vale of years beneath

A grisly troop are seen,

The painful family of Death,

More hideous than their queen:

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ON THE DEATH OF A FAVOURITE CAT

This racks the joints, this fires the veins,
That every labouring sinew strains,
Those in the deeper vitals rage:

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Yet, ah! why should they know their fate,
Since sorrow never comes too late,

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Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,

She saw; and purr'd applause.

Still had she gaz'd; but 'midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,

The Genii of the stream:

Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue

Thro' richest purple to the view
Betray'd a golden gleam.

The hapless Nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first and then a claw,

With many an ardent wish,

She stretch'd in vain to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?

What Cat's averse to fish?

Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent,

Nor knew the gulf between.
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smil'd.)
The slipp'ry verge her feet beguil'd,

She tumbled headlong in.

Eight times emerging from the flood,
She mew'd to ev'ry wat'ry God,

Some speedy aid to send.

No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr'd:
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard.

A fav'rite has no friend!

From hence, ye beauties, undeceiv'd,

Know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd,

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