The Frenchman's * darling? are they not all proofs

That man, immur'd in cities, still retains
His inborn inextinguishable thirst
Of rural scenes, compenfating his lofs

By supplemental shifts, the best he may?
The most unfurnish'd with the means of life,
And they that never pass their brick-wall bounds
Το range the fields and treat their lungs with air,
Yet feel the burning instinct: over head
Sufpend their crazy boxes, planted thick,
And water'd duly. There the pitcher ftands
A fragment, and the spoutless tea pot there;
Sad witneffes how close-pent man regrets
The country, with what ardour he contrives
A peep at nature, when he can no more.

Hail, therefore, patronefs of health, and ease, And contemplation, heart-confoling joys And harmless pleasures, in the throng'd abode Of multitudes unknown! hail, rural life! Address himself who will to the pursuit Of honours, or emoluments, or fame;

* Mignonette.

I fhall not add myself to fuch a chase,
Thwart his attempts, or envy his success.
Some must be great. Great offices will have
Great talents. And God gives to ev'ry man
The virtue, temper, understanding, taste,
That lifts him into life; and lets him fall
Juft in the niche he was ordain'd to fill.
To the deliv'rer of an injur'd land

He gives a tongue t'enlarge upon, an heart
To feel, and courage to redress her wrongs;
To monarchs dignity; to judges sense;
To artists ingenuity and skill;

To me an unambitious mind, content
In the low vale of life, that early felt

A with for ease and leisure, and ere long

Found here that leisure and that ease I wish'd.

THE TASK.

BOOK V.

ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

Afrofly morning.-The foddering of cattle.-The woodman and his dog.-The poultry.-Whimsical effects of froft at a waterfall.-The Empress of Ruffia's palace of ice.-Amufements of monarchs.War, one of them.-Wars, whence.—And whence monarchy. The evils of it.-English and French loyalty contrafted.-The Baftile, and a prifoner there.-Liberty the chief recommendation of this country.-Modern patriotifm queftionable, and why.-The perishable nature of the best human inftitutions. Spiritual liberty not perishable.-The flavish fate of man by nature.-Deliver him, Deift, if you can.-Grace must do it.-The respective merits of patriots and martyrs stated.—Their different treatment.-Happy freedom of the man whom grace makes free.-His relifh of the works of God. -Addrefs to the Creator.