Before his time into a quiet grave, ARGUMENT. Farewell to the Valley.-Reflections.-A large and populous Vale described.-The Pastor's Dwelling, and some account of him. Church and Monuments.-The Solitary musing, and where.-Roused.-In the Churchyard the Solitary communicates the thoughts which had recently passed through his mind.— Lofty tone of the Wanderer's discourse of yesterday adverted to.-Rite of Baptism, and the professions accompanying it, contrasted with the real state of human life.-Apology for the Rite.-Inconsistency of the best men.-Acknowledgment that practice falls far below the injunctions of duty as existing in the mind.-General complaint of a falling off in the value of life after the time of youth.-Outward appearances of content and happiness in degree illusive.-Pastor approaches.-Appeal made to him. His answer.-Wanderer in sympathy with him. -Suggestion that the least ambitious enquirers may be most free from error.-The Pastor is desired to give some portraits of the living or dead from his own observation of life among these Mountains-and for what purpose.-Pastor consents.-Mountain cottage. Excellent qualities of its Inhabitants.-Solitary expresses his pleasure; but denies the praise of virtue to worth of this kind.-Feelings of the Priest before he enters upon his account of persons interred in the Churchyard.-Graves of unbaptised Infants.-Funeral and sepulchral observances, whence. -Ecclesiastical Establishments, whence derived.-Profession of belief in the doctrine of Immortality. THE PASTOR. "FAREWELL, deep Valley, with thy one rude House, And its small lot of life-supporting fields, And guardian rocks!-Farewell, attractive seat! Open, and day's pure cheerfulness, but veiled Primeval forests wrapped thee round with dark By Nature destined from the birth of things Upon the side Of that brown ridge, sole outlet of the vale Like the fixed centre of a troubled world. The chain that would not slacken, was at length |