An hundred airy harps! And she hath watched Many a Nightingale perch giddily,
On blos'my twig still swinging from the breeze, And to that motion tune his wanton song Like tipsy joy that reels with tossing head.
Farewell, O Warbler! till to-morrow eve, And you, my friends! farewell, a short farewell! We have been loitering long and pleasantly, And now for our dear homes.-That strain again? Full fain it would delay me! My dear babe, Who, capable of no articulate sound,
Mars all things with his imitative lisp, How he would place his hand beside his ear, His little hand, the small forefinger up,
And bid us listen! And I deem it wise
To make him Nature's play-mate. He knows well The evening-star; and once, when he awoke In most distressful mood, (some inward pain Had made up that strange thing, an infant's dream) I hurried with him to our orchard-plot,
And he beheld the Moon, and, hushed at once, Suspends his sobs, and laughs most silently, While his fair eyes, that swam with undropt tears, Did glitter in the yellow moon-beam! Well!- It is a father's tale: But if that Heaven Should give me life, his childhood shall grow up Familiar with these songs, that with the night He may associate joy! Once more farewell, Sweet Nightingale! Once more, my friends, farewell.
THE OLD CUMBERLAND BEGGAR.
I saw an aged Beggar in my walk; And he was seated, by the highway side, On a low structure of rude masonry
Built at the foot of a huge hill, that they
Who lead their horses down the steep rough road May thence remount at ease. The aged Man 'Had placed his staff across the broad smooth stone That overlays the pile; and, from a bag
All white with flour, the dole of village dames, He drew his scraps and fragments, one by one; And scanned them with a fixed and serious look Of idle computation. In the sun,
Upon the second step of that small pile, Surrounded by those wild unpeopled hills, He sat, and ate his food in solitude; And ever, scattered from his palsied hand, That, still attempting to prevent the waste, Was baffled still, the crumbs in little showers
Fell on the ground; and the small mountain-birds, Not venturing yet to peck their destined meal, Approached within the length of half his staff.
Him from my childhood have I known; and then He was so old, he seems not older now; He travels on, a solitary Man,
So helpless in appearance, that for him The sauntering horseman-traveller does not throw With careless hand his alms upon the ground, But stops, that he may safely lodge the coin Within the old Man's hat; nor quits him so, But still, when he has given his horse the rein, Watches the aged Beggar with a look Sidelong—and half reverted. She who tends The toll-gate, when in summer at her door She turns her wheel, if on the road she sees The aged Beggar coming, quits her work, And lifts the latch for him that he may pass. The post-boy, when his rattling wheels o'ertake The aged Beggar in the woody lane,
Shouts to him from behind; and, if thus warned The old Man does not change his course, the Boy Turns with less noisy wheels to the road-side, And passes gently by-without a curse
Upon his lips, or anger at his heart.
He travels on, a solitary Man ;
His age has no companion. On the ground His eyes are turned, and, as he moves along, They move along the ground; and, evermore, Instead of common and habitual sight Of fields with rural works, of hill and dale,
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