THE TASK. BOOK IV. THE WINTER EVENING. HARK! 'tis the twanging horn o'er yonder bridge, That with its wearifome but needful length Beftrides the wintry flood, in which the moon : Sees her unwrinkled face reflected bright; He comes, the herald of a noisy world, With fpatter'd boots, ftrapp'd waift, and frozen locks; News from all nations lumb'ring at his back. And, having dropp'd th' expected bag, pass on, Cold and yet cheerful: meffenger of grief Or charg'd with am'rous fighs of absent swains, His horfe and him, unconfcious of them afl. Stothard Del Published Feb 1.1798 by JJohnson London. Heath Scalp Now stir the fire, & close the Shutters fast, Let fall the Curtains, wheel the Sofa round, Now ftir the fire, and close the shutters faft, Let fall the curtains, wheel the fofa round, And, while the bubbling and loud hiffing urn Throws up a fteamy column, and the cups, That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each, So let us welcome peaceful ev'ning in. Not fuch his ev'ning, who with shining face Sweats in the crowded theatre, and, fqueez'd And bor'd with elbow points through both his fides, Out-fcolds the ranting actor on the stage: Nor his, who patient stands till his feet throb, And his head thumps, to feed upon the breath Of patriots, bursting with heroic rage, Or placemen, all tranquillity and failes. This folio of four pages, happy work! Which not ev'n critics criticife; that holds Inquifitive attention, while I read, Faft bound in chains of filence, which the fair, Its fluctuations, and its vaft concerns? |