And they that never país their brick-wall bounds
To 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 stands
A fragment, and the spoutlefs 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!
Addrefs himself who will to the pursuit
Of honours, or emoluments, or fame;
I fhall not add myself to such a chase,
Thwart his attempts, or envy his fuccefs.
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 im 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 redrefs her wrongs;
To monarchs dignity; to judges fenfe;
To artists ingenuity and skill;

To me an unambitious mind, content
In the low vale of life, that early felt
A with for eafe and leifure, and ere long
Found here that leifure and that eafe I wish'd.

THE TASK.

BOOK V.

ARGUMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

Afrofty morning.-The foddering of cattle.-The woodman and his dog. The poultry Whimfical effects of froft at arvaterfall.-The Empress of Ruffia's palace of ice.— Amusements of monarchs.-War, one of them.—Wars, whence. And whence monarchy.-The evils of it.English and French loyalty contrafted.-The Baftille and a prisoner there.— Liberty the chief recommendation of this country.Modern patriotifm queftionable, and why. -The perishable nature of the best human institutions.— Spiritual liberty not perishable.-The flavish state of man by nature. Deliver him, Deifi, if you can.-Grace muft do it. The refpective merits of patriots and martyrs ftated. Their different treatment.-Happy freedom of the man whom grace makes free.—His relish of the works of God.—Address to the Creator.