A NGL ING IN THE IR WEL L. 115 



birds, and ourselves living well-spent lives in a well- 

 governed country. 



These thoughts of ancient and of future times, 

 Rouse my old fancy till I think in rhymes. 

 Great changes have been, since my boyhood's days ! 

 Oil lamps and candles gave our brightest blaze ! 

 Wells, pumps, and running brooks gave water clear ! 

 Baths, little known, town's water scarce and dear, 

 Coaches and packet-boats our locomotion 

 On roads and rivers, sailing ships on ocean, 

 Our news from Hamburgh taking weeks to come, 

 East and West Indies full six months from home ! 



Changes may come ; our streams be all reformed, 



Our lights electric, every house well warmed. 



Our towns all smokeless, and a nation freed 



From soot and dust the "great unwashed " succeed ! 



Our hills and mountains' beauteous lakes and streams. 



Be rills and fountains fit for poets' dreams ! 



Some time ago, 'twas about " 'forty- four," 



When my dear father's age had reached four score, 



I said, " If my life should extend to eighty, 



I hope to catch a trout, or small or weighty. 



In Irwell, 'twixt the Bank Mill and Mode-Wheel, 



In a pure river, where 'twould spin my reel." 



I live, and have lived, in an age of wonders, 



Each one arrived at through a stage of blunders. 



