920 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



THE SCHOOL.BOY. 



In the Manner of the Splendid S^iilUng, 



BY THE REV. THOMAS MAUHICE. 



\ 



THRICE happy he, whose hours the cheering smiles 

 Of freedom bless ; who wantons uncontroll'd 

 Where ease invites, or pleasure's syren voice. 

 Him the stern tyrant, with his iron scourge, 

 Annoys not, nor the dire oppressive weight 

 Of galling chain ; but, when the blushing morn 

 Purples the cast, with eager transport wild, 

 O'er hill, o'er valley, on his panting steed. 

 He bounds exulting, as in full career 



With horns, and hounds, and thund'ring shouts, hedrlTCS 

 The flying stag ; or when the dusky shades 

 Of eve, advancing, veil the darken'd sky. 

 To neighb'ring tavern, blithesome, he resorts 

 With boon companion, where they drown their cares 

 In sprightly bumpers, and the mantling bowl. 



Far otherwise, within these darksome walls, 

 Whose gates, Avith rows of triple steel secur'd, 

 And many a bolt, prohibit all egress, 

 I spend my joyless days ; ere dawn appears, 

 Rous'd from my peaceful slumbers by the sound 

 Of awe-inspiring bell, whose ev'ry stroke 

 Chills my heart-blood, all trembling I descend 

 From dreary attic, round whose ancient roof, 

 Gaping with hideous chinks, the whistling blast 

 Perpetual raves, and fierce descending rains 

 Discharge their fury, — Dire lethargic dews 

 Oppress my drowsy sense, scarce yet awake 

 From rapture's airy dreams, where, fir'd with all 

 That Virgil sang, or fabling Homer feign'd. 

 My fancy realiz'd poetic tales. 

 And rang'd Elysian valleys : — ^now I quaff, 

 From crystal goblets bright with gems and gold, i 



Rich nectar, Jrink of gods — now sore oppress'd 

 With goading famine, on ambrosial fruits 

 Banquet with thund'ring Jove :— ah transient feast J 

 For like, O Tantalus, thy feign'd repast, 

 The airy viands mock my waking grasp ! 

 Meanwhile benumbing cold invades my joints. 

 As, with slow, fault'ring footsteps, I resort 

 To where, of antique mould, a lofty dome 

 Rears its tremendous front ; here all at once, 



From 



