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THE 



STANZES IRREGULIERS, 



TO 



MR. IZAAK WALTON. 



FAREWELL, thou busy world ! and may 



We never meet again : 

 Here, I can eat and sleep ; and pray ; 

 And do more good in one short day, 

 Than he who his whole age out- wears 

 Upon the most conspicuous theatres, 

 Where nought but vanity and vice appears. 



II. 



Good God ! how sweet are all things here ! 

 How beautiful the fields appear ! 

 How cleanly do we feed and lie ! 

 Lord ! what good hours do we keep I 



How quietly we sleep ! 

 What peace ! what unanimity ! 

 How innocent from the lewd fashion 

 Js all our business, all our recreation ! 

 Oh, how happy here's our leisure ! 

 Ob, how innocent, our pleasure I 



