LIFE OF 



Aye, Contemplation, ev'n in earliest youth 



I woo'd thy heav'nly influence ! I would walk 



A weary way when all my toils were done, 



To lay myself at night in some lone wood, 



And hear the sweet song of the nightingale. 



Oh, those were times of happiness, and still 



To memory doubly dear ; for growing years 



Had not then taught me man was made to mourn ; 



And a short hour of solitary pleasure, 



Stolen from sleep, was ample recompence 



For all the hateful bustles of the day. 



My op'ning mind was ductile then, and plastic, 



And soon the marks of care were worn away, 



AVhile I was sway'd by every novel impulse, 



Yielding to all the fancies of the hour. 



But it has now ar-mmed its character ; 



Mark'd by strong lineaments, its haughty tone. 



Like the firm oak, would sooner break than bend. 



Yet still, oh. Contemplation ! I do love 



To indulge thy solemn musings ; still the same 



AVith thee alone I know to melt and weep. 



In thee alone delighting. AYhy along 



The dusky track of commerce should I toil, 



AVhen with an easy competence content, 



I can alone be happy ; where with thee 



I may enjoy the loveliness of Nature, 



And loose the wings of Fancy ! — Thus alone 



Can I partake of happiness on Earth ; 



And to be happy here is man's chief end, 



For to be happy he must needs be good. 



His mother, however, secretly felt that he was worthy 

 of better things : to her he spoke more openly : he 

 could not bear, he said, the thought of spending seven 

 years of his life in shining and folding up stockings ; 

 he wanted something to occupy his brain, and he should 

 be wretched if he continued longer at this trade, or 

 indeed in anything except one of the learned profes- 

 sions. These frequent complaints, after a year's appli- 

 cation, or rather misapplication (as his brother says), at 

 the loom, convinced her that he had a mind destined for 

 nobler pursuits. To one so situated, and with nothing 

 but his own talents and exertions to depend upon, the 



