14 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



ii. 



Good God ! how sweet are all things here I 

 How beautiful the fields appear ! 



How cleanly do we feed and lie ! 

 Lord ! what good hours do we keep ! 

 How quietly we sleep ! 



What peace ! what unanimity ! 

 How innocent from the lewd fashion 

 Is all our business, all our recreation ! 



HI. 



O how happy here's our leisure I 

 O how innocent our pleasure ! 

 O ye valleys ! O ye mountains ! 

 O ye groves, and crystal fountains | 

 How I love at liberty, 

 By turns, to come and visit ye ! 



IV. 



Dear Solitude, the soul's best friend, 

 That man acquainted with himself 



And all his Maker's wonders to entend, 



With thee I here converse at will, 



And would be glad to do so still ; 



For it is thou alone that keep'st the soul awake, 



V. 



How calm and quiet a delight 



Is it alone 

 To read, and meditate, and write ; 



By none offended, and offending none I 

 To walk, ride, sit, or sleep at one's own ease, 

 And, pleasing a man's self, none other to displease ! 



VI. 



O my beloved Nymph ! fair Dove I 

 Princess of Rivers ! how I love 



Upon thy flowery banks to lie, 

 And view thy silver stream, 

 When gilded by a summer's beam, 



And in it all thy wanton fry 



