THE PRAISES OF A COUNTRY LIFE 



TRANSLATED FROM HORACE 



BY CHRISTOPHER SMART 



Happy the man, who, remote from business, after the 

 manner of the ancient race of mortals, cultivates his 

 paternal lands with his own oxen, disengaged from every 

 kind of usury ; his is neither alarmed with the horrible 

 trumpet, as a soldier, nor dreads he the angry sea ; 

 he shuns both, the bar, and the proud portals of men in 

 power. 



Wherefore, he either weds the lofty Poplars to the 

 mature branches of the Vine ; or lopping off the useless 

 boughs with his pruning-knife, he engrafts more fruit- 

 ful ones ; or takes a prospect of the herds, of his lowing 

 cattle, wandering about in a lonely vale ; or stores his 

 honey, pressed from the combs, in clean vessels ; or 

 shears his tender sheep. 



Or, when Autumn has lifted up in the field his head 

 adorned with mellow fruits, how glad is he while he 

 gathers Pears grafted by himself, and the Grape that 

 vies with the purple, with which he may recompense 

 thee, O Priapus, and thee, father Sylvanus, the guardian 

 of his boundaries ! 



Sometimes he delights to lie under an aged Holm, 

 sometimes on the matted grass : meanwhile the waters 

 glide down from steep clefts ; the birds warble in the 



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