THE RETIREMENT. 



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 outwears 

 Upon thy most conspicuous theatres, 

 Where nought, but ^ vanity and vice appears. 



IL 

 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 ! 



How quietly we sleep ! 

 What peace ! what unanimity ! 

 How innocent from the lewd fashion 

 Is all our business, all our ^ recreation 1 



HI. 

 Oh how happy here's our leisure ! 

 Oh how innocent our pleasure ! 

 Oh ye valleys, oh ye mountains ! 

 Oh ye groves and crystal fountains, 



How I love at liberty, 

 By turn to come and visit ye ! 



IV. 

 Dear solitude,' the soul's best friend. 

 That man acquainted with himself dost make, 

 And all his Maker's wonders to intend : 

 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. 



Variations ^o/« CotiotCs Posthumous Poe-ms^ 8vo, 1689. 

 J vice and vanity do reign. 2 conversation. 3 Q solitude. 



