IX. Soft as the dew from heaven descends, His gentle accents fell: The modest stranger lowly bends, And follows to the cell. X. Far in a wilderness obscure The lonely mansion lay,* A refuge to the neighb'ring poor And strangers led astray. XI. No stores beneath its humble thatch Requir'd a master's care; The wicket, opening with a latch,t XII. And now, when busy crowds retire XIII. And spread his vegetable store, And gayly press'd, and smil'd; "Man wants but little, nor that little long: " but in the original copy the passage was given in the usual manner of quotations; and this has now been restored accordingly.] And those who prize the trifling things, More trifling still than they. XIX. "And what is friendship but a name; A shade that follows wealth or fame, XX. "And love is still an emptier sound, XXI. "For shame, fond youth, thy sorrows hush, The lovely stranger stands confest, A maid in all her charms. XXIV. "And, ah! forgive a stranger rude, Where Heaven and you reside. XXV. "But let a maid thy pity share, Whom love has taught to stray: Who seeks for rest, but finds despair Companion of her way.* XXVI. "My father liv'd beside the Tyne, A wealthy lord was he; And all his wealth was mark'd as mine; He had but only me. XXVII. "To win me from his tender arms, Unnumber'd suitors came; *["Forgive, and let thy pious care That seeks repose, but finds despair "My father liv'd, of high degree, "To win me from his tender arms, Their chief pretence my flatter'd charms, My wealth perhaps their aim."-First edit.] |