Would spare, that loves them, offices like these?)
Well they reward the toil. The fight is pleas'd,
The scent regal'd, each odorif'rous leaf,

Each opening bloffom, freely breathes abroad
Its gratitude, and thanks him with its fweets.

So manifold, all pleasing in their kind,
All healthful, are th' employs of rural life,
Reiterated as the wheel of time

Runs round, still ending, and beginning still.
Nor are these all. To deck the fhapely knoll,
That softly fwell'd and gaily drefs'd, appears
A flow'ry ifland, from the dark green lawn
Emerging, must be deem'd a labor due

To no mean hand, and afks the touch of tafte.
Here alfo grateful mixture of well-match'd
And forted hues, (each giving each relief,

And by contrafted beauty fhining more)

Is needful. Strength may wield the pond'rous spade, May turn the clod, and wheel the compoft home,

But

But elegance, chief grace the garden shows,

And most attractive, is the fair refult

Of thought, the creature of a polish'd mind.
Without it, all is Gothic as the scene

To which th' infipid citizen reforts

Near yonder heath; where industry mispent,
But proud of his uncouth ill-chofen task,

Has made a heav'n on earth; with funs and moons

Of clofe-ramm'd ftones has charg'd th' incumber'd foil,

And fairly laid the Zodiac in the duft.

He therefore who would fee his flow'rs difpos'd

Sightly and in just order, ere he gives

The beds the trufted treasure of their feeds,
Forecafts the future whole; that when the scene
Shall break into its preconceiv'd display,

Each for itfelf, and all as with one voice
Confpiring, may attest his bright design,
Nor even then, difmiffing as perform'd
His pleasant work, may he suppose it done.
Few felf-fupported flow'rs endure the wind

Uninjur'd,

Uninjur'd, but expect th' upholding aid

Of the fmooth-fhaven prop, and neatly tied,
Are wedded thus like beauty to old age,

For int'reft fake, the living to the dead.
Some cloath the foil that feeds them, far diffus'd
And lowly creeping, modeft and yet fair,
Like virtue, thriving most where little feen.

Some, more afpiring, catch the neighbour shrub
With clasping tendrils, and invest his branch,
Elfe unadorn'd, with many a gay feftoon

And fragrant chaplet, recompenfing well

The strength they borrow with the grace they lend.
All hate the rank fociety of weeds,

Noifome, and ever greedy to exhaust

Th' impov'rish'd earth; an overbearing race,
That like the multitude, made faction-mad,
Disturb good order, and degrade true worth.

Oh bleft feclufion from a jarring world, Which he, thus occupied, enjoys! Retreat

Cannot

Cannot indeed to guilty man restore

Loft innocence, or cancel follies past,
But it has peace, and much fecures the mind.
From all affaults of evil, proving still

A faithful barrier, not o'erleap'd with ease
By vicious custom, raging uncontroul'd
Abroad, and defolating public life.

When fierce temptation, feconded within
By traitor appetite, and arm'd with darts
Temper'd in hell, invades the throbbing breast,
To combat may be glorious, and fuccefs
Perhaps may crown us, but to fly is fafe.

Had I the choice of fublunary good,

What could I wifh, that I poffefs not here?

Health, leisure, means t' improve it, friendship, peace,

No loose or wanton, though a wand'ring mufe,

And constant occupation without care.

Thus bleft, I draw a picture of that bliss;
Hopeless indeed that diffipated minds,

And profligate abufers of a world

Created

Created fair fo much in vain for them,

Should feek the guiltless joys that I describe,

Allur'd by my report: but sure no less,

That, felf-condemn'd, they must neglect the prize,
And what they will not taste, must yet approve.
What we admire we praife; and when we praife,
Advance it into notice, that its worth
Acknowledg'd, others may admire it too.
I therefore recommend, though at the risk
Of popular difguft, yet boldly ftill,

The caufe of piety and sacred truth,

And virtue, and those scenes which God ordain'd
Should beft fecure them and promote them moft;
Scenes that I love, and with regret perceive
Forfaken, or through folly not enjoy'd.

Pure is the nymph, though lib'ral of her smiles,
And chafte, though unconfin'd, whom I extol.
Not as the prince in Shushan, when he call'd,
Vain-glorious of her charms, his Vashti forth
To grace the full pavilion. His defign

Was