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Show 274 APPENDIX TO NOTES. "'A v there must and tllJlt full soon,' sn.id ~h e g rn.y-hc:ulcd man . f .~' . • r I k n.s If thnHI"'h the smoky ~·;ou~:11:;1 'u~~t~cm:1~1J~~·G~/~f.~~~~;~g r~t donfinuat~on ~f tl~c neces-sity. • ]Jut cumc, lads, time's up, 80 let a have OUl chant, .md then sq~~l~~:~~mp:my immediately stood up; nnd one of tho ciJors wilh a d~cp bnss voice, and to a ~;low,_ sa? air, began:\ ru~o R~ng, tho compoSition, probably, of some provmctttl poet of Ius o" n ci.Lss, tho rest of the party j oining occasionally in a verso that served for the burden. • A spndc! o. rnkc! "'·hoe! A picknxe, or n b1ll ! A hook to rcnp, or u. scythe to mow, A fluil, or whnt you wilt- And hero's n re:1dy han(l 'l'o ply the needful tool, And skilled enough by lessons rough ln labor's rugged school. 4 To hedge, or dig tho ditch, To lop or fell I he tree, To lny the swnrth on the sultry field, Oa· plough the ~tubb?rn lea, Tho harvest stnck to hmJ, 'l'hc when ten rick to thatch; And never fear in my pouch to find 'l'ho tinder or tho match. 4 Ton flnming bnrn or farm l\fy f1ULCies IICVCI' rOf\Ol j 'l'hc fire l ycurn to kindle nnd burn Is on the hearth of home ; Where children huddle and crouch 'l'brough dark long winter dnys, Where starving cld\Jren huddle and crouch 'l'o sec the c!Jccrful ra.ys, A-glowing on the hnf!t;ll rd cheek, And not in the l.Hl.gg:m.l's blaze I • To llim who sends a drought To pnl'ch the fields forloru, TlJc rniu to flood tho meadows with mu(T, The blight to blast the corn- To llim llenvo to guide ~'he bolt in ilo crooked pa.th, 'l'o strike the miser's rick, nnd show The skies blood-red with wrath. 1 A spade! ~~ rake! a hoc ! A picknxc, or a bill! A hook to rc:tp, or a ecytbo to mow, A flnil, or what yo will- API'E ND TX. TO NO'fES, Tl1c ('nrn '" thr::sl1, or the hcdrro to plash 'J he m:u·l•et team to drive, o ' Or mend tlJC fence by tl•c cover side, And lc:n-o the gnme alive. 'Ay, only p;ivc me work, t\ nd then you need r:ot fear Thnt J shall snn re his worship's hu.re Or kill Ids grace's deer- ' Drcu.k into hislo•-dship's house 'J'o steal tlw plato so rich, ' Or leave the yeoman tlu~t had o. purae 'l'o welter in the ditch. c WJ~~~:~~::~'l~~~~rn~:tl;, N~~o~h~:: ~11i!J"~0o:k l~~~~~~n~,!~~: ;work, lVIu re tJavaye laws beyrudyc 1'111 paupN' babe its brtal/1, And doom a wife to a widow'IJ life B('jore lur purlncr's deatlt. 4 My only cbim is this, WitL labor st ifl'nud stark, lly lawful turn •.ny living to earn, Between the light and Lirlrk- 1\Jy daily b•·c:nl and uightly bed, .1\ly bncou nnd d1·op of becr-llu~:~ l :~~~~~ ;;~~lJ,~n0d ~!'cn:8~,:~ts tho land, 1 No parish money or lonf, No pauper b,uJges for me, A ;.~11:i~~<~h~0 s~~;, ~:c_right of toil, No nlms 1 nsk, give me my tnsk: 1lcrc nrc the nrm, tho leg, The strengt h, tl1c sinews of o. man 1'o work, nml not to beg. ' 4 Still one of 1hlnm's heirs, Though doomed by chance of birth 'l'o dress so mc~tn, nnd cat tl1e lean 1nstcr.d of the fat of the earth· 1'o mn ko such humble meals ' As honetzt labor can, A Lone nud a crust, with a grace to Ood And lillie thanks to man J ' •Aspnde! n.rnke/ n.hoc! A pichxe, or a bill! A book. to reap, or n. scythe to mow, .A thul, or what ye will- 275 |
