Thou art a tool of honor in my hands, Rare master has it been thy lot to know; Long hast Thou served a man to reason true, Whose life combines the best of high and low, The laboring many and the resting few; Health, meekness, ardor, quietness secure, - - too pure to be refined. Here often hast thou heard the Poet sing Who shall inherit thee when death has laid Low in the darksome cell thine own dear lord? That man will have a trophy, humble Spade! A trophy nobler than a conqueror's sword. If he be one that feels, with skill to part He will not dread with thee a toilsome day,Thee, his loved servant, his inspiring mate! And when thou art past service, worn away, His thrift thy uselessness will never scorn; XVI. 1804 A NIGHT THOUGHT. Lo! where the Moon along the sky Or dimly seen, But when the clouds asunder fly, How bright her mien ! Far different we, -a froward race; Thousands, though rich in Fortune's grace, Their way pursue, If kindred humors e'er would make From Fancy following in thy wake, A counter impulse let me take, XVII. INCIDENT CHARACTERISTIC OF A FAVORITE DOG. ON his morning rounds, the Master Four dogs, each pair of different breed, See a hare before him started! Deep the river was, and crusted When, lo! the ice, so thinly spread, Breaks and the greyhound, DART, is overhead! Better fate have PRINCE and SWALLOW, See them cleaving to the sport! MUSIC has no heart to follow, Little MUSIC, she stops short. A loving creature she, and brave, And fondly strives her struggling friend to save. From the brink her paws she stretches, Very hands as you would say ! And afflicting moans she fetches, As he breaks the ice away. Him alone she sees and hears, Makes efforts with complainings; nor gives o er, Until her fellow sinks to reappear no more. XVIII. TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE SAME DOG. LIE here, without a record of thy worth, Or want of love, that here no stone we raise; Yet they to whom thy virtues made thee dear Shall find thee through all changes of the year: This oak points out thy grave; the silent tree Will gladly stand a monument to thee. We grieved for thee, and wished thy end were past; And willingly have laid thee here at last: |