ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK. Bells at a distance.—Their effect.—A fine noon in winter.-A fheltered walk.-Meditation better than books. Our familiarity with the courfe of nature makes it appear lefs wonderful than it is.-The transformation that spring effects in a shrubbery described.—A mistake concerning the course of nature corrected.-God maintains it. by an unremitted act. -The amusements fashionable at this hour of the day reproved.—Animals happy, a delightful fight.Origin of cruelty to animals.-That it is a great crime proved from fcripture.-That proof illufirated by a tale.-A line drawn between the lawful and unlawful deftruction of them.-Their good and useful properties infifted on.-Apology for the encomiums bestowed by the author on animals.-Inftances of man's extravagant praife of man.-The groans of the creation Shall have an end.—A view taken of the restoration of all things.-An invocation and an invitation of him who fhall bring it to pass.-The retired man vindicated from the charge of ufeleffness.-Conclufion. THE TA S K. воок VI. THE WINTER WALK AT NOON. THERE is in fouls a fympathy with founds; In cadence sweet, now dying all away, Clear and fonorous, as the gale comes on! With easy force it opens all the cells Where mem'ry flept. Wherever I have heard A kindred melody, the fcene recurs, And with it all its pleasures and its pains. That in a few fhort moments I retrace (As in a map the voyager his course) It seem'd not always fhort; the rugged path, We mifs'd that happiness we might have found! |