Matrons and maids with songs reliev'd their toiis,
And every loom receiv’d the softer yarn.
What poor, what widow, Blasius ! did not bless
Thy teaching hand ? thy bosom, like the morn,
Op’ning its wealth, what nation did not seek
Of thy new-modellid wool the curious webs ?

Hence the glad cities of the loom his name
Honour with yearly festals : thro' their streets 540
The pomp, with tuneful sounds and order just,
Denoting Labour's happy progress, moves,
Procession slow and solemn : first the rout,
Then servient youth, and magisterial eld ;
Each after each, according to his rank, 545
His sway, and office, in the commonweal;
And to the board of smiling Plenty's stores
Assemble, where delicious cates and fruits
Of every clime are pild; and with free hand
Toil only tastes the feast, by nerveless Ease 550
Unrelish'd. Various mirth and song resound;
And oft' they interpose improving talk,
Divulging each to other knowledge rare,
Sparks from experience that sometimes arise,
Tili night weighs down the sense, or morning's dawn
Rouzes to labour man, to labour born.
Then the sleek brightening lock from hand to

hand
Renews its circling course : this feels the card ;
That in the comb admires its growing length;
This blanch’d, emerges from the oily wave;

560

556

For this I wake the weary hours of rest; With this desire the merchant I attend ; By this impell’d, the shepherd's hut I seek, SOS And, as he tends his flock, his lectures hear Attentive, pleas'd with pure simplicity, And rules divulg'd beneficent to sheep: Or turn the compass o'er the painted chart, To mark the ways of traffic ; Volga's stream, 520 Cold Hudson's cloudy streights, warm Afric's cape, Latium's firm roads, the Ptolemean fosse, And China's long canals, those noble works, Those high effects of civilizing trade, Employ me, sedulous of public weal :

515 Yet not unmindful of my sacred charge; Thus also mindful, thus devising good At vacant seasons oft', when ev'ning mild Purples the vallies, and the shepherd counts His flock, returning to the quiet fold

520 With dumb complacence; for religion this, To give our every comfort to distress, And follow virtue with an humble mind; This pure religion. Thus, in elder time, The reverend Blasius wore his leisure hours, 525 And slumbers broken oft'; till fill'd at length With inspiration, after various thought, And trials manifold, his well-known voice Gather'd the poor, and o’er Vulcanian stoves, With tepid lees of oil, and spiky comb, Shew'd how the Fleece might stretch to greater length, And cast a glossier whiteness. Wheels went round;

530

Matrons and maids with songs reliev'd their toils,
And every loom receiv’d the softer yarn.
What poor, what widow, Blasius! did not bless
Thy teaching hand? thy bosom, like the morn,
Op’ning its wealth, what nation did not seek
Of thy new-modellid wool the curious webs?

Hence the glad cities of the loom his name
Honour with yearly festals: thro' their streets 540
The pomp, with tuneful sounds and order just,
Denoting Labour's happy progress, moves,
Procession slow and solemn : first the rout,
Then servient youth, and magisterial eld ;
Each after each, according to his rank, 545
His sway, and office, in the commonweal;
And to the board of smiling Plenty's stores
Assemble, where delicious cates and fruits
Of every clime are pild; and with free hand
Toil only tastes the feast, by nerveless Ease 550
Unrelish'd. Various mirth and song resound;
And oft' they interpose improving talk,
Divulging each to other knowledge rare,
Sparks from experience that sometimes arise,
Till night weighs down the sense, or morning's dawn
Rouzes to labour man, to labour born. 556
Then the sleek brightening lock from hand to

hand Renews its circling course : this feels the card; That in the comb admires its growing length; This blanch'd, emerges from the oily wave; 560

For this I wake the weary hours of rest;
With this desire the merchant I attend

i
By this impell’d, the shepherd's hut I seek, 505
And, as he tends his flock, his lectures hear
Attentive, pleas'd with pure simplicity,
And rules divulg'd beneficent to sheep:
Or turn the compass o'er the painted chart,
To mark the ways of traffic ; Volga's stream, 510
Cold Hudson's cloudy streights, warm Afric's cape,
Latium's firm roads, the Ptolemean fosse,
And China's long canals, those noble works,
Those high effects of civilizing trade,
Employ me, sedulous of public weal :

515
Yet not unmindful of my sacred charge;
Thus also mindful, thus devising good
At vacant seasons oft', when ev’ning mild
Purples the vallies, and the shepherd counts
His flock, returning to the quiet fold
With dumb complacence; for religion this,
To give our every comfort to distress,
And follow virtue with an humble mind;
This pure religion. Thus, in elder time,
The reverend Blasius wore his leisure hours, 525
And slumbers broken oft'; till fillid at length
With inspiration, after various thought,
And trials manifold, his well-known voice
Gather'd the poor, and o'er Vulcanian stoves,
With tepid lees of oil, and spiky comb, 530
Shew'd how the Fleece might stretch to greater length,
And cast a glossier whiteness. Wheels went round;

ble | try

520

only