The
HERMIT
.
FAR
in
a
Wild
,
unknown
to
publick
View
,
From
Youth
to
Age
a
rev'rend
Hermit
grew
;
The
Moss
his
Bed
,
the
Cave
his
humble
Cell
,
His
Food
the
Fruits
,
his
Drink
the
chrystal
Well
:
Remote
from
Man
,
with
God
he
pass'd
the
Days
,
Pray'r
all
his
Bus'ness
,
all
his
Pleasure
Praise
.
A
Life
so
sacred
,
such
serene
Repose
,
Seem'd
Heav'n
it
self
,
'till
one
Suggestion
rose
;
That
Vice
shou'd
triumph
,
Virtue
Vice
obey
,
This
sprung
some
Doubt
of
Providence's
Sway
:
His
Hopes
no
more
a
certain
Prospect
boast
,
And
all
the
Tenour
of
his
Soul
is
lost
:
So
when
a
smooth
Expanse
receives
imprest
Calm
Nature's
Image
on
its
wat'ry
Breast
,
Down
bend
the
Banks
,
the
Trees
depending
grow
,
And
Skies
beneath
with
answ'ring
Colours
glow
:
But
if
a
Stone
the
gentle
Scene
divide
,
Swift
ruffling
Circles
curl
on
ev'ry
side
,
And
glimmering
Fragments
of
a
broken
Sun
,
Banks
,
Trees
,
and
Skies
,
in
thick
Disorder
run
.
To
clear
this
Doubt
,
to
know
the
World
by
Sight
,
To
find
if
Books
,
or
Swains
,
report
it
right
;
(
For
yet
by
Swains
alone
the
World
he
knew
,
Whose
Feet
came
wand'ring
o'er
the
nightly
Dew
)
He
quits
his
Cell
;
the
Pilgrim-Staff
he
bore
,
And
fix'd
the
Scallop
in
his
Hat
before
;
Then
with
the
Sun
a
rising
Journey
went
,
Sedate
to
think
,
and
watching
each
Event
.
The
Morn
was
wasted
in
the
pathless
Grass
,
And
long
and
lonesome
was
the
Wild
to
pass
;
But
when
the
Southern
Sun
had
warm'd
the
Day
,
A
Youth
came
posting
o'er
a
crossing
Way
;
His
Rayment
decent
,
his
Complexion
fair
,
And
soft
in
graceful
Ringlets
wav'd
his
Hair
.
Then
near
approaching
,
Father
Hail
!
he
cry'd
,
And
Hail
,
my
Son
,
the
rev'rend
Sire
reply'd
;
Words
followed
Words
,
from
Question
Answer
flow'd
And
Talk
of
various
kind
deceiv'd
the
Road
;
'Till
each
with
other
pleas'd
,
and
loth
to
part
,
While
in
their
Age
they
differ
;
joyn
in
Heart
:
Thus
stands
an
aged
Elm
in
Ivy
bound
,
Thus
youthful
Ivy
clasps
an
Elm
around
.
Now
sunk
the
Sun
;
the
closing
Hour
of
Day
Came
onward
,
mantled
o'er
with
sober
gray
;
Nature
in
silence
bid
the
World
repose
:
When
near
the
Road
a
stately
Palace
rose
:
There
by
the
Moon
thro'
Ranks
of
Trees
they
pass
,
Whose
Verdure
crown'd
their
sloping
sides
of
Grass
.
It
chanc't
the
noble
Master
of
the
Dome
,
Still
made
his
House
the
wand'ring
Stranger's
home
:
Yet
still
the
Kindness
,
from
a
Thirst
of
Praise
,
Prov'd
the
vain
Flourish
of
expensive
Ease
.
The
Pair
arrive
:
the
Liv'ry'd
Servants
wait
;
Their
Lord
receives
them
at
the
pompous
Gate
.
The
Table
groans
with
costly
Piles
of
Food
,
And
all
is
more
than
Hospitably
good
.
Then
led
to
rest
,
the
Day's
long
Toil
they
drown
,
Deep
sunk
in
Sleep
,
and
Silk
,
and
Heaps
of
Down
.
At
length
'tis
Morn
,
and
at
the
Dawn
of
Day
,
Along
the
wide
Canals
the
Zephyrs
play
;
Fresh
o'er
the
gay
Parterres
the
Breezes
creep
,
And
shake
the
neighb'ring
Wood
to
banish
Sleep
.
Up
rise
the
Guests
,
obedient
to
the
Call
,
'
An
early
Banquet
deck'd
the
splendid
Hall
;
Rich
luscious
Wine
a
golden
Goblet
grac't
,
Which
the
kind
Master
forc'd
the
Guests
to
taste
.
Then
pleas'd
and
thankful
,
from
the
Porch
they
go
,
And
,
but
the
Landlord
,
none
had
cause
of
Woe
;
His
Cup
was
vanish'd
;
for
in
secret
Guise
The
younger
Guest
purloin'd
the
glittering
Prize
.
As
one
who
'
spys
a
Serpent
in
his
Way
,
Glistning
and
basking
in
the
Summer
Ray
,
Disorder'd
stops
to
shun
the
Danger
near
,
Then
walks
with
Faintness
on
,
and
looks
with
Fear
:
So
seem'd
the
Sire
;
when
far
upon
the
Road
,
The
shining
Spoil
his
wiley
Partner
show'd
.
He
stopp'd
with
Silence
,
walk'd
with
trembling
Heart
,
And
much
he
wish'd
,
but
durst
not
ask
to
part
:
Murm'ring
he
lifts
his
Eyes
,
and
thinks
it
hard
,
That
generous
Actions
meet
a
base
Reward
.
While
thus
they
pass
,
the
Sun
his
Glory
shrouds
,
The
changing
Skies
hang
out
their
sable
Clouds
;
A
Sound
in
Air
presag'd
approaching
Rain
,
And
Beasts
to
covert
scud
a
cross
the
Plain
.
Warn'd
by
the
Signs
,
the
wand'ring
Pair
retreat
,
To
seek
for
Shelter
at
a
neighb'ring
Seat
.
'Twas
built
with
Turrets
,
on
a
rising
Ground
,
And
strong
,
and
large
,
and
unimprov'd
around
;
Its
Owner's
Temper
,
tim'rous
and
severe
,
Unkind
and
griping
,
caus'd
a
Desert
there
.
As
near
the
Miser's
heavy
Doors
they
drew
,
Fierce
rising
Gusts
with
sudden
Fury
blew
;
The
nimble
Light'ning
mix'd
with
Show'rs
began
,
And
o'er
their
Heads
loud-rolling
Thunder
ran
.
Here
long
they
knock
,
but
knock
or
call
in
vain
,
Driv'n
by
the
Wind
,
and
battered
by
the
Rain
.
At
length
some
Pity
warm'd
the
Master's
Breast
,
(
'Twas
then
,
his
Threshold
first
receiv'd
a
Guest
)
Slow
creaking
turns
the
Door
with
jealous
Care
,
And
half
he
welcomes
in
the
shivering
Pair
;
One
frugal
Faggot
lights
the
naked
Walls
,
And
Nature's
Fervor
thro'
their
Limbs
recals
:
Bread
of
the
coursest
sort
,
with
eager
Wine
,
(
Each
hardly
granted
)
serv'd
them
both
to
dine
;
And
when
the
Tempest
first
appear'd
to
cease
,
A
ready
Warning
bid
them
part
in
Peace
.
With
still
Remark
the
pond'ring
Hermit
view'd
In
one
so
rich
,
a
Life
so
poor
and
rude
;
And
why
shou'd
such
,
(
within
himself
he
cry'd
,
)
Lock
the
lost
Wealth
a
thousand
want
beside
?
But
what
new
Marks
of
Wonder
soon
took
place
,
In
ev'ry
settling
Feature
of
his
Face
!
When
from
his
Vest
the
young
Companion
bore
That
Cup
,
the
gen'rous
Landlord
own'd
before
,
And
paid
profusely
with
the
precious
Bowl
The
stinted
Kindness
of
this
churlish
Soul
.
But
now
the
Clouds
in
airy
Tumult
fly
,
The
Sun
emerging
opes
an
azure
Sky
;
A
fresher
green
the
smelling
Leaves
display
,
And
glitt'ring
as
they
tremble
,
cheer
the
Day
:
The
Weather
courts
them
from
the
poor
Retreat
,
And
the
glad
Master
bolts
the
wary
Gate
.
While
hence
they
walk
,
the
Pilgrim's
Bosom
wrought
,
With
all
the
Travel
of
uncertain
Thought
;
His
Partner's
Acts
without
their
Cause
appear
,
'Twas
there
a
Vice
,
and
seem'd
a
Madness
here
:
Detesting
that
,
and
pitying
this
he
goes
,
Lost
and
confounded
with
the
various
Shows
.
Now
Night's
dim
Shades
again
involve
the
Sky
;
Again
the
Wand'rers
want
a
Place
to
lye
,
Again
they
search
,
and
find
a
Lodging
nigh
.
The
Soil
improv'd
around
,
the
Mansion
neat
,
And
neither
poorly
low
,
nor
idly
great
:
It
seem'd
to
speak
its
Master's
turn
of
Mind
,
Content
,
and
not
for
Praise
,
but
Virtue
kind
.
Hither
the
Walkers
turn
with
weary
Feet
Then
bless
the
Mansion
,
and
the
Master
greet
:
Their
greeting
fair
bestow'd
,
with
modest
Guise
,
The
courteous
Master
hears
,
and
thus
replies
:
Without
a
vain
,
without
a
grudging
Heart
,
To
Him
who
gives
us
all
,
I
yield
a
part
;
From
Him
you
come
,
for
Him
accept
it
here
,
A
frank
and
sober
,
more
than
costly
Cheer
.
He
spoke
,
and
bid
the
welcome
Table
spread
,
Then
talk'd
of
Virtue
till
the
time
of
Bed
,
When
the
grave
Houshold
round
his
Hall
repair
,
Warn'd
by
a
Bell
,
and
close
the
Hours
with
Pray'r
.
At
length
the
World
renew'd
by
calm
Repose
Was
strong
for
Toil
,
the
dappled
Morn
arose
;
Before
the
Pilgrims
part
,
the
Younger
crept
,
Near
the
clos'd
Cradle
where
an
Infant
slept
,
And
writh'd
his
Neck
:
the
Landlord's
little
Pride
,
O
strange
Return
!
grew
black
,
and
gasp'd
,
and
dy'd
.
Horrour
of
Horrours
!
what
!
his
only
Son
!
How
look'd
our
Hermit
when
the
Fact
was
done
?
Not
Hell
,
tho'
Hell's
black
Jaws
in
sunder
part
,
And
breathe
blue
Fire
,
cou'd
more
assault
his
Heart
.
Confus'd
,
and
struck
with
Silence
at
the
Deed
,
He
flies
,
but
trembling
fails
to
fly
with
Speed
.
His
Steps
the
Youth
pursues
;
the
Country
lay
Perplex'd
with
Roads
,
a
Servant
show'd
the
Way
:
A
River
cross'd
the
Path
;
the
Passage
o'er
Was
nice
to
find
;
the
Servant
trod
before
;
Long
arms
of
Oaks
an
open
Bridge
supply'd
,
And
deep
the
Waves
beneath
the
bending
glide
.
The
Youth
,
who
seem'd
to
watch
a
Time
to
sin
,
Approach'd
the
careless
Guide
,
and
thrust
him
in
;
Plunging
he
falls
,
and
rising
lifts
his
Head
,
Then
flashing
turns
,
and
sinks
among
the
Dead
.
Wild
,
sparkling
Rage
inflames
the
Father's
Eyes
,
He
bursts
the
Bands
of
Fear
,
and
madly
cries
,
Detested
Wretch
—
But
scarce
his
Speech
began
,
When
the
strange
Partner
seem'd
no
longer
Man
:
His
youthful
Face
grew
more
serenely
sweet
;
His
Robe
turn'd
white
,
and
flow'd
upon
his
Feet
;
Fair
rounds
of
radiant
Points
invest
his
Hair
;
Celestial
Odours
breathe
thro'
purpled
Air
;
And
Wings
,
whose
Colours
glitter'd
on
the
Day
,
Wide
at
his
Back
their
gradual
Plumes
display
.
The
Form
Etherial
bursts
upon
his
Sight
,
And
moves
in
all
the
Majesty
of
Light
.
Tho'
loud
at
first
the
Pilgrim's
Passion
grew
,
Sudden
he
gaz'd
,
and
wist
not
what
to
do
;
Surprize
in
secret
Chains
his
words
suspends
,
And
in
a
Calm
his
settling
Temper
ends
.
But
Silence
here
the
beauteous
Angel
broke
,
(
The
Voice
of
Musick
ravish'd
as
he
spoke
)
Thy
Pray'r
,
thy
Praise
,
thy
Life
to
Vice
un
known
,
In
sweet
Memorial
rise
before
the
Throne
:
These
Charms
,
Success
in
our
bright
Region
find
,
And
force
an
Angel
down
,
to
calm
thy
Mind
;
For
this
commission'd
,
I
forsook
the
Sky
,
Nay
,
cease
to
kneel
—
Thy
fellow
Servant
I
.
Then
know
the
Truth
of
Government
Divine
,
And
let
these
Scruples
be
no
longer
thine
.
The
Maker
justly
claims
that
World
he
made
,
In
this
the
Right
of
Providence
is
laid
;
Its
sacred
Majesty
thro'
all
depends
On
using
second
Means
to
work
his
Ends
:
'Tis
thus
,
withdrawn
in
State
from
human
Eye
,
The
Pow'r
exerts
his
Attributes
on
high
,
Your
Actions
uses
,
not
controuls
your
Will
,
And
bids
the
doubting
Sons
of
Men
be
still
.
What
strange
Events
can
strike
with
more
Surprize
,
Than
those
which
latelystrook
thy
wond'ring
Eyes
?
Yet
taught
by
these
,
confess
th'
Almighty
Just
,
And
where
you
can't
unriddle
,
learn
to
trust
!
The
Great
,
Vain
Man
,
who
far'd
on
costly
Food
,
Whose
Life
was
too
luxurious
to
be
good
;
Who
made
his
Iv'ry
Stands
with
Goblets
shine
,
And
forc'd
his
Guests
to
morning
Draughts
of
Wine
,
Has
,
with
the
Cup
,
the
graceless
Custom
lost
,
And
still
he
welcomes
,
but
with
less
of
Cost
.
The
mean
,
suspicious
Wretch
,
whose
bolted
Door
,
Ne'er
mov'd
in
Duty
to
the
wand'ring
Poor
;
With
him
I
left
the
Cup
,
to
teach
his
Mind
That
Heav'n
can
bless
,
if
Mortals
will
be
kind
.
Conscious
of
wanting
Worth
,
he
views
the
Bowl
,
And
feels
Compassion
touch
his
grateful
Soul
.
Thus
Artists
melt
the
sullen
Oar
of
Lead
,
With
heaping
Coals
of
Fire
upon
its
Head
;
In
the
kind
Warmth
the
Metal
learns
to
glow
,
And
loose
from
Dross
,
the
Silver
runs
below
.
Long
had
our
pious
Friend
in
Virtue
trod
,
But
now
the
Child
half-wean'd
his
Heart
from
God
;
(
Child
of
his
Age
)
for
him
he
liv'd
in
Pain
,
And
measur'd
back
his
Steps
to
Earth
again
.
To
what
Excesses
had
his
Dotage
run
?
But
God
,
to
save
the
Father
,
took
the
Son
.
To
all
but
thee
,
in
Fits
he
seem'd
to
go
,
(
And
'twas
my
Ministry
to
deal
the
Blow
)
The
poor
fond
Parent
humbled
in
the
Dust
,
Now
owns
in
Tears
the
Punishment
was
just
.
But
how
had
all
his
Fortune
felt
a
Wrack
,
Had
that
false
Servant
sped
in
Safety
back
?
This
Night
his
treasur'd
Heaps
he
meant
to
steal
,
And
what
a
Fund
of
Charity
wou'd
fail
!
Thus
Heav'n
instructs
thy
Mind
:
This
Tryal
o'er
,
Depart
in
Peace
,
resign
,
and
sin
no
more
.
On
sounding
Pinnions
here
the
Youth
withdrew
,
The
Sage
stood
wond'ring
as
the
Seraph
flew
.
Thus
look'd
Elisha
,
when
to
mount
on
high
,
His
Master
took
the
Chariot
of
the
Sky
;
The
fiery
Pomp
ascending
left
the
View
;
The
Prophet
gaz'd
,
and
wish'd
to
follow
too
.
The
bending
Hermit
here
a
Pray'r
begun
,
Lord
!
as
in
Heaven
,
on
Earth
thy
Will
be
done
.
Then
gladly
turning
,
sought
his
antient
place
,
And
pass'd
a
Life
of
Piety
and
Peace
.