VACATION. By — Esq; HENCE sage, mysterious Law, That sitt'st with rugged brow, and crabbed look O'er thy black-letter'd book, And the night-watching student strik'st with awe; Away with thy dull train, Slow-pac'd Advice, Surmise, and squint-ey'd Doubt Dwell with the noisy rout Of busy men, 'mid cities and throng'd halls, Where Clamour ceaseless bawls, And enmity and strife thy state sustain. But on me thy blessings pour, Sweet Vacation. Thee, of yore, In all her youth and beauty's prime, Summer bore to aged Time, As he one sunny morn beheld her Tending a field of corn: the elder There 'mid poppies red and blue, Unsuspected nearer drew, And, with softly-sliding pace Hast'ning to a stol'n embrace, Fill'd her with thee; and joy and mirth Hung on thy auspicious birth. Come, sweet goddess; full of play, Ever unconfin'd and gay, Bring the leisure-hours with thee Leading on the Graces three Dancing; nor let aught detain The Holidays, a smiling train. Whose fair brows let Peace serene Crown with olive-branches green. Bring too Health with ruddy cheek, Lively air, and count'nance sleek, Attended, as she's wont to be, With all her jolly company Of exercises, chace, and flight, Active strength, and cunning sleight, Nimble feats, and playful bouts, Leaps of joy, and cheerful shouts, Tricks and pranks and sports and games Such as youthful Fancy frames. And, O kind goddess, add to these Cheerful Content, and placid Ease; Not her who fondly sitteth near, Dull Indolence in elbow'd chair; But Ease who aids th' harmonious Nine, Tuning their instruments divine, And without whom, in lofty strain, Phoebus' client tries in vain To raise his feeble voice above The crowd, and catch the ear of Jove. And do thou, Vacation, deign To let me pass among thy train; So may I thy vot'ry true, All thy flow'ry paths pursue, Pleased still with thee to meet In some friendly rural seat; Where I gladsome oft' survey Nature in her best array, Woods and lawns and lakes between, Fields of corn and hedges green, Fallow grounds of tawny hue, Distant hills, and mountains blue; On whose ridge far off appears A wood (the growth of many years) Of aweful oak, or gloomy pine, Above th' horizon's level line Rising black: such those of old Where British druids wont to hold Solemn assemblies, and to keep Their rites, unfolding myst'ries deep, Such that fam'd Dodona's grove, Sacred to prophetic Jove. Oft' I admire the verdant steep, Spotted white with many a sheep, While, in pastures rich below Among the grazing cattle, slow Moves the bull with heavy tread Hanging down his lumpish head, And the proud steed neigheth oft' Shaking his wanton mane aloft. Or, traversing the wood about, The jingling packhorse-bells remote I hear, amid the noontide stillness, Sing thro' the air with brassy shrillness; What time the waggon's cumbrous load Grates along the grav'lly road: There onward, dress'd in homely guise, Some unregarded maiden hies, Unless by chance a trav'lling 'squire, Of base intent and foul desire, Stops to insnare, with speech beguiling, Sweet innocence and beauty smiling. Nor fail I joyful to partake The lively sports of country wake, Where many a lad and many a lass Foot it on the close-trod grass. There nimble Marian of the green Matchless in the jig is seen, Allow'd beyond compare by all, The beauty of the rustic ball: While, the tripping damsels near, Stands a lout with waggish leer; He, if Marian chance to shew Her taper leg and stocking blue, Winks and nods and laughs aloud, Among the merry-making crowd, Utt'ring forth, in aukward jeer, Words unmeet for virgin's ear. Soon as ev'ning clouds have shed Their wat'ry store on earth's soft bed, And thro' their flowing mantles thin, Clear azure spots of sky are seen, I quit some oak's close-cover'd bow'r To taste the boon of new-fall'n show'r, To pace the corn-field's grassy edge Close by a fresh-blown sweet-bri'r hedge While at every green leaf's end Pearly drops of rain depend, And an earthy fragrance 'round Rises from the moisten'd ground. Sudden a sun-beam darting out, Brightens the landskip all about, With yellow light the grove o'erspreads, And tips with gold the haycocks' heads Then, as mine eye is eastward led, Some fair castle rears its head, Whose height the country round commands, Well known mark to distant lands, There the windows glowing bright Blaze from afar with ruddy light Borrow'd from clouds of scarlet dye, Just as the sun hath left the sky. But if chill Eurus cut the air With keener wing, I then repair To park or woodland, shelter meet, Near some noble's ancient seat, Where long winding walks are seen Stately oaks and elms between, Whose arms promiscuous form above High over-arch'd a green alcove; While the hoarse-voic'd hungry rook Near her stick-built nest doth croak, Waving on the topmost bough; And the master stag below Bellows loud with savage roar, Stalking all his hinds before. Thus musing, night with even pace Steals on, o'ershad'wing nature's face; While the bat with dusky wings Flutters round in giddy rings, And the buzzing chaffers come Close by mine ear with solemn hum. Homeward now my steps I guide Some rising grassy bank beside, Studded thick with sparks of light Issuing from many a glow-worm bright; While village-cur with minute bark Alarms the pilf'rer in the dark, Save what light the stars convey, Cluster'd in the milky way, Or scatter'd numberless on high Twinkling all o'er the boundless sky. Then within doors let me meet The viol touch'd by finger neat, Or, soft symphonies among Wrap me in the sacred song, Attun'd by Handel's matchless skill, While Attention mute and still Fixes all my soul to hear The voice harmonious, sweet and clear. Nor let smooth-tongu'd Converse fail, With many a well-devised tale, And stories link'd, to twist a chain That may awhile old Time detain, And make him rest upon his scythe Pleas'd to see the hours so blithe: While, with sweet attractive grace, The beauteous house-wife of the place Wins the heart of ev'ry guest By courteous deeds, and all contest Which shall readiest homage shew To such sov'reign sweetness due. These delights, Vacation, give, And I with thee will chuse to live.