perhaps not necessary once more to discuss perhaps bordered on shakespeare s forest of and the doctrines concerning agricultural and commercial prosperity were suited to that neighbourhood it would be pleasant to hear and discuss them taking opposite sides certainly is english but certainly too the english poets kept school there and uncle or henry occupied the in whatever or county situated we know better than any other village its sweet confusion of rural sounds is in our ears we have seen its children hanging on the venerable preacher s gown we have played from the stem and trembled in his presence we know the of the ale house clock and have felt the old plain pathos of the s ballad and we grieve that is departed it may be a weak retreat into the age of sentiment and simplicity and perhaps we ought rather in the triumphs of modem and the progress of modem science still the flowers of an old garden smell sweet and the bush is white under which lovers whisper the ballad of and the of and mark the extremes of s somewhat limited range in verse any reader of the ballad who pleases may make a face along with of street at the of dr s and may seek elsewhere some liquor we feel differently for we have heard this ballad in the open air from mr s manly throat while in her new ribbons in the hay to us the love stranger is an century cousin � and so perhaps a little � of and those earlier bore themselves no doubt more gallantly with more of but none was more sweetly discovered than s pretty pilgrim by her blush and glance and rising breast in the of we have a miniature farce and good himself among the persons to be laughed at is the most mischievous and the most playful the and the of how much better we know because has shown him to us in his acting off the stage and do we as often think of in any attitude as in that of smiling non listener to the critical � when they talked of their and stuff he shifted his trumpet and only took snuff would that portraits of johnson and had been added i edward from the deserted village sweet loveliest village of the plain where health and plenty cheered the where smiling spring its earliest visit paid and parting summer s lingering delayed dear lovely of innocence and ease seats of my youth when every sport could please how often have i o er thy green where humble happiness each scene how often have i paused on every charm the sheltered cot the cultivated farm the never failing brook the busy mill the decent church that the neighbouring hill the bush with seats beneath the shade for talking age and whispering lovers made how often have i the coming day when toil lent its turn to play and all the village train from labour free led up their sports beneath the spreading tree while many a in the shade the young as the old surveyed and many a o er the ground and of art and of strength went round and still as each repeated pleasure tired succeeding sports the band inspired the dancing pair that simply sought renown by holding out to tire each other down the of his face while secret laughter round the place the virgin s looks of love the matron s glance that would those looks these were thy charms sweet village sports like these with sweet succession taught even toil to please these round thy their cheerful influence shed these were thy charms � but all these charms are fled the english poets sweet smiling village loveliest of the lawn thy sports are fled and all thy charms withdrawn amidst thy the tyrant s hand is seen and desolation all thy green one only master the whole domain and half a thy smiling plain no more thy brook the day but choked with works its way along thy a solitary guest the hollow sounding guards its nest amidst thy desert walks the flies and their echoes with cries sunk are thy in ruin all and the long grass o the wall and trembling shrinking from the s hand far far away thy children leave the land the land to hastening ills a prey where wealth and men decay princes and lords may flourish or may fade a breath can make them as a breath has made but a bold their country s pride when once destroyed can never be supplied a time there was ere england s began when every of ground maintained its man for him light labour spread her wholesome store just gave what life required but gave no more his best companions innocence and health and his best riches ignorance of wealth but times are altered trade s train the land and the along the lawn where scattered rose wealth and pomp repose and every want to allied and every pang that folly pays to pride those gentle hours that plenty bade to bloom those calm desires that asked but little room those sports that the peaceful scene lived in each look and brightened all the green these far departing seek a kinder shore and rural mirth and manners are no sweet parent of the hour thy forlorn confess the tyrant s power here as i take my solitary rounds amidst thy walks and ruined grounds and many a year elapsed return to view where once the cottage stood the grew remembrance wakes with all her busy train at my breast and turns the past to pain in all my wanderings round this world of care in all my � and god has given my i still had hopes my latest hours to crown amidst these humble to lay me down to husband out life s at the close and keep 