The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-07-16
33nGtrp.
THE VICAR.

THE VICAR.
Some years ago, ere Time and Taste
Hud turned our parish topsy-turyy,
When Daniel Park was Darncl Waste,
And roads as little known as scuryy.
The man who lost his way between
St. Mary's Hill and Sandy Thcket,
Was always shown across the Green,
And guided to the Parsons wicket.
Back flew the bolt of Ilsson lath
Fair Margaret in her tidy klrlle,
Led the lorn traveller up the path,
Through clean-clipt rows Of box and myrtle
And Don aud Sancho, Tramp and Tray,
Upon the parlor steps collected,
Wagged all their tails and seemed to say,
Our master knows you; you're expected
Up rose the Reverend DR.. Brown,
Tn rose the Doctors 'winsome marrow :
The lady lay her knitting down,
Her husband clasped his ponderous Barrow
Whate'er the strangers caste or creed,
pundt or papist, saint or sinner,
lie found stable Tor his stced,
And welcome for himself, and dinner.
If, when he reached his journeys end,
And warmed himself i'll court or college,
He had not gained an honest friend,
And twenty curious scraps OF knowledge -
If he departed as he came,
With no new light on love or liquor
Good soo,h, the traveller was to blame,
And not the Vicarage, or the Vicar.
His talk was like stream that runs,
With rapid change from rocks to roses:
1t slipped from politics to puns
1t passed from Mahomet to Moses:
Beginning with the laws which keep
The planets in their radiant courses,
And ending with some procept deep
For dressing eels or shoelng horses.
He was shrowd and sound divine,
Of loud Dissent tho mortal terror;
And when, by dint of page and line,
lie Established Truth, or started Error,
The Baptist found him far too deep;
The Dest sighed with saving sorrow;
And the lean Ieyite went TO sleep,
Aud dreamed of tasting pork Tomorrow
Ills sermon never said or showed
That Earth is foul, that Heaven is gracious;
Without rereshment on the road
From Jerome, or from Athanasus
And sure righteous zeal inspired
The hand and head that pcnned and planned them
For all who understood, admired,
And some who did not understand them.
lie wrote too, in quiet way,
Small treaises, and smaller verses
And sage remarks on chalk and clay,
And hints to noble lords and nurses
True histories of last years ghost,
Lines TO n ringet Or u urban;
And triles for tina Morning Post,
And nothing for Sylvanus Urban.
lie did not think all mischief fair,
Although he hada mack at joking;
lie did not make himself bear,
Although no had taste for smoking:
And when religious sects ran mad,
lie held in spite of all his learning,
That if mans belief is bad,
1t will not be improved by burning.
And he was kind, and loved to sit
In the low hut or garnshcd cottage,
And praise the farmers homely wit,
And share the widows homeer pottage:
At his approach complaint grew mild
And when his hand unbarred the shutter,
The cammy lips Of Fever smiled
The welcome, which they could not utter.
lie always had tale for me
Of julius Cwsar or Of Venus:
From him learned the rule Of three,
Cats cradle, ap-frog and QuG genus;
used to SINCE his powdered wig,
TO steal the staff he put such trust in;
And uako the puppy dance a jig
When he began to quote Augnslin.
Alack the change! in vain look
For haunts in which my boy hood trilled;
The level lawn, the tricEling brook,
The trees | climed, the beds rillcd:
Tho church is larger than before;
You reach it by carriage entry:
1t holds three hundred people more:
And pows are fitted pior gentry.
Sit in the Wears seat: You'll hear
The doctrine of Of a gentle Johnian,
Whose hand is white, whose tone is clear,
Whose tone is very Cceronian.
Where is the old man laid look down,
And construe on the slab before you,
Urc JACEr GULlELMuS BROWN,
VIR NULLA NON DoNANDUs LAURA.
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