Litchfield enquirer., 1846-06-25

Ell EGY
Written in a Country Churchyard.
The curfew tolls the knell OF parting day,
The lowing nerds wind slowly o er the lea,
The pI0wman home ward pl0ds his weary way,
And leaves the world 70 darkness and to me.
Now fades the elimmerns Ia ndscape on the sight,
And all The air solemn sti lness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his droning fight,
And drowsy unkling lulls the distant folds;
Save that from yonder ivy.mantled tower
The Tnoping owl does to the moon complain
OF such, as wandering near her secret bower,
Modest her ancient solitary reign.
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a mould ring
heap,
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude toreiathers OF the hamlet sleep.
The breezy call Of incense.breathing morn.
The swallow twittering from the straw-built
shed.
The cock si,rill clarion. or the echong horn,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed
For them no more the blazing hearth snail burn,
Or busy housewife plv her evening care;
Nor children run TO lisp sire 8 return,
Or climb his knee the enved kiss to share,
or, did the harvest to their sickle Weld,
Their filrrow Oft the stubborn elebe hath broke;
How jocund did they drive the team afield!
How bowed the woods beneath d,eir sturdy
stroke!
Let not ambition mock their useful toll,
Their humble JOYS, and destiny obscure;
NOV USAn dauP hear u,Sfh a disdainfi,I crnita
The short and simple annals Of the poor.
The boast Of heraldrv. the pomp Of power,
And al that beauty. a. that wealth, ere gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour;
The paths ofglory lead but to the grave.
Nor you. We proud impute to these the fault,
lfmemory o er their tomb no trophies raise.
Where ,hro' the long-drawn aisle and fretted
The pealins anthem swells the note Of praise.
Can stored urn or arimated bust
Back to its mansion call the fleeing breath
Can honor s voice provoke the silent dust.
Or fattery soothe the dull cold ear Of dea,h7
Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial hres,
Handst that the rod IL empire might have sway'd
Or walked TO ecstacy the living Tyre.
But knowledge to their eyes her ample page,
Rich with the spoils Of time. did ne'er unroll
Chill Perjury depressed their noble rage,
And froze the genial current Of the soul.
Full many gem Of purest ray serene,
The dark unfa,homed caves OF ocean bear;
Full many flower is born to blush unseen.
And waste Its sweetness on the desert air.
Same village Hampden hat with daunt'ess breast
The little tvrant vt his fields wthsiood;
Some mute ingl"rious Milton. here may rest.
Some Cromwell, guiltless Of his country's blood
The applause of listening Senates to command.
The threats Of pain and ruin to despise,
Toscatter plenty o'era smiling land
And read their history in nation eyes.
Their lot forbade; nor circumscribed alone
Their growing virtues. but their crimes comm d
| Forbade Z, wade through slaughter 10 . throne,
And shut the gates OF mercy on mankind;
The struggling pangs Of conscious truth to hide,
Toquench the bushes Of ingenious shame,
| Or heap the shrine of luxury and pride
With incense knded at the muses. flame.
Far from the madding crowds enobe strife.
Their sIher wishes never learned 10 stray;
Along the cool seqnestered vale Of lite
They kept the nOiseless tenOur oftheir way.
|
| Some frail memorial still erected nigh,
With unc"u,h ryhmes and shapeless sculp.ur
| decked.
Implores the passing tribute of q sigh.
Their names, their years. spel' by the unle''sre
The place Of fame and elegy supply.
And many @ holy text around she strews.
That teach the rustic moTalist to one
For who 70 dumb fargeifulness prevs
This pleasing anxious being e'er recgneu'
LET; the warm Drec nets Of the chPcrfy Gay,
Nor cast one longing lingering loT oeh'no'
On .ome fond breast the parting st'l rehcs.
Some piOus drops the closing ese Irqu,. ~.
Zen from the hmb the voice OF na'1'c e"'0'
Zen in our ashes live the If ~onted hfes'
For thee. who, mindful ofshe unhonoured dead
Doet m these lines theif srllees tale relate,
II chance .bv lonely cnnsetnplation led'
some kindred spiri. shLl inquire thy late.
HaD,v some hoary. headed swain may say;
SOtt have We sees hin. q me peep o. dswn'
Brushing with hasV s,eps sne 49, 1i"y'
To meet the sun Upo" VIC uP'"Au
.TA.,.. q, ,hs Go,s Of ysnder nOddine beach.
Ia, $500. 81 old fantastic root 20 high,
III. Es,,ss. i.n~,h a. roon-,ide would he stretch
And more upcn The bTo,k that bubbles BY.
"H.rd nv van wood. sew smiling as in scOrn. =,
Mut,ering his wUward sane'es' be "OO'
Nou, Arocoi.p. vOGal man! like one forImn.
or eraxed with ere, o. crossed in hopeless low
T.. IN. r,ovn 7 m;Aed him On the accustomed hi
4 ~ l~~h ard nAaR hia AavAeiRa RfaA: