Hail! INDEPENDANCE, hail! HEAVEN's next best Gift,
To that of Life and an immortal Soul!
The Life of Life! that to the Banquet high
And sober Meal gives taste; to the bow'd Roof
Fair-dream'd Repose, and to the Cottage Charms.
Of  hail, thou
Whose Streams, from every Quarter confluent, form
MY  that nurses human Life.
By Rills from Thee deduc'd, irriguous, fed,
The  looks gay, with  Wealth
Abundant flows, and blooms with each Delight
That  craves. It's happy Master there,
The ONLY FREE-MAN, walks his pleasing Round:
Sweet-featur'd  attending; fearless ;
Firm ;  blessing all
That can rejoice;  surest Friend;
And, still fresh Stores from  Book deriv'd,
Companion ever-new.
These chear his rural, and sustain or fire,
When into Action call'd, his busy Hours.
Mean time
and  combin'd, direct
His clear Affairs, and from
Secure his little Kingdom. Nor can Those
Whom  heaps, without  reach
That Truce with Pain, that animated Ease,
That Self-Enjoyment springing from within,
That INDEPENDANCE, active, or retir'd,
Which make the soundest Bliss of Man below:
But, lost beneath the Rubbish of their Means,
And drain'd by Wants to  all unknown,
A wandering, tasteless, gaily-wretched Train,
Tho' rich, are Beggars, and, tho' noble, Slaves.