WHY, ye Profuse, has Nature work'd in vain, To cloath with useful Woods @3Britannia@1's Plain? Why the stout Oak, great King of Forests, made, The knotted Ewe, and Beech of solemn Shade? Why bends the Ash high-rustling o'er the Hills, Why Poplars tall o'erhang the creeping Rills? My Lord contemptuous of his Country's Groves, As foreign Fashions foreign Trees too loves: "Odious! upon a Walnut-plank to dine! "No—the red-vein'd @3Mohoggony@1 be mine! "Each Chest and Chair around my Room that stands, "Was ship'd thro' dangerous Seas from distant Lands: "Death! shou'd your @3British@1 Cloths my Limbs infold! "How clumsily they sett when lac'd with Gold! "For me rich @3Persia@1's Products cross the Deep, "I owe my Dress to Silkworms, not to Sheep! "And sent to @3China@1 the poor Sailor burns, "To fetch me Cups, Bowls, Urinals and Urns."—— While thus the Great to modish Trifles stoop, Each Science sorrows, all the Muses droop; For those who most should patronize the Muse, Neglect, or dread, or fetter, or abuse. @3Pictura@1 hangs the Head, and sighing stands, And drops the useless Pallet from her Hands; @3Sculpture@1 that hop'd our lofty Halls to grace, With @3Raleigh's, Bacon's, Milton's, Newton@1's Face, (Names that from @3Britons@1 claim a loud Applause) Weeps, breaks her rusty Chissel and withdraws. The thoughtless Rich on rosy Beds repose. With downy-finger'd Sloth their Eyes to close; The Hand quite unemploy'd, and mute the Tongue, Like idle Lutes in musty Cases hung: Man grows fatigu'd with even Paths and plain, Life sweetest tastes diversify'd with Pain; The Table-Diamond shines not half so bright, As brilliant Angles rich with varied Light. Should Fortune frown, her Favourite's Visions cease, His Soul starts conscious from the Bands of Ease; Adversity to Action wakes his Worth, And gives each hidden Talent, Life and Birth. So when bleak Winter strips the mournful Trees, The Traveller, Towns, Temples, @3Villa's@1 sees, That in warm Spring invisible had stood, Too deeply bosom'd in the branching Wood. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AUTUMN SONG by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI ROMANCE by WALTER JAMES REDFERN TURNER FELDMESTEN OR MEASURING THE GRAVES by ALTER ABELSON ROMANCE OF BRUNETTES AND BLONDES by JACQUES BARON THE ALBATROSS by CHARLES BAUDELAIRE |