Читать книгу The Collected Works - William Cowper - Страница 197

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Air—"The lass of Pattie's mill."

When all within is peace,

How nature seems to smile!

Delights that never cease,

The live-long day beguile.

From morn to dewy eve,

With open hand she showers

Fresh blessings to deceive

And soothe the silent hours.

It is content of heart

Gives Nature power to please;

The mind that feels no smart

Enlivens all it sees;

Can make a wint'ry sky

Seem bright as smiling May,

And evening's closing eye

As peep of early day.

The vast majestic globe,

So beauteously array'd

In Nature's various robe,

With wond'rous skill display'd,

Is to a mourner's heart

A dreary wild at best;

It flutters to depart,

And longs to be at rest.

The following song, adapted to the march in Scipio, obtained too great a celebrity not to merit insertion in this place. It relates to the loss of the Royal George, the flag-ship of Admiral Kempenfelt, which went down with nine hundred persons on board, (among whom was Rear-Admiral Kempenfelt,) at Spithead, August 29, 1782. The song was a favourite production of the poet's; so much so, that he amused himself by translating it into Latin verse. We take the version from one of his subsequent letters, for the sake of annexing it to the original.