Page:Poems of Nature and Life.djvu/317

 THE HERMIT OF MELVEKiV WATER 307

��THE GRAVE.

The second mused ; O, hermit sage,

Who, wearied with the rancorous strife Which men with men unceasing wage, Hast here retired to spend thine age — An envied Hfe !

Thou seemest youthful as a boy,

Whilst gazing with so sweet a smile ; And, though thy hands find small employ, Yet in this dull world to enjoy Is worth life's while.

When all our idle lives are o'er,

Whoe'er can say he hath done as much, Need scarcely for lost time deplore ; Nine tenths of all the world, and more. Do worse than such.

��THE GAY.

In his dark log house, low and mean,

With no companion but a cat, »

He on his daily bread grows lean. While she her daily mouse picks clean, Half starved at that.

Yet still she follows at his heel.

Purrs, and sits by him like a wife ; Honest she is — there's nought to steal ; Courts not the fire — there's none to feel ; Such is their life.

No neighbors near his joys enhance ; No faithful friend his arms receive ;

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