THE ARGUMENT. Introduction Ringing of Bells in a neighbouring Village ... on the Birth of an Heir... General Reflections on Human Life... The Subject proposed ... Childhood ... Youth... Manhood...Love... Marriage...Domestic Happiness and Affliction... War... Peace... Civil Dissension... Retirement from active Life ... Old Age and its Enjoyments... Conclusion. THE lark has sung his carol in the sky; For now the caudle-cup is circling there, The babe, the sleeping image of his sire. A few short years-and then these sounds shall hail The day again, and gladness fill the vale; So soon the child a youth, the youth a man, Then the huge ox shall yield the broad sir-loin; ""Twas on these knees he sate so oft and smiled." And once, alas, nor in a distant hour, Another voice shall come from yonder tower; He rests in holy earth with them that went before. And such is Human Life; so gliding on, To minstrel-harps at midnight's witching hour! We cast a longer shadow in the sun! And now a charm, and now a grace is won! We grow in stature, and in wisdom too! And, as new scenes, new objects rise to view, Yet, all forgot, how oft the eye-lids close, Nor do we speak or move, or hear or see; So like what once we were, and once again shall be ! And say, how soon, where, blithe as innocent, The boy at sun-rise carolled as he went, F An aged pilgrim on his staff shall lean, The man himself how altered, not the scene! And we shall look to-morrow as to-day. Yet while the loveliest smiles, her locks grow grey! And in her glass could she but see the face She'll see so soon amid another race, How would she shrink!-Returning from afar, After some years of travel, some of war, Before a wife, a father, and a son! And such is Human Life, the general theme. Ah, what at best, what but a longer dream? Though with such wild romantic wanderings fraught, Such forms in Fancy's richest colouring wrought, That, like the visions of a love-sick brain, Who would not sleep and dream them o'er again? Our pathway leads but to a precipice; And all must follow, fearful as it is! From the first step 'tis known; but-No delay! On, 'tis decreed. We tremble and obey. |