620 C 0 M U S. Or found of pairral reed with oaten fops, 345 Or whiffle from the lodge, or village cock Count the night watches to his feathery dames, rwould be fome folace yet, fume little chearing in this dole dungeon of innumerous boughs. But 0 that,haplefs virgin, our loft Sifter, 35° Where may the wander now, whither betake her From the chill dew, amongft rude burs and chitties ? Perhaps Come cold bank is her bolfier now, Or 'gainft the rugged bark of fome broad elm Leans her unpillow'd head fraught with tad fears. 355 What if in wild amazement, and aff:ght, Or, while we fpeak, within the direful grafp Of favage hunger, or of favage heat ? Eld. Bro. Peace, Brother, be not over-exquifite To call the faihion of uncertain evils ; 363 For grant they be fo, while they ref unknown, What need a man foreflall his date of grief, And run to meet what he would tnoft avoid ? Or if they be but falie alarms of fear, How bitter is filch felf-delufion ? 365 I do not think my Sifter to to leek, Or fo unprincipled in virtue:8 book, And the fweet peace that goodnefs bofoms ever, As that the fingle want of light and noire (Not being in danger, as I truft the is not) 370 Could fir the conflant mood of her calm thoughts, And put them into mil-Ey:coming plight. Virtue could fee to do what virtue would By her own radiant light, though fun and moon Were in the flat fea funk. And wifdom's felf 375 Oft fetks to Tweet retired folitude, Where with her belt nurfe contemplation She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings, That in the various buille of refort Were
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