Wit & humour > Gentle shepherd

42 7/5* GENTLE SHEPHERD.
Yonder, ah me! it defolately (lands
Without a roof; the gates fall’n from their bands;
The cafements all broke down, no chimney left,
The naked walls of tap’llry all bereft.
My (tables and pavilions, broken walls !
That with each rainy blaft decaying falls.
My gardens once adorn’d, the moll complete.
With all that nature, all that art makes fweet:
Where round the figur’d green and pebble walks.
The dewy flowers hung nodding on their (talks:
But over-grown with nettles, docks and brier,
No Jaccacinths or Eglintines appear.
How do thefe ample walls to ruin yield,
Where Peach and Neft’rine branches found a bield.
And baflt’d in rays, which early did produce
Fruit fair to view, delightful in the ufe!
All round in gaps, the mod in rubbifti ly,
And from what (lands the wither’d branches fly.
Thefe foon (hall be repair’d;— and now my joy.
Forbids all grief,—when I’m to fee my Boy,
My only prop, and object of my care,
Since heav’n too foon call’d home his Mother fair.
Him, ere the rays of reafon clear’d his thought,
I fecretly to faithful Symon brought.
And charg’d him (Iriflly to conceal his birth,
’Till we (hould fee what changing times brought forth.
Hid from himfelf, he (farts up by the dawn.
And ranges carelefs o’er the height and lawn.
After his fleecy charge ferenely gay.
With other (hepherds whiffling o’er the day.
Thrice happy life, that’s from ambition free:
Remov’d from crowns and courts, how chearfully
A quiet contented mortal fpends his time.
In hearty health, his foul unflain’d with crime}
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