The Complete Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith. Оливер Голдсмит

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СКАЧАТЬ crowded mart, the cultivated plain, 295

      A new creation rescu'd from his reign.

       Thus, while around the wave-subjected soil

      Impels the native to repeated toil,

      Industrious habits in each bosom reign,

      And industry begets a love of gain. 300

      Hence all the good from opulence that springs,

      With all those ills superfluous treasure brings,

      Are here displayed. Their much-lov'd wealth imparts

      Convenience, plenty, elegance, and arts;

      But view them closer, craft and fraud appear, 305

      E'en liberty itself is barter'd here.

      At gold's superior charms all freedom flies,

      The needy sell it, and the rich man buys;

      A land of tyrants, and a den of slaves,

      Here wretches seek dishonourable graves, 310

      And calmly bent, to servitude conform,

      Dull as their lakes that slumber in the storm.

       Heavens! how unlike their Belgic sires of old!

      Rough, poor, content, ungovernably bold;

      War in each breast, and freedom on each brow; 315

      How much unlike the sons of Britain now!

       Fir'd at the sound, my genius spreads her wing,

      And flies where Britain courts the western spring;

      Where lawns extend that scorn Arcadian pride,

      And brighter streams than fam'd Hydaspes glide. 320

       notes

      page 16

      There all around the gentlest breezes stray,

      There gentle music melts on ev'ry spray;

      Creation's mildest charms are there combin'd,

      Extremes are only in the master's mind!

      Stern o'er each bosom reason holds her state, 325

      With daring aims irregularly great;

      Pride in their port, defiance in their eye,

      I see the lords of human kind pass by,

      Intent on high designs, a thoughtful band,

      By forms unfashion'd, fresh from Nature's hand; 330

      Fierce in their native hardiness of soul,

      True to imagin'd right, above control,

      While e'en the peasant boasts these rights to scan,

      And learns to venerate himself as man.

       Thine, Freedom, thine the blessings pictur'd here, 335

      Thine are those charms that dazzle and endear;

      Too bless'd, indeed, were such without alloy,

      But foster'd e'en by Freedom, ills annoy:

      That independence Britons prize too high,

      Keeps man from man, and breaks the social tie; 340

      The self-dependent lordlings stand alone,

      All claims that bind and sweeten life unknown;

      Here by the bonds of nature feebly held,

      Minds combat minds, repelling and repell'd.

      Ferments arise, imprison'd factions roar, 345

      Repress'd ambition struggles round her shore,

      Till over-wrought, the general system feels

      Its motions stop, or frenzy fire the wheels.

       Nor this the worst. As nature's ties decay,

      As duty, love, and honour fail to sway, 350

       notes

      page 17

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