THE

THE TA S K.

BOOK VI.

ARGUMENT of the Sixth Book.

Bells at a distance. Their effe ft.-A fine noon in winter.

-A sheltered walk.- Meditation better than books. Our familiarity with the course of nature makes it appear less wonderful than it is. — The transformation that spring effe Ets in a shrubbery described.- A mistake concerning the course of nature correčted. --God maintains it by en unremitted aft, — The amusements fashionable at this hour of the day reproved. --- Animals kappy, a delightful sight. - Origin of cruelty to animals. That it is a great crime proved from scripture,

That proof illustrated by a tale. A line drawn bea tween the lawful and unlawful destruction of them. - Their good and useful properties insisted on.--- Apology for the encomiums bestowed by the author on ani. mals.- Instances of man's extravagant praise of man.The groans of the creation shall have an end.- A view taken of the restoration of all things. — An Invocation and an Invitation of him who mall bring it to pass. The retired man vindicated from the charge of uselessness.

Conclufion,

. : TA S K.

BOOK VI.

The WINTER WALK AT NOON.

There is in souls a sympathy with sounds,
And as the mind is pitch'd the ear is pleas'd
With melting airs or martial, brisk or grave.
Some chord in unison with what we hear
Is touch'd within us, and the heart replies.
How soft the music of those village bells
Falling at intervals upon the ear
In cadence sweet ! now dying all away,
Now pealing loud again and louder still,
Clear and sonorous, as the gale comes on.
With easy force it opens all the cells

Q4

Where

Where mem'ry slept. Wherever I have heard
A kindred melody, the scene recurs,
And with it all its pleasures and its pains.
Such comprehensive views the spirit takes,
That in a few short moments I retrace
(As in a map the voyager his course)

The windings of my way through many years.
Short as in retrospect the journey seems,
It seem'd not always short ; the rugged path,
And prospect oft so dreary and forlorn,
Mov'd many a figh at its disheart’ning length.
Yet feeling present evils, while the past
Faintly impress the mind, or not at all,
How readily.we wish time spent revok’d,
That we might try the ground again, where once
(Through inexperience as we now perceive)
We miss'd that happiness we might have found !
Some friend is gone, perhaps his son's best friend,
A father, whose authority, in show

When

C