Scarce through the sod my cot aspires

“Scarce through the sod my cot aspires, “Scarce shelter’d from the weltering storm, “Yet here the muses ring their lyres, “When pealing rains the night deform.

“Far from that cot, each social friend, “And every dear, domestic tie, “My pensive hours I’m doom’d to spend, “And oft to heave the bitter sigh.

“For me pale Slander taints the gale, “Suspicion spreads her murky snares, “Disease’s dreaded shaft assails, “And her dark chalice Hate prepares.

“Lurking beneath a fair disguise, “Her zone with daggers planted round, “Ingratitude, with changing eyes, “Strives Sensibility to wound.

“Ye Sister Nine, again inspire “The joys my better moments knew, “When fairy Hope, and young Desire, “On light wing, round my temples flew.

“Yet here, on Tideswell’s wintry moor, “While drifted snows my steps ensnare, “And through the night the tempests roar, “And fiercely whirl my frozen hair;

“As, straggling, towards my home I wend, “Sweet fancy cheers the dreary way, “On my chill’d heart her fires descend, “Bright as the star that leads the day;

“And, basking in her cordial beams, “The foster’d JULIA’S form appears; “The Goddess deck’d her tuneful themes, “Soft warbling through revolving years.

“Me Julia’s friendship cheers each morn; “Truth whispers it shall ever last; “Then let me present evils scorn, “And bravely triumph o’er the past!”

l. 6. Long-known—Near the author’s native village, Eyam, in Derbyshire.

l. 4. Ash-trees gay—The red and varied leaf of the mountain-ash justifies the epithet gay.

l. 9. Charming Harriet—Mrs Granville.

l. 15. Dewes—Court Dewes, Esq. of Wellsburn, in Warwickshire, since deceased.