Epistle To The Patriotic Farmer[372]

Thus, while new laws the stubborn States reclaim, And most for pensions, some for honours aim, You, who first aimed a shaft at George's crown, And marked the way to conquest and renown, While from the vain, the lofty, and the proud, Retiring to your groves, you shun the crowd,-- Can toils, like yours, in cold oblivion end, Columbia's patriot, and her earliest friend? Blest, doubly blest, from public scenes retired, Where public welfare all your bosom fired; Your life's best days in studious labours past Your deeds of virtue make your bliss at last; When all things fail, the soul must rest on these!-- May heaven restore you to your favourite trees, And calm content, best lot to man assigned, Be heaven's reward to your exalted mind. When her base projects you beheld, with pain, And early doomed an end to Britain's reign. When rising nobly in a generous cause (Sworn foe to tyrants and imported laws) Thou Dickinson! the patriot and the sage, How much we owed to your convincing page:[A] That page--the check of tyrants and of knaves, Gave birth to heroes who had else been slaves, Who, taught by you, denied a monarch's sway; And if they brought him low--you planned the way. Though in this glare of pomp you take no part Still must your conduct warm each generous heart: What, though you shun the patriot vain and loud, While hosts neglect, that once to merit bowed, Shun those gay scenes, were recent laurels grow, The mad Procession, and the painted show; In days to come, when pomp and pride resign, Who would not change his proudest wreathes for thine, In fame's fair fields such well-earned honours share, And Dickinson confess unrivalled there! [1788]

[A] The Farmer's Letters, and others of his truly valuable writings.--Freneau's note.

John Dickinson (1732-1808), a lawyer in Philadelphia, and a member of the Colonial Congress of 1765 and of the Continental Congress of 1774, first came into wide prominence in 1767 through the publication of his series of papers entitled "Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies." From this time until his death he was a vigorous and voluminous publicist. His influence upon his times was very great. The text of the poem is from the 1809 edition.