St. Catharine'S[A][382]

[A] An island on the sea-coast of Georgia.--Freneau's note.

He that would wish to rove a while In forests green and gay, From Charleston bar to Catharine's isle Might sigh to find the way! What scenes on every side appear, What pleasure strikes the mind, From Folly's train, thus wandering far, To leave the world behind.

The music of these savage groves In simple accents swells, And freely here, their sylvan loves The feather'd nation tells; The panting deer through mingled shades Of oaks forever green The vegetable world invades, That skirts the watery scene.

Thou sailor, now exploring far The broad Atlantic wave, Crowd all your canvas, gallant tar, Since Neptune never gave On barren seas so fine a view As here allures the eye, Gay, verdant scenes that Nature drew In colours from the sky.

Ye western winds! awhile delay To swell the expecting sail-- Who would not here, a hermit, stay In yonder fragrant vale, Could he engage what few can find, That coy, unwilling guest (All avarice banish'd from the mind) Contentment, in the breast!

Text from the edition of 1795. The poem seems to have appeared first in the National Gazette of Feb. 16, 1792, under the title, "Lines written at St. Catharine's Island on the coast of Georgia, November, 1789." The poem is not found in the 1809 edition.