Would Heaven's High Sov'reign condescend
To crown my wish, and let me spend
The days on earth He's pleased to give,
In that fair place, I'd choose to live,
Where upon a rising ground,
A little distance from the town,
Far beyond the noisy rout
Of carts and wagons driven about,
Or the more confounded din
Of men contending for a pin;
Where Aurora spreads the light
First in the morn and last at night;
Where sweet zephyrs breath is pure
Which all diseases helps to cure
Fresh at every hour should come
Wafting spices, myrrh and gum;
And at eve more fragrant grows
Like the sweet-brier and the rose.

    A placid stream with gentle tide
Meandering through a mead should glide
Enamel'd o'er with every hue
Which on the earth yet ever grew,
And lofty pine and oak in rows
And the elm with careless boughs
On each side should raise their head
Shading fishes in their bed;
To the east this stream should run
As emulous to meet the sun,
Whose beams reflected from the glass
Make double morn my life compass;
While pleasure-boats wth silken sails
And streamers gay, delight the vales.

    Men of all professions there
Should issue forth to take the air;
Two or three in every line
Should be invited to my wine;
Such whose tempers are serene,
And had with books familiar been.

    A garden interspersed with trees
Waving to the gentle breeze
Laden with all kinds of fruit
Which the climate ere could suit--
Peaches, apples, plums and cherries,
Pears and apricots, with berries
Creeping latent through the grass
All other pleasures should surpass,
Surprising oft the eye with joy
And to the grateful touch not coy.

    A purling rill with winding course,
Now gentle and then sounding hoarse
Through arbors and by pleasant walks,
Where flowers should grow upon their stalks,
The pink and rose and dafodil,
Lady's delight which crowns the hill,
Narcisus fair, with tulips gay
Which finely dress themselves in May,
With all the summer's shining train
Which breathe more fragrant for the rain
And afford a sweet repast
For busy bees which love their taste.
There humming-birds with plumage gay,
Shining bright as flowers in May,
Around my head should sprightly play,
On nimble wings they seem to dance,
Suspended still without advance,
And then away as swift as light
So sudden that they 'scape the sight,
Their plumes of scarlet, gold and green,
A lively hue as e'er was seen;
These o'er my flowers should rove at pleasure,
Partake the joy, not spoil the treasure;
But with their little tube-like bill
From opening blossoms drink their fill,
And on farina fine they feed
Which fully satisfies their need.

    Frequent here would I resort
To enjoy the blissful sport,
And to view with pleasing eye
All that blooms beneath the sky;
See where the primrose dips its bill
Among the dew-drops on the hill,
And where the lily hangs her head
O'er the violets in their bed,
All bestrew'd with green and gold.
Where pretty birds sweet dalliance hold,
There the lark his mate invites
To pass with him the summer nights
And early in the morn awake
Together the first dawn partake,
And on their silver pinions rise
And sing their matins in the skies;
With sweetest notes they fill the air,
And call forth sheperds to their care.
I'd hear the bleating flocks of sheep
When the dawn begins to peep,
And from my couch would rise alert
To join and share the sweet concert;
Hear the dulcet harmony
Warbled sweet from every tree,
From the meads and from the vales,
On the hills and in the dales;
Various notes of flocks and herds,
Mingling with the singing birds,
Should echo fast from hill to hill,
Till ev'ry part of air they fill.

    I'd have a little grove fast by,
There to repair in milder sky;
My morn and evening walk should be
To view the birds perched on the tree;
Their shining, glossy plumes would fill
My ravished eye with pleasure still.
There the linnet, thrush and quail,
There the mock bird feme and male,
There the sparrow with robinhood
And every bird that loves the wood
Should live at ease secure from fear,--
No cruel fowler should come near;
The whip-poor-will should cheer the night
With her sweet notes that sleep invite.
About my farm tame fowls should rove--
Geese and turkeys, ducks and dove;
Nor would I want the guinea-hen
Which imitates the chattering wren;
And the proud cock who struts and crows
Defiance to his neighboring foes;
Martins and swallows, chattering sweet,
In friendship 'round my house should meet;
The peacock, with majestic mein
And richest plumes, should ofts be seen
Spreading his waving glories high
With dazzling lustre, charm the eye.

    Nor would I want those joys refined
With holy wedlock which are join'd;
For Hymen's mystic knot unites
Sublimest joys and sweet delights.
With one fair in love I'd join,
Whose pleasing words should cheer like wine;
Whose soul to mine so near was grown,
No striking difference could be kown,
But blended in sweet bands of love,
In concert both should always move,
And dimpled smiles with mutual glance,
Should joys reciprocal advance.

    To crown the whole and give a relish
To all the pleasures life embelish,
On holy days I would not lose
The pleasure which from worship flows;
And near my house should be the seat
Where those who love to praise should meet
To tread the courts of God most high
And hear the message from the sky,
From one who knows how to dispense
The joyful truths sent down from thence.
And join with those whose souls are graced
With love and truth and righteousness;
To pray and praise, adore and sing
Loud anthems to the eternal King;
With joy my heart should more dilate
Than with the favors of the great.

    But give me such a pleasing spot,
And I'll not envy kings their court.