The TRAVELLER'S RETURN. Sweet to the morning traveller And cheering to the traveller The gales that round him play, When faint and heavily he drags Along his noon-tide way. And when beneath the unclouded sun Full wearily toils he, The flowing water makes to him Most pleasant melody. And when the evening light decays There is sweet music to his ear In the distant sheep-bells sound. And sweet the neighbouring church's bell That welcomes his return. To a SPIDER. Spider! thou need'st not run in fear about Nor will I roast thee with a damn'd delight One day roast me. Thou art welcome to a Rhymer sore-perplext, The subject of his verse: There's many a one who on a better text Then shrink not, old Free-Mason, from my view, But quietly like me spin out the line; Do thou thy work pursue As I will mine. Weaver of snares, thou emblemest the ways Hell's huge black Spider for mankind he lays When Betty's busy eye runs round the room Spider! of old thy flimsy webs were thought, To emblem laws in which the weak are caught And if a victim in thy toils is ta'en, Like some poor client is that wretched fly- His life-blood dry. And is not thy weak work like human schemes Such are young hopes and Love's delightful dreams So does the Statesman, whilst the Avengers sleep, His work away. |