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"The parish-aid withdrawn, I look'd around,
And in my school a bless'd subsistence found—
My winter-calm of life: to be of use
Would pleasant thoughts and heavenly hopes produce;
I loved them all; it soothed me to presage
The various trials of their riper age,
Then dwell on mine, and bless the Power who gave
Pains to correct us, and remorse to save.
"Yes! these were days of peace, but they are past—