When the wild turmoil of this wearisome life,
With its scenes of oppression, corruption and strife;
The proud man's scorn and the base man's fear,
And the scoffer's laugh and the sufferer's tear;
And malice and meanness, and falsehood and folly,
Disposed them to musing and dark melancholy;
When their bosoms were full, and their thoughts were high,
And their souls were sick with the outlaw's sigh—
Oh, then there was freedom, and joy, and pride,
Afar in the broad plains alone to ride!"