Sweet bird of the meadow, oh! soft be thy rest,
Thy mother will wake thee at morn from thy nest;
She has made a soft nest, little red-breast for thee,
Of the leaves of the birch, and the moss of the tree.
Then soothe thee, sweet bird of my bosom, once more,
'Tis Sleep, little infant, that stands at the door.
"Where is the sweet babe?" you may hear how he cries,
"Where is the sweet babe?" in his cradle that lies;
"In his cradle, soft swaddled in vestments of down,
"'Tis mine to watch o'er him till darkness be flown."
QUIET MIND.
"My mind to me a kingdom is,
Such perfect joy therein I find,
As far exceeds all earthly bliss,
That God or nature hath assign'd:
Though much I want, that most would have,
Yet still my mind forbids to crave.
"Content to live, this is my stay;
I seek no more than may suffice:
I press to bear no haughty sway,
Look, what I lack, my mind supplies.
Lo! thus I triumph like a king,
Content with what my mind doth bring.
"I see how plenty surfeits oft,
And hasty climbers soonest fall,
I see that such as sit aloft,
Mishap doth threaten most of all:
These get with toil, and keep with fear,
Such cares my mind could never bear.
"No princely pomp, nor wealthy store,
No force to win a victory,
No wily wit to salve a sore,
No shape to win a lover's eye.
To none of these I yield as thrall,
For why? my mind despiseth all.
"Some have too much, yet still they crave;
I little have, yet seek no more,
They are but poor, though much they have,
And I am rich with little store:
They poor, I rich; they beg, I give,
They lack, I lend; they pine, I live.
"I laugh not at another's loss,
I grudge not at another's gain;
No worldly wave my mind can toss,
I brook what is another's bane;
I fear no foe, nor fawn no friend,
I loathe not life, nor dread its end.
"My wealth is health—and perfect ease,
My conscience clear, my chief defence:
I never seek by bribes to please,
Nor by desert to give offence;
Thus do I live, thus will I die,
Would all did so, as well as I.
"I take no joy in earthly bliss,
I weigh not Crœsus' wealth a straw;
For care, I care not what it is,
I fear not Fortune's fatal law.
My mind is such as may not move,
For beauty bright, or force of love.