“I!” quoth the youth, “I challenge all mankind To find a fault; what fault have you to find? Improve I not in manner, speech, and grace? 400 Inquire--my friends will tell it to your face; Have I been taught to guard his kine and sheep? A man like me has other things to keep; This let him know.”--“It would his wrath excite; But come, prepare, you must away to-night.”-- “What! leave my studies, my improvements leave, My faithful friends and intimates to grieve!”-- “Go to your father, Stephen, let him see All these improvements; they are lost on me.” The youth, though loth, obey’d, and soon he saw 410 The farmer-father, with some signs of awe: Who kind, yet silent, waited to behold How one would act, so daring, yet so cold; And soon he found, between the friendly pair That secrets pass’d which he was not to share; But he resolved those secrets to obtain, And quash rebellion in his lawful reign. Stephen, though vain, was with his father mute; He fear’d a crisis, and he shunn’d dispute; And yet he long’d with youthful pride to show 420 He knew such things as farmers could not know; These to the grandam he with freedom spoke, Saw her amazement, and enjoy’d the joke. But, on the father when he cast his eye, Something he found that made his valour shy; And thus there seem’d to be a hollow truce, Still threat’ning something dismal to produce. Ere this the father at his leisure read The son’s choice volumes, and his wonder fled; He saw how wrought the works of either kind 430 On so presuming, yet so weak, a mind; These in a chosen hour he made his prey, Condemn’d, and bore with vengeful thoughts away; Then in a close recess the couple near, He sat unseen to see, unheard to hear. There soon a trial for his patience came; Beneath were placed the youth and ancient dame, Each on a purpose fix’d--but neither thought How near a foe, with power and vengeance fraught. And now the matron told, as tidings sad, 440 What she had heard of her beloved lad; How he to graceless, wicked men gave heed, And wicked books would night and morning read; Some former lectures she again began, And begg’d attention of her little man; She brought, with many a pious boast, in view His former studies, and condemn’d the new: Once he the names of saints and patriarchs old, Judges and kings, and chiefs and prophets, told; Then he in winter-nights the Bible took, 450 To count how often in the sacred book The sacred name appear’d, and could rehearse Which were the middle chapter, word, and verse, The very letter in the middle placed, And so employ’d the hours that others waste. “Such wert thou once; and now, my child, they say Thy faith like water runneth fast away;