“Whom pass’d we musing near the woodman’s shed, Whose horse not only carried him but led, That his grave rider might have slept the time, Or solved a problem, or composed a rhyme? A more abstracted man within my view Has never come--He recollected you.” “Yes--he was thoughtful--thinks the whole day long, Deeply, and chiefly that he once thought wrong; He thought a strong and kindred mind to trace In the soft outlines of a trifler’s face. 10 “Poor Finch! I knew him when at school--a boy Who might be said his labours to enjoy; So young a pedant that he always took The girl to dance who most admired her book; And would the butler and the cook surprise, Who listen’d to his Latin exercise; The matron’s self the praise of Finch avow’d, He was so serious, and he read so loud. But yet, with all this folly and conceit, The lines he wrote were elegant and neat; 20 And early promise in his mind appear’d Of noble efforts when by reason clear’d. “And when he spoke of wives, the boy would say, His should be skill’d in Greek and algebra; For who would talk with one to whom his themes, And favourite studies, were no more than dreams? For this, though courteous, gentle, and humane, The boys contemn’d and hated him as vain, Stiff and pedantic.--” “Did the man enjoy, In after life, the visions of the boy?”-- 30 “At least they form’d his wishes, they were yet The favourite views on which his mind was set: He quaintly said, how happy must they prove, Who, loving, study--or who, studious, love; Who feel their minds with sciences imbued, And their warm hearts by beauty’s force subdued. “His widow’d mother, who the world had seen, And better judge of either sex had been, Told him that, just as their affairs were placed, In some respects he must forego his taste; 40 That every beauty, both of form and mind, Must be by him, if unendow’d, resign’d; That wealth was wanted for their joint affairs; His sisters’ portions, and the Hall’s repairs. “The son assented--and the wife must bring Wealth, learning, beauty, ere he gave the ring; But as these merits, when they all unite, Are not produced in every soil and site; And when produced are not the certain gain Of him who would these precious things obtain; 50 Our patient student waited many a year, Nor saw this phœnix in his walks appear. But, as views mended in the joint estate, He would a something in his points abate; Give him but learning, beauty, temper, sense, And he would then the happy state commence. The mother sigh’d, but she at last agreed; And now the son was likely to succeed. Wealth is substantial good the fates allot: