Once more; a certain priest, happy in his high vocation, With faith, and hope, and charity, well served his village altar; As men count riches, he was poor; but great were his treasures in heaven, And great his joys on earth, for God's sake doing good: He had few cares and many consolations, one of the welcome everywhere; The labourer accounted him his friend, and magnates did him honour at their table: With a large heart and little means he still made many grateful, And felt as the centre of a circle, of comfort, calmness, and content. But, on a weaker sabbath,--for he preached both well and wisely,-- Some casual hearer loudly praised his great neglected talents: Why should he be buried in obscurity, and throw these pearls to swine? Could he not still be doing good,--the whilst he pushed his fortunes? Then came temptation, even on the spark of discontent; The neighbouring town had a pulpit to be filled; hotly did he canvass, and won it: Now was he popular and courted, and listened to the spell of admiration, And toiled to please the taste, rather than to pierce the conscience. Greedily he sought, and seeking found, the patronizing notice of the great; He thirsted for emoluments and honours, and counted rich men happy: So he flattered, so he preached; and gold and fame flowed in; They flowed in,--he was reaping his reward, and felt himself a fool. Alas, what a shadow was he following,--how precious was the substance he had left! Man for God, gold for good, this was his miserable bargain. The village church, its humble flock, and humbler parish priest, Zeal, devotion, and approving Heaven,--his books, and simple life, His little farm and flower-beds,--his recreative rambles with a friend, And haply, at eventide, the leaping trouts, to help their humble fare, All these wretchedly exchanged for what the world called fortune, With the harrowing conscience of a state relapsed to vain ambitions. Then,--for God was gracious to his soul,--his better thoughts returned, And better aims with better thoughts, his holy walk of old. Sickened of style, and ostentation, and the dissipative fashions of society, He deserted from the ranks of Mammon, and renewed his allegiance to God: For he found that the praises of men, and all that gold can give, Are not worthy to be named, against godliness and calm contentment. OF LIFE. [Illustration: "A"]