"Yet," said I, tempted here to interpose, "The dignity of life is not impaired By aught that innocently satisfies The humbler cravings of the heart; and he Is a still happier man, who, for those heights 355 Of speculation not unfit, descends; And such benign affections cultivates Among the inferior kinds; not merely those That he may call his own, and which depend, As individual objects of regard, 360 Upon his care, from whom he also looks For signs and tokens of a mutual bond; But others, far beyond this narrow sphere, Whom, for the very sake of love, he loves. Nor is it a mean praise of rural life 365 And solitude, that they do favour most, Most frequently call forth, and best sustain, These pure sensations; that can penetrate The obstreperous city; on the barren seas Are not unfelt; and much might recommend, 370 How much they might inspirit and endear, The loneliness of this sublime retreat!"
"Yes," said the Sage, resuming the discourse Again directed to his downcast Friend, "If, with the froward will and grovelling soul 375 Of man, offended, liberty is here, And invitation every hour renewed, To mark _their_ placid state, who never heard Of a command which they have power to break, Or rule which they are tempted to transgress: 380 These, with a soothed or elevated heart, May we behold; their knowledge register; Observe their ways; and, free from envy, find Complacence there:--but wherefore this to you? I guess that, welcome to your lonely hearth, 385 The redbreast, ruffled up by winter's cold Into a 'feathery bunch,' feeds at your hand:[329] A box, perchance, is from your casement hung For the small wren to build in;--not in vain, The barriers disregarding that surround 390 This deep abiding place, before your sight Mounts on the breeze the butterfly; and soars, Small creature as she is, from earth's bright flowers, Into the dewy clouds. Ambition reigns In the waste wilderness: the Soul ascends 395 Drawn towards her native firmament of heaven,[330] When the fresh eagle, in the month of May, Upborne, at evening, on replenished wing, This shaded valley leaves;[331][EI] and leaves the dark Empurpled hills, conspicuously renewing 400 A proud communication with the sun Low sunk beneath the horizon!--List!--I heard, From yon huge breast of rock, a voice sent forth[332] As if the visible mountain made the cry. Again!"--The effect upon the soul was such 405 As he expressed: from out the mountain's heart The solemn voice appeared to issue, startling The blank air--for the region all around Stood empty of all shape of life, and silent Save for that single cry, the unanswer'd bleat 410 Of a poor lamb--left somewhere to itself,[333] The plaintive spirit of the solitude![EJ] He paused, as if unwilling to proceed, Through consciousness that silence in such place Was best, the most affecting eloquence. 415 But soon his thoughts returned upon themselves, And, in soft tone of speech, thus he[334] resumed.