The Irish Poet and the Natural World: An Anthology of Verse in English from the Tudors to the Romantics

Thomas Parnell (1679–1713–1718)

137 THOMAS PARNELL (1679–1713–1718) Thomas Parnell was born in Dublin, educated at Trinity College and ordained into the Church of Ireland. In 1706, he was appointed archdeacon of Clogher and in 1716 became vicar of Finglas, near Dublin. He visited London frequently and became friendly with Swift, Pope and other members of the Scriblerus Club. Alexander Pope, who edited Parnell’s verse for publication after his death, described the poem that follows as one of ‘the most beautiful things I have ever read’ (The Correspondence of Alexander Pope ed. George Sherburn (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1956), I, 396). from: Health, an Eclogue Now early Shepherds o’er the Meadow pass, And print long Foot-steps in the glittering Grass; The Cows neglectful of their Pasture stand, By turns obsequious to the Milker’s Hand. … Here wafted o’er by mild Etesian1 Air, Thou Country Goddess, beauteous Health! repair; Here let my Breast thro’ quiv’ring Trees inhale Thy rosy Blessings with the Morning Gale.2 What are the Fields, or Flow’rs, or all I see? Ah! tastless all, if not enjoy’d with thee. 10 Joy to my Soul! I feel the Goddess nigh, The Face of Nature cheers as well as I; O’er the flat Green refreshing Breezes run, The smiling Dazies blow3 beneath the Sun, The Brooks run purling down with silver Waves, The planted Lanes rejoice with dancing Leaves, The chirping Birds from all the Compass rove To tempt the tuneful Echoes of the Grove: The ‘Etesian’ winds are the winds that (in Mediterranean countries) blow from the 1 northwest for about forty days every summer; they are thought to give relief from the summer heat. i.e. a gentle breeze. 2 flower. 3 138 High sunny Summits, deeply shaded Dales, Thick Mossy Banks, and flow’ry winding Vales, 20 With various Prospect4 gratify the Sight, And scatter fix’d Attention in Delight. Come, Country Goddess, come, nor thou suffice, But bring thy Mountain-Sister, Exercise. Call’d by thy lively Voice, she turns her Pace, Her winding Horn5 proclaims the finish’d Chace; She mounts the Rocks, she skims the level Plain, Dogs, Hawks, and Horses, crowd her early Train; Her hardy Face repels the tanning Wind, And Lines and Meshes6 loosely float behind. 30 All these as Means of Toil the Feeble see, But these are helps to Pleasure join’d with thee. Let Sloth lye softning ’till high Noon in Down, Or lolling fan her in the sult’ry Town, Unnerv’d with Rest; and turn7 her own Disease, Or foster others in luxurious Ease: I mount the Courser,8 call the deep mouth’d Hounds, The Fox unkennell’d flies to covert Grounds; I lead where Stags thro’ tangled Thickets tread, And shake the Saplings with their branching Head; 40 I make the Faulcons wing their airy Way, And soar to seize, or stooping strike their Prey; To snare the Fish I fix the luring Bait; To wound the Fowl I load the Gun with Fate. ’Tis thus thro’ change of Exercise I range, And Strength and Pleasure rise from ev’ry Change. Here beautious Health for all the Year remain, When the next comes, I’ll charm thee thus again. differing vistas, views. 4 The hunting horn being blown or ‘winded’ as air is forced through it. 5 i.e. snares for catching wild animals and birds. 6 alter, amend. 7 stallion, powerful horse. 8 139 Thomas Parnell Oh come, thou Goddess of my rural Song, And bring thy Daughter, calm Content, along, 50 Dame of the ruddy Cheek and laughing Eye, From whose bright Presence Clouds of Sorrow fly: For her I mow my Walks, I platt my Bow’rs,9 Clip my low Hedges, and support my Flow’rs; To welcome her, this Summer Seat I drest, And here I court her when she comes to Rest; When she from Exercise to learned Ease Shall change again, and teach the Change to please. … i.e. intertwine the branches of growing shrubs to make bowers. 9 ...