Fair, solitary path! whose blesséd shades

The old, white prophets planted first and drest;

Leaving for us -- whose goodness quickly fades, --

A shelter all the way, and bowers to rest;

Who is the man that walks in thee? who loves

Heaven's secret solitude, those fair abodes,

Where turtles build, and careless sparrows move,

Without to-morrow's evils and future loads?

Who hath the upright heart, the single eye,

The clean, pure hand, which never meddled pitch?

Who sees invisibles, and doth comply [115]

With hidden treasures that make truly rich?

He that doth seek and love

The things above,

Whose spirit ever poor, is meek and low;

Who simple still and wise,

Still homewards flies,

Quick to advance, and to retreat most slow.

Whose acts, words, and pretence,

Have all one sense,

One aim and end; who walks not by his sight;

Whose eyes are both put out,

And goes about

Guided by faith, not by exterior light.

Who spills no blood, nor spreads

Thorns in the beds

Of the distrest, hasting their overthrow;

Making the time they had

Bitter and sad

Like chronic pains [116] , which surely kill, though slow.

Who knows Earth nothing hath

Worth love or wrath,

But in his Hope and Rock is ever glad:

Who seeks and follows peace,

When with the ease

And health of conscience it is to be had.

Who bears his cross with joy,

And doth employ

His heart and tongue in prayers for his foes;

Who lends, not to be paid, --

And gives full aid

Without that bribe which usurers impose.

Who never looks on [117] Man

Fearful and wan,

But firmly trusts in GOD; The great man's measure,

Though high and haughty, must

Be ta'en in dust;

But the good man is GOD's peculiar treasure.

-- Who doth thus, and doth not

These good deeds blot

With bad, or with neglect; and heaps not wrath

By secret filth, nor feeds

Some snake, or weeds,

Cheating himself; -- That man walks in this path.

---

Footnotes:

[115] comply, accord with

[116] Misprinted prayers (Grosart)

[117] looks on, regards