taking first the inanimate sounds, then the animate. In muddy
winter weather he walks alone, finds a solitary cottage, and
draws from it comment upon the false sentiment of solitude.
He describes the walk to the park at Weston Underwood, the
prospect from the hilltop, touches upon his privilege in
having a key of the gate, describes the avenues of trees, the
wilderness, the grove, and the sound of the thresher's flail
then suggests to him that all live by energy, best ease is
after toil. He compares the luxury of art with wholesomeness
of Nature free to all, that brings health to the sick, joy to
the returned seafarer. Spleen vexes votaries of artificial
life. True gaiety is for the innocent. So thought flows on,
and touches in its course the vital questions of a troubled
time. "The Task" appeared four years before the outbreak of
the French Revolution, and is in many passages not less
significant of rising storms than the "Excursion" is
significant of what came with the breaking of the clouds.

H. M.



THE TASK.



BOOK I. THE SOFA.

["The history of the following production is briefly this:--A
lady, fond of blank verse, demanded a poem of that kind from