PINDARICODETOTHETREADMILL

pindaricodetothetreadmill

(1825)

i

inspiremyspirit,spiritofdefoe,

thatsangthepillory,

inloftierstrainstoshow

amoresublimemachine

thanthat,wherethemwertseen,

withneckout-stretchtandshouldersillawry,

courtingcoarseplauditsfromvilecrowdsbelow—

amostunseemlyshow!

ii

insuchaplace

whocouldexposethyface,

historiographerofdeathlesscrusoe!

thatpaint'stthestrife

andallthenakedillsofsavagelife,

faraboverousseau?

rathermyselfhadstood

inthatignoblewood,

baretothemob,onholydayorhighday.

ifnoughtelsecouldatone

forishlibel,

iswearonbible,

iwouldhavesparedhimforthysakealone,

manfriday!

iii

ourancestors'weresourdays,

greatmasterofromance!

amilderdoomhadfallentothychance

inourdays:

thysoleassignment

somesolitaryconfinement,

(notworththycareacarrot,)

whereinworld-hiddencell

thouthyowncrusoemighthaveactedwell,

onlywithouttheparrot;

bysureexperiencetaughttoknow,

whetherthequalmsthoumak'sthimfeelweretrulysuchorno.

iv

butstay!methinksinstateliermeasure—

amorecompanionablepleasure—

iseethystepsthemightytreadmilltrace,

(thesubjectofmysong

delay'dhoweverlong,)

andsomeofthineownrace,

tokeeptheecompany,thoubring'stwiththeealong.

therewiththeego,

link'dinlikesentence,

withregulatedpaceandfootingslow,