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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431369" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Hermit</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHEN Venus and Hypocrisy combine,<br>Oft pranks are played that show a deep design;<br>Men are but men, and friars full as weak:<br>I'm not by Envy moved these truths to speak.<br>Have you a sister, daughter, pretty wife?<br>Beware the monks as you would guard your life;<br>If in their snares a simple belle be caught:<br>The trap succeeds: to ruin she is brought.<br>To show that monks are knaves in Virtue's mask;<br>Pray read my tale:--no other proof I ask.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">A HERMIT, full of youth, was thought around,<br>A saint, and worthy of the legend found.<br>The holy man a knotted cincture wore;<br>But, 'neath his garb:--heart-rotten to the core.<br>A chaplet from his twisted girdle hung,<br>Of size extreme, and regularly strung,<br>On t'other side was worn a little bell;<br>The hypocrite in ALL, he acted well;<br>And if a female near his cell appeared,<br>He'd keep within as if the sex he feared,<br>With downcast eyes and looks of woe complete,<br>You'd ne'er suppose that butter he could eat.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">NOT far from where the hermit's cell was placed,<br>Within a village dwelled a widow chaste;<br>Her residence was at the further end<br>And all her store--a daughter as a friend,<br>Who candour, youth, and charms supreme possessed;<br>And still a virgin lived, howe'er distressed.<br>Though if the real truth perhaps we name,<br>'Twas more simplicity than virtuous aim;<br>Not much of industry, but honest heart;<br>No wealth, nor lovers, who might hope impart.<br>In Adam's days, when all with clothes were born,<br>She doubtless might like finery have worn;<br>A house was furnished then without expense;<br>For sheets or mattresses you'd no pretence;<br>Not e'en a bed was necessary thought<br>No blankets, pillowbiers, nor quilts were bought.<br>Those times are o'er; then Hymen came alone;<br>But now a lawyer in his train is shown.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">OUR anchorite, in begging through the place;<br>This girl beheld,--but not with eyes of grace.<br>Said he, she'll do, and, if thou manag'st right,<br>Lucius, at times, with her to pass the night.<br>No time he lost, his wishes to secure:<br>The means, we may suppose, not over pure.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">QUITE near the open fields they lived, I've said;<br>An humble, boarded cottage o'er their head.<br>One charming night--no, I mistake 'tis plain,<br>Our hermit, favoured much by wind and rain,<br>Pierced in the boarding, where by time 'twas worn;<br>A hole through which he introduced a horn;<br>And loudly bawled:--attend to what I say,<br>Ye women, my commands at once obey.<br>This voice spread terror through the little cot;<br>Both hid their heads and trembled for their lot;<br>But still our monk his horn would sound aloud<br>Awake! cried he; your favour God has vowed;<br>My faithful servant, Lucius, haste to seek;<br>At early dawn go find this hermit meek<br>To no one say a word: 'tis Heav'n ordains;<br>Fear nothing, Lucius ever blessed remains;<br>I'll show the way myself: your daughter place,<br>Good widow, with this holy man of grace;<br>And from their intercourse a pope shall spring,<br>Who back to virtue christendom will bring.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">HE spoke to them so very loud and clear,<br>They heard, though 'neath the clothes half dead with fear.<br>Some time howe'er the females lay in dread;<br>At length the daughter ventured out her head,<br>And, pulling hastily her parent's arm,<br>Said she, dear mother, (not suspecting harm)<br>Good Heav'ns! must I obey and thither go?<br>What would the holy man on me bestow?<br>I know not what to say nor how to act;<br>Now cousin Anne would with him be exact,<br>And better recollect his sage advice:--<br>Fool! said the mother, never be so nice;<br>Go, nothing fear, and do whate'er's desired;<br>Much understanding will not be required;<br>The first or second time thou'lt get thy cue,<br>And cousin Anne will less know what to do.<br>Indeed? the girl replied; well, let's away,<br>And we'll return to bed without delay.<br>But softly, cried the mother with a smile;<br>Not quite so fast, for Satan may beguile;<br>And if 'twere so, hast taken proper care?<br>I think he spoke like one who would ensnare.<br>To be precipitate, in such a case,<br>Perhaps might lead at once to dire disgrace.<br>If thou wert terrified and did'st not hear,<br>Myself I'm sure was quite o'ercome with fear.<br>No, no, rejoined the daughter, I am right:<br>I clearly heard, dear mother, spite of fright.<br>Well then, replied the widow, let us pray,<br>That we by Satan be not led astray.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">AT length they both arose when morning came,<br>And through the day the converse was the same.<br>At night howe'er the horn was heard once more,<br>And terrified the females as before.<br>Thou unbelieving woman, cried the voice,<br>For certain purposes of God the choice;<br>No more delay, but to the hermit fly,<br>Or 'tis decreed that thou shalt quickly die.<br>Now, mother, said the girl, I told you well;<br>Come, let us hasten to the hermit's cell;<br>So much I dread your death, I'll nothing shun;<br>And if 'tis requisite, I'll even run.<br>Away then, cried the mother, let us go;<br>Some pains to dress, the daughter would bestow,<br>Without reflecting what might be her fare:--<br>To PLEASE is ev'ry blooming lass's care.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">OUR monk was on the watch you may suppose;<br>A hole he made that would a glimpse disclose;<br>By which, when near his cell the females drew,<br>They might, with whip in hand the hermit view,<br>Who, like a culprit punished for his crimes,<br>Received the lash, and that so many times,<br>It sounded like the discipline of schools,<br>And made more noise than flogging fifty fools.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHEN first our pilgrims knocked, he would not hear;<br>And, for the moment, whipping would appear;<br>The holy lash severely he applied,<br>Which, through the hole, with pain our females spied;<br>At length the door he ope'd, but from his eyes<br>No satisfaction beamed: he showed surprise.<br>With trembling knees and blushes o'er the face,<br>The widow now explained the mystick case.<br>Six steps behind, the beauteous daughter stood,<br>And waited the decree she thought so good.<br>The hypocrite howe'er the hermit played,<br>And sent these humble pilgrims back dismayed.<br>Said he, the evil spirit much I dread;<br>No female to my cell should e'er be led;<br>Excuse me then: such acts would sorrow bring;<br>From me the HOLY FATHER ne'er spring.<br>What ne'er from you? the widow straight replied:<br>And why should not the blessing, pray, be tried?<br>No other answer howsoe'er she got;<br>So back they trudged once more to gain their cot.<br>Ah! mother, said the girl, 'tis my belief,<br>Our many heavy sins have caused thus grief.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHEN night arrived and they in sleep were lost,<br>Again the hermit's horn the woodwork crossed;<br>Return, return, cried he with horrid tone;<br>To-morrow you'll have due attention shown;<br>I've changed the hermit's cold fastidious mind,<br>And when you come, he'll act as I've designed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE couple left their bed at break of day,<br>And to the cell repaired without delay<br>Our tale to shorten, Lucius kind appeared<br>To rigid rules no longer he adhered.<br>The mother with him let her girl remain,<br>And hastened to her humble roof again.<br>The belle complying looked:--he took her arm,<br>And soon familiar grew with ev'ry charm.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">O HYPOCRITES! how oft your wily art<br>Deceives the world and causes poignant smart.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">AT matins they so very often met,<br>Some awkward indications caused regret.<br>The fair at length her apron-string perceived<br>Grew daily shorter, which her bosom grieved;<br>But nothing to the hermit she'd unfold,<br>Nor e'en those feelings to her mother told;<br>She dreaded lest she should be sent away,<br>And be deprived at once of Cupid's play.<br>You'll tell me whence so much discernment came?<br>From this same play:--the tree of art by name.<br>For sev'n long months the nymph her visits paid;<br>Her inexperience doubtless wanted aid.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">BUT when the mother saw her daughter's case,<br>She made her thank the monk, and leave the place.<br>The hermit blessed the Lord for what was done;<br>A pleasant course his humble slave had run.<br>He told the mother and her daughter fair,<br>The child, by God's permission, gifts would share.<br>Howe'er, be careful, said the wily wight,<br>That with your infant ev'ry thing goes right;<br>To you, from thence, great happiness will spring:<br>You'll reign the parent of what's more than king;<br>Your relatives to noble rank will rise:<br>Some will be princes; others lords comprise;<br>Your nephews cardinals; your cousins too<br>Will dukes become, if they the truth pursue;<br>And places, castles, palaces, there'll be,<br>For you and them of every high degree;<br>You'll nothing want: eternal is the source,<br>Like waters flowing in the river's course.<br>This long prediction o'er: with features grave,<br>His benediction to them both he gave.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHEN home returned, the girl, each day and night,<br>Amused her mind with prospects of delight;<br>By fancy's aid she saw the future pope,<br>And all prepared to greet her fondest hope;<br>But what arrived the whole at once o'erthrew<br>Hats, dukedoms, castles, vanished from the view:<br>The promised elevation of the NAME<br>Dissolved to air:-a little female came!</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=La+Fontaine">La Fontaine</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431369" data-title="The Hermit de La Fontaine" data-description="WHEN Venus and Hypocrisy combine,
Oft pranks are played that show a deep design;
Men are but men, and friars full as weak:
I'm not by Envy moved these truths to speak.
Have you a sister, daughter, pretty wife?
Beware the monks as you would guard y..."></div>
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