{"id":510,"date":"2010-01-15T10:13:50","date_gmt":"2010-01-15T10:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/54.229.91.100\/libraryandarts\/library\/ehistory\/?p=510"},"modified":"2010-01-15T10:13:50","modified_gmt":"2010-01-15T10:13:50","slug":"poem-upon-harristown-by-john-winstanley-1742","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/poem-upon-harristown-by-john-winstanley-1742\/","title":{"rendered":"POEM “UPON HARRISTOWN” BY JOHN WINSTANLEY, 1742"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
———–<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
November 2009 issue of<\/p>\n
THE BRIDGE<\/div>\n
Kilcullen Community Magzine<\/div>\n

<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/font><\/span> <\/div>\n
 Upon Harristown.<\/font><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/em><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n

 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
From Care, from Noise, from ever’y Bustle free,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Possessing all that with my Soul agree,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Willing with soft Retirement to please<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
My sprightly Fancy, and my youthful Days,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Whilst others wildly do in Town reside,                             <\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Consuming Fortune, and advancing Pride ;<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
While one on Chloe looks with longing Eyes,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And for Perryna’s Face another dies,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Where Plays and Stews all kinds of Vice do shew,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Loss of Fortune, Health, and ever’y Woe,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Which Youth debauch’d too surely undergo.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
Then far more happy I account my Lot,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Town despising, and it’s Ways forgot,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Thus far, from all its wicked nauseous Strife,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
In Country live a pleasing, harmless Life,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Divert my Thoughts, indulge my waking Muse,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The first I flatter, and the last I chuse,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Some thoughts I mention, and since Muse I name,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
I’ll sing the Country’s well deserving Fame:<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Its pleasing Prospects, and its wholesome Game,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
How Nature strives to beautify in Dress,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The many Charms that Harristown possess,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
By Art designed a noble old Retreat,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
For a wise man distinguishably Great,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Old lofty Rooms, and spacious Halls do tell,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
How free he seem’d to live and to excel,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
In all Things grand, inimitably well.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
From different View, you many Scenes may see,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Your mind still fed with sweet Variety,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
How various Scenes divert in various Ways,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And Art and Nature labour for to please.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Here lengthen’d Walks of Gravel form’d by Art,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
A roving Fancy to the Mind impart,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The ravish’d Sights can scarce the End discry <\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Which beautifully pleasing charm the Eye<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And grass and Gravel interwove are seen<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And different Trees depaint a diff’rent green,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
One verdant Walk does gradually arise,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And falling gently equally surprise,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And many Trees do there together grow,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And pleasing Shades to Solitude bestow,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The stately Firs do there in Rows ascend,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And Trees with Apples, loaded seem to bend ;<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Laurel blooming, and the moor Eugh,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The prickly Holly edged with Silver Hue,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The loftly Ash, the hardy Oak is there,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The one for building, t’other for the spear.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
To close the scene an Iron gate doth shew,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
How well the Vulcans by their skills do know,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
To give a Beauty by each artful blow.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
Beyond the Gate, a christal lake you see,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And walks around with Rows of Trees agree,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The finny Race this large Canal supply,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The red ey’d Tench with Fins of yellow die,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The nimble Trout,the carp bedropt with Gold,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Silver Eels in circling Mazes roll’d,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Above the Pond, a verdant Hill ascends,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
In Fields and grazing Flocks the landscape ends;<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Ground declining lessens then your View,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
By walking further you’re surprised a-new,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Under a nodding bank the Liffey glides,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And forms meanders with its rapid Tides,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Earth with Water, Trees with both combine,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
To please the Sense, and make a Prospect shine,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Hills peep o’er Hills, and Fields and Fields arise,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And Towns and Groves the distant Scene supplies<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Till your Sight’s left in Fleecy Clouds and Skies.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
So much for Prospects, Game’s the other Part,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
To have an equal Share in Fancy and in Art.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Here wherring Partridge are in Covies found,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The lonely Woodcock, and the Larks that rise,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And singing sweetly echo all the Skies.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The clam’rous Plover, and the whistling Quail,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The watchful Snipe, and the hoarse creaking Rail.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The Fowler here of Game can never fail.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
The fearful Hare in thickest Covert lies,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
But when she hears the Dogs, approaching Cries,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
They still pursue and scent out ever’y Trace,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Each Trick, each Maze, each artful Double trees,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
To show her Fate, alas in vain, she dies.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
Of all the Sports that diff’rent Fancies chuse<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Hunting most pleases, and delights my Muse<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
For Health of life, the Relish and the Bliss,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Doth sympathize, and is preserv’d by this;<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Hunting was surely by the Gods design’d,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
It clears one’s spirits, and unbends our mind,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Corrects the ills a slothful Life bestow,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
And makes the Blood thro’ purer Channels flow,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
With this Diversion ,and this Retreat,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
Pleased with some Friends, contented with my State,<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
I’d weave awhile my Thoughts of being great.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
An original copy of the volume of poetry may be consulted in the<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
National Library in Kildare Street in Dublin.<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n


\nSean Landers sent us this poem "Upon Harristown" written by Dublin poet John Winstanley published in 1742. This poem celebrates the beauty of Kilcullen in a bygone age.  The poem is included in the November issue of THE BRIDGE, the Kilcullen Community Magazine.Our thanks to Sean <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sean Landers sent us this poem "Upon Harristown" written by Dublin poet John Winstanley published in 1742. This poem celebrates the beauty of Kilcullen in a bygone age.  The poem is included in the November issue of THE BRIDGE, the Kilcullen Community Magazine.Our thanks to Sean<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newspaper-articles","category-uncategorised"],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Kildare Local Studies","author_link":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/author\/localstudies\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kildarelibraries.ie\/ehistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}