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Home  »  The Book of the Sonnet  »  William Drummond, of Hawthornden (1585–1649)

Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867.

VI. The Praise of a Solitary Life

William Drummond, of Hawthornden (1585–1649)

THRICE happy he who by some shady grove,

Far from the clamorous world, doth live his own;

Though solitary, who is not alone,

But doth converse with that eternal love.

O how more sweet is bird’s harmonious moan,

Or the hoarse sobbings of the widowed dove,

Than those smooth whisperings near a prince’s throne,

Which good make doubtful, do the evil approve!

Or how more sweet is Zephyr’s wholesome breath,

And sighs embalmed which new-born flowers unfold,

Than that applause vain honor doth bequeath!

How sweet are streams to poison drunk in gold!

The world is full of horrors, troubles, slights;

Woods’ harmless shades have only true delights.