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XXIV.
Benumb’d at length his stiff’ning joints,
His tongue to Tray cou’d scarcely speak;
His tears congeal’d to icicles
His hair hung clatt’ring ’gainst his cheek.
XXV.
As thus he felt his fault’ring limbs
Give omen of approaching death,
Aurora from her eastern hill
Rush’d forth, and flay’d his fleeting breath;
XXVI.
And shew’d to his imperfect fight
The harmless cause of all his wo!
His little lambkin, cold and stiff!
Stretch’d on its bed of glift’ning snow!
XXVII.
His heart’s best chord was yet in tune,
Unsnapp’d by cold severity;
Touch’d was that chord——his dim eye beam’d
Suffused sensibility.
XXVIII.
“’Tis just! he said, that where thou liest,
“The careless shepherd boy shou’d lie;
“Thou diedst, poor fool! for want of food!
“I fall, for suffering thee to die.
XXIX.
“But oh, my master!”——broken——short
“Was every half-word now he spoke——.
“Severe has been, thy constant will,
“And galling sure thy heavy yoke.
