Dear Cloe, while the busy croud
| First Line | Dear Cloe, while the busy croud |
|---|---|
| Author | Nathaniel Cotton |
| Date | 1749 |
| Description | Lyric [Domestic Life; Solitude, loneliness, retirement; Courtship, marriage]. Transcribed from "The FIRE-SIDE." London magazine, or, Gentleman's monthly intelligencer, vol. 18, May 1749, pp. 233–234. ProQuest, [ProQuest document ID:] 5227580. |
| Links |
Transcription
Dear Chloe, while the busy croud,
The vain the wealthy and the proud,
In folly's maze advance;
Tho' singularity and pride
Be call'd our choice, we'll step aside,
Nor join the giddy dance.
From the gay world we'll oft retire
To our own family and fire,
Where love our hours employs;
No noisy neighbour enters here,
No intermeddling stranger near,
To spoil our heartfelt joys.
Indeed, if happiness we prize,
Within our breasts the jewel lies,
He is a fool that roams:
The world hath nothing to bestow,
From our ownselves our bliss must flow,
And those dear huts our homes.
Our babes shall richest comfort bring,
If tutor'd right, they'll prove a spring,
Whence pleasures ever rise:
We'll form their minds with studious care
To all that's manly, good, and fair,
And train them for the skies.
While thus they our best thoughts engage,
They'll joy our youth, support our age,
And chear our hoary hairs:
They'll grow in virtue every day,
And thus our anxious souls repay,
And recompence our cares.
No borrow'd joys! They're all our own,
While to the world we live unknown,
Or by the world forgot,
Monarchs, we envy not your state,
We look with pity on the great,
And bless our humble lot.
Our portion is not large, indeed,
But then how little do we need?
For nature's calls are few:
In this the art of living lies,
To want no more than may suffice,
And make that little do.
We'll therefore relish with content,
Whate'er kind Providence hath sent,
Nor aim beyond our pow'r;
For if our stock be very small,
'Tis prudence to enjoy it all,
Nor lose the present hour.
To acquiesce in what is given
Is the sure way of pleasing heav'n,
And when our feast is o'er,
Grateful from table we'll arise,
Nor grudge our sons with envious eyes,
The reliques of our store.
Thus hand in hand thro' life we'll go,
Its varied paths of joy and woe
With cautious steps we'll tread;
Quit its vain scenes without a tear,
Without a trouble or a fear,
And mingle with the dead:
While conscience, like a faithful friend,
Shall thro' the gloomy vale attend,
And chear our dying breath;
Shall, when all other comforts cease,
Like a kind angel whisper peace,
And smooth the bed of death.
Beinecke Osborn c156
| Title | Amusements 1768-69 |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
p. 67.
Local title: The Fire side.
Attributed author: Dr. Cotten.
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Beinecke Osborn c391
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
p. 17.
Local title: The fireside.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Beinecke Osborn c82
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1791-1820 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
p. 2.
Local title: The fireside.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Beinecke Osborn c83
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 , 1791-1820 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
Page: n/a; item #132.
Local title: The fireside.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Beinecke Osborn fc132
| Title | Poems on Several Occasions; Collected from D [...] |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 , 1791-1820 |
| Archive | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library |
p. 171.
Local title: The fireside.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Bodleian MS Eng. poet. c. 9
| Title | Miscellanies |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 |
| Archive | Bodleian Library |
p. 230.
Local title: The Fire-Side.
Attributed author: Dtor Cotton.
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: Context: "Dtor Cotton Married the Elder Sister, of my Old Schoolfellow Mr George Pembrook, of St Albans. She was a Beautifull, fine Young Lady; when I was at School at St. Albans in ye Years 1728, 1729, & 1730. She was highly admired by all our School Boys, & went by the universal Title, of the pritty Miss Pembrook. Happy was he! who was favour'd with being in her Company; which Honour I my self have been favour'd with several times, at the House of my Dancing Master Mr Donvill at St Albans; at whose House we used to prepare for, & keep our Balls. And with which Lady I have had the pleasure to Dance in particular the Chain-Minuet; as well as various Country Dances, &c. at our several Meetings at the Above Dancing Master's House. The following Lines, my Brother Copyed in the Study of the Revrd. Mr. Folliot, Dissenting Minister of St. Edmonds Bury 1755. Mrs Cotton has been Dead some Years, & left several Children. The Revd. Mr Folliot Died in the Year 1756. I Copyed ye following, from my Bror's. Manuscript; March 21. 1757."
Bodleian MS Eng. poet. e. 47
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 , 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Bodleian Library |
pp. 63–66.
Local title: The FireSide.
Attributed author: Mr. Cotton
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Clark MS 1984.001
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 , 1761-1790 , 1791-1820 |
| Archive | Clark Library |
Folio: n/a
Local title: Cotton's Fireside.
Attributed author: Cotton.
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Folger MS M.a.110
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 , 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Folger Shakespeare Library |
Page: n/a
Local title: On Domestic Happiness from the Fire-Side an Ode.
Attributed author: Cotton
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a
Folger MS M.a.15
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 |
| Archive | Folger Shakespeare Library |
pp. 7–11.
Local title: The Fire-side.
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: First line: Dear Bessy whilst the busy crowd...
Other: n/a
Houghton MS Eng 611
| Title | I: "A collection of poems and various fragme [...] |
|---|---|
| Period | 1731-1760 |
| Archive | Houghton Library |
vol. 1, f. 137.
Local title: n/a
Attributed author: n/a
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: Incomplete poem.
Other: n/a
UChicago Library Codex Ms. 757
| Title | Untitled |
|---|---|
| Period | 1761-1790 , 1791-1820 |
| Archive | University of Chicago Special Collections and Research Center |
pp. 5–8
Local title: The Fireside.
Attributed author: Dr. Cotton [in another hand].
Adaptation: n/a
Other variants: n/a
Other: n/a