Finlay, next Landlord (I'll abridge the tale), Prince of Glenawn, a low and fertile vale, No fool by birth, but hard, and praised for wise The more he learn'd all softness to despise, Married a shrew for money, louts begot, Debased his wishes to a vulgar lot, To pence and pounds coin'd all his mother-wit, And ossified his nature bit by bit. A dull, cold home, devoid of every grace, Distrust and dread in each dependent's face, Bullocks and turnips, mighty stacks of grain. Plethoric purse, impoverish'd heart and brain— Such Finlay's life; and when that life shall end, He'll die as no man's debtor, no man's friend. Who duns?—who loves him?—he can pay his way; 'A hard but honest man', as people say. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...COLUMBUS by EDWARD EVERETT HALE IN FLANDERS FIELDS by JOHN MCCRAE FOUND' (FOR A PICTURE) by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE SONNET by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH FELIX OPPORTUNITATE MORTIS by ALFRED AUSTIN A MIDNIGHT MEDITATION by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN |