| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909. | | | | The Sylvan Life | | By Edward Hovell-Thurlow, Lord Thurlow (1781–1829) |
| | | WHEN in the woods I wander all alone, | |
| The woods that are my solace and delight, | |
| Which I more covet than a prince’s throne, | |
| My toil by day and canopy by night; | |
| (Light heart, light foot, light food, and slumber light, | 5 |
| These lights shall light me to old age’s gate, | |
| While monarchs, whom rebellious dreams affright, | |
| Heavy with fear, death’s fearful summons wait;) | |
| Whilst here I wander, pleased to be alone, | |
| Weighing in thought the world’s no-happiness, | 10 |
| I cannot choose but wonder at its moan, | |
| Since so plain joys the woody life can bless: | |
| Then live who may where honied words prevail, | |
| I with the deer, and with the nightingale! | | | | |
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