RURAL ARCHITECTURE

There's George Fisher, Charles Fleming, and Reginald Shore,

Three rosy-cheeked school-boys, the highest not more

Than the height of a counsellor's bag;

To the top of GREAT HOW did it please them to climb:

And there they built up, without mortar or lime,

A Man on the peak of the crag.

They built him of stones gathered up as they lay:

They built him and christened him all in one day,

An urchin both vigorous and hale;

And so without scruple they called him Ralph Jones.

Now Ralph is renowned for the length of his bones;

The Magog of Legberthwaite dale.

Just half a week after, the wind sallied forth,

And, in anger or merriment, out of the north,

Coming on with a terrible pother,

From the peak of the crag blew the giant away.

And what did these school-boys?— The very next day

They went and they built up another.

— Some little I've seen of blind boisterous works

By Christian disturbers more savage than Turks,

Spirits busy to do and undo:

At remembrance whereof my blood sometimes will flag;

Then, light-hearted Boys, to the top of the crag;

And I'll build up a giant with you.