Friday, June 21, 2013
The Happy Savage
Anonymous, "The Happy Savage," Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. II, No. XVI (April 1732) 718:
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O Happy he who never saw the Face
Of Man, nor heard the Sound of human Voice!
But soon as born was carry'd and expos'd
In some vast Desart, suckled by the Wolf,
Or shaggy Bear more kind than our fell Race;
Who with his Fellow Brutes can range around
The echoing Forest: His rude artless Mind
Uncultivated as the soil—he joins
The dreadful Harmony of howling Wolves,
And the fierce Lyon's Roar; while far away
Th' affrighted Traveller retires and trembles.
Happy the lonely Savage! nor deceiv'd,
Nor vex'd, nor griev'd—in ev'ry darksome Cave,
Under each verdant Shade he takes repose.
Sweet are his Slumbers—of all human Arts
Happily ignorant, nor taught by Wisdom
Numberless Woes, nor polish'd into Torment.
