VERSES
,
supposed
to
be
written
by
ALEXANDER
SELKIRK
,
during
his
solitary
Abode
in
the
Island
of
JUAN
FERNANDEZ
.
1.
I
AM
monarch
of
all
I
survey
,
My
right
there
is
none
to
dispute
,
From
the
center
all
round
to
the
sea
,
I
am
lord
of
the
fowl
and
the
brute
.
Oh
solitude
!
where
are
the
charms
That
sages
have
seen
in
the
face
?
Better
dwell
in
the
midst
of
alarms
,
Than
reign
in
this
horrible
place
.
2.
I
am
out
of
humanity's
reach
,
I
must
finish
my
journey
alone
,
Never
hear
the
sweet
music
of
speech
,
I
start
at
the
sound
of
my
own
.
The
beasts
that
roam
over
the
plain
,
My
form
with
indifference
see
,
They
are
so
unacquainted
with
man
,
Their
tameness
is
shocking
to
me
.
3.
Society
,
friendship
,
and
love
,
Divinely
bestow'd
upon
man
,
Oh
had
I
the
wings
of
a
dove
,
How
soon
wou'd
I
taste
you
again
!
My
sorrows
I
then
might
assuage
In
the
ways
of
religion
and
truth
,
Might
learn
from
the
wisdom
of
age
,
And
be
cheer'd
by
the
fallies
of
youth
.
4.
Religion
!
what
treasure
untold
Resides
in
that
heav'nly
word
!
More
precious
than
silver
and
gold
,
Or
all
that
this
earth
can
afford
.
But
the
sound
of
the
church
going
bell
These
vallies
and
rocks
never
heard
,
Ne'er
sigh'd
at
the
sound
of
a
knell
,
Or
smil'd
when
a
sabbath
appear'd
.
5.
Ye
winds
that
have
made
me
your
sport
,
Convey
to
this
desolate
shore
,
Some
cordial
endearing
report
Of
a
land
I
shall
visit
no
more
.
My
friends
do
they
now
and
then
send
A
wish
or
a
thought
after
me
?
O
tell
me
I
yet
have
a
friend
,
Though
a
friend
I
am
never
to
see
,
6.
How
fleet
is
a
glance
of
the
mind
!
Compar'd
with
the
speed
of
its
flight
,
The
tempest
itself
lags
behind
,
And
the
swift
winged
arrows
of
light
.
When
I
think
of
my
own
native
land
,
In
a
moment
I
seem
to
be
there
;
But
alas
!
recollection
at
hand
Soon
hurries
me
back
to
despair
.
7.
But
the
sea
fowl
is
gone
to
her
nest
,
The
beast
is
laid
down
in
his
lair
,
Ev'n
here
is
a
season
of
rest
,
And
I
to
my
cabbin
repair
.
There
is
mercy
in
ev'ry
place
,
And
mercy
,
encouraging
thought
!
Gives
even
affliction
a
grace
,
And
reconciles
man
to
his
lot
.