Loom and the lathe, The

The loom and the Lathe
Written and sung by Harry Sydney

Like most other men who've been knocking about,
Strange places and persons I've seen; 
Sometimes I've had plenty sometimes been without,
And frequently hard up I've been.
But still tho' dame fortune has been a sad jade, 
And baulked me of many a prize,
What I see, I remember, and some say I've made 
A pretty good use of my eyes.
 
Then hurrah! for the loom and the lathe, 
Hurrah! for the spade and the plough, 
The happiest man I have met with is he 
Who lives by the sweat of his brow.

The lawyers, with eagerness, pocket the fees,
But look at them well, and you'll find
Tho' they live in great style and appear at their ease,
They're frequently troubled in mind,
The parsons have duties fro morning till night,
If they do them — but yet I'm afraid
The living is that, in which most they delight,
And they make their religion a trade.

The bankers, tho' wealthy, have many a care 
As to how they will double their cash,
But still speculation is often a snare,
And frequently ends in a smash:
Tho' members of Parliament do all they can, 
To get in the house, 'tis no use,
If they wish to be happy, they'll alter their plan, 
For many get naught but abuse.

Some poets and authors who live by their brain,
Have seldom a shilling to spare,
Beset thro' their lives by grim poverty's pains,
They frequently die in despair.
They starve in a garret while striving for fame,
Which seldom arrives till they're dead, 
Neglected they live,—then their work get a fame
And a monument's built them instead.

The higher their station; the more we require, 
And the more we're expected to do,
The greater the income, the more we desire,
I'm sure you'll acknowledge that's true.
The more we possess, the more anxious we get,
For fear that our wealth should be lost, 
The path of the rich is with troubles beset,
As many have found to their cost.

Yes! Happy is he on himself who depends,
If he has but contentment and health, 
For Industry more to happiness tends
Than either position or wealth.
I envy not those who great riches have got, 
For wealth is too often a ban,
But he has the best and the happiest lot, 
Who works — acts — and speaks as a man.