Explore "The Painful Plough" by Sabine Baring-Gould on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
H. F. S. [Music]
1. O Adam was a ploughboy, when ploughing first begun, / The next that did succeed him was Cain, his eldest son; / Some of the generation the calling still pursue, / That bread may not be wanting, they labour at the plough.
2. Samson was the strongest man, and Solomon was wise, / And Alexander conquering, he made the world his prize, / King David was a valiant man, and many thousands slew, / Yet none of all these heroes bold could live without the plough.
3. Behold the wealthy merchant, that trades on foreign seas, / And brings home gold and treasure, for such as live at ease, / With spices and with cinnamon, and oranges also, / They're brought us from the Indies, by virtue of the plough.
4. I hope there's none offended at me for singing this, / For never I intended to sing you ought amiss. / And if you well consider, you'll find the saying true, / That all mankind dependeth upon the painful plough.