When I began,my purpose was to speak
Of remedies and of a cheerful hope.
Our Luke shall leave us,Isabel;the land
Shall not go from us,and it shall be free;
He shall possess it,free as is the wind
That passes over it. We have,thou know’st,
Another kinsman—he will be our friend
In this distress. He is a prosperous man,
Thriving in trade—and Luke to him shall go,
And with his kinsman’s help and his own thrift
He quickly will repair this loss,and then
He may return to us. If here he stay,
What can be done? Where every one is poor,
What can be gained?’
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