III.

10

A kind, a philosophic calm,

The cool creation wears !
And what Day drank of dewey balm,

The gentle Night repairs.

IV.

Behind their leafy curtains hid,

The feather'd race how ftill! How quiet now the gamesome kid,

That gambol'd round the hill!

15

V.

The swects, that bending o'er their banks,

From sultry Day declin'd, Revive in little velvet ranks,

And scent the western wind,

20

VI.
The Moon, preceded by the breeze

That bade the clouds retire,
Appears amongst the tufted trees,

A Phænix neft on fire.

25

VII.
But soft --- the golden glow subsides !

Her chariot mounts on high!
And now, in silver'd pomp, she rides
Pale regent of the sky!

VIII.

Where Time upon the wither'd tree,

Hath carv'd the moral chair, I fit, from busy passions free,

And breathe the placid air.

30

IX.

The wither'd tree was once in prime ;

Its branches brav’d the sky !
Thus, at the touch of ruthless Time,

Shall Youth and Vigour die.

35

X.

I'm lifted to the blue expanse :

It glows serenely gay!
Come, SCIENCE, by my side, advance,

We'll search the Milky Way.

40

XI.
Let us descend ---- The daring flight

Fatigues my feeble mind;
And SCIENCE, in the maze of light,

Is impotent and blind.

XII.

45

What are those wild, those wand'ring fires,

That o'er the moorland ran?
Vapours.---How like the vague desires

That cheat the heart of MAN!

XIII.

50

But there's a friendly guide !-a flame,

That lambent o'er its bed, Enlivens, with a gladsome beam,

The hermit's ofier shed.

XIV.

Among the russet shades of night,

It glances from afar !
And darts along the dulk; so bright,

It seems a silver star !

55

XV.

In coverts (where the few frequent)

If Virtue deigns to dwell, "Tis thus, the little lamp, CONTENT,

Gives lustre to her cell.

60

XVI.
How smooth that rapid river Nides

Progressive to the deep !
The Poppies, pendent o'er its sides,

Have charm'd the waves to sleep.

XVII.

65

PLEASURE's intoxicated fons !

Ye indolent! ye gay ! Reflect

--for as the river runs, Life wings its tractless way.

XVIII.

That branching grove of dusky green

Conceals the azure sky;
Save, where a starry space between,

Relieves the darken’d eye.

70

XIX.

Old ERROR, thus, with shades impure,

Throws sacred Truth behind :
Yet sometimes, through the deep obscure,

She bursts upon the mind.

75

XX.

Sleep, and her fifter Silence reign,

They lock the shepherd's fold ! But hark-I hear a lamb complain,

'Tis loft upon the wold !

80

XXI.

To savage herds, that hunt for prey,

An unresisting prize!
For having trod a devious way,

The little rambler dies.

XXII.

85

As luckless is the Virgin's lot,

Whom pleasure once mifguides: When hurried from the halcion cot,

Where INNOCENCE prefides

XXIII.
The passions, a relentless train !

To tear the victim run :
She seeks the paths of peace in vain,

Is conquer'd-and undone.

90

XXIV.
How bright the little insects blaze,

Where willows shade the way;
As proud as if their painted rays

Could emulate the Day!

95

XXV.

'Tis thus, the pigmy sons of pow'r

Advance their vain parade! Thus, glitter in the darken'd hour,

And like the glow-worms fade!

XXVI.

The soft serenity of night

Ungentle clouds deform!
The filver host that shone so bright

Is hid behind a storm ;

XXVII.

105

The angry elements engage!

An oak (an ivied bower!) Repels the rough wind's noisy rage,

And shields me from the shower.