And, foftly shaking on the dimpled pool
Prelufive drops, let all their moisture flow,
In large effusion, o'er the freshened world.
The stealing fhower is fearce to patter heard,
By fuch as wander thro' the foreft walks,
Beneath the umbrageous multitude of leaves.
But who can hold the fhade, while Heaven defcends 180
In univerfal bounty, fhedding herbs,'
And fruits, and flowers, on Nature's ample lap?
Swift fancy fir'd anticipates their growth;
And, while the milky nutriment diftils,
Beholds the kindling country colour round,
THUS all day long the full-diftended clouds Indulge their genial ftores, and well-fhower'd earth Is deep enrich'd with vegetable life;
Till in the western sky, the downward fun
Looks out, effulgent, from amid the flush
Of broken clouds, gay-fhifting to his beam.
The rapid radiance inftantaneous strikes
Th' illumin'd mountain, thro' the forest streams,
Shakes on the floods, and in a yellow mist,
Far fmoaking o'er th' interminable plain,
Įn twinkling myriads lights the dewy gems,
Moift, bright, and green, the landskip laughs around.
Full fwell the woods; their every mufic wakes,
Mix'd in wild concert with the warbling brooks
Increas'd, the diftant bleatings of the hills,
And hollow lows refponfive from the vales,
Whence blending all the sweetened zephyr fprings.
Mean time refracted from yon eastern cloud,
Beftriding earth, the grand ethereal bow
Shoots up immenfe; and every hue unfolds,
In fair proportion running from the red,
To where the violet fades into the sky.
Here, awful NEWTON, the diffolving clouds
Form, fronting on the fun, thy fhowery prifm;
And to the fage-inftructed eye unfold
The various twine of light, by thee disclos'd
From the white mingling maze. Not fo the boy;
He wondering views the bright enchantment bend,
Delightful, o'er the radiant fields, and runs
To catch the falling glory; but amaz'd
Beholds th' amufive arch before him fly,
Then vanish quite away. Still night fucceeds,
A foftened fhade, and faturated earth
Awaits the morning-beam, to give to light
Rais'd thro' ten thousand different plaftic tubes, 220 The balmy treasures of the former day.
Then spring the living herbs, profufely wild,
O'er all the deep green earth, beyond the power
Of botanist to number up their tribes :
Whether he steals along the lonely dale,
In filent fearch; or thro' the foreft rank
With what the dull incurious weeds account,
Burfts his blind way; or climbs the mountain-rock,
Fir'd by the nodding verdure of its brow.
With fuch a liberal hand has nature flung
Their feeds abroad, blown them about in winds,
Innumerous mix'd them with the nurfing mold,
The moistening current, and prolific rain.
BUT who their virtues can declare? who pierce,
With vifion pure, into these secret stores
Of health, and life, and joy? the food of Man,
While yet he liv'd in innocence, and told
A length of golden years; unflesh'd in blood,
A ftranger to the favage arts of life,
Death, rapine, carnage, furfeit, and disease;
The lord, and not the tyrant, of the world.
THE firft fresh dawn then wak'd the gladdened race Of uncorrupted Man, nor blush'd to fee
The fluggard fleep beneath its facred beam :
For their light flumbers gently fum'd away;
And up they rose as vigorous as the fun,
Or to the culture of the willing glebe,
Or to the cheerful tendance of the flock.
Meantime the fong went round; and dance and sport, Wisdom and friendly talk, fucceffive, stole
Their hours away: while in the rofy vale
Love breath'd his infant fighs, from anguish free,
And full replete with blifs; fave the sweet pain,
That, inly thrilling, but exalts it more.
Nor yet injurious act, nor furly deed,
Was known among thofe happy fons of HEAVEN;
For reafon and benevolence were law.
Harmonious Nature too look'd smiling on.
Clear fhone the fkies, cool'd with eternal gales,
And balmy spirit all. The youthful fun
Shot his best rays, and ftill the gracious clouds
Drop'd fatnefs down; as o'er the swelling mead,
The herds and flocks, commixing, play'd fecure.
This when, emergent from the gloomy, wood,
The glaring lion faw, his horrid heart
Was meekened, and he join'd his fullen joy.
For mufic held the whole in perfect peace:
Soft figh'd the flute; the tender voice was heard,
Warbling the varied heart; the woodlands round
Apply'd their quire; and winds and waters flow'd 270
In confonance. Such were thofe prime of days.
But now those white unblemish'd manners, whence The fabling poets took their golden age,
Are found no more amid these iron times,
Thefe dregs of life! Now the distemper'd mind 275 Has loft that concord of harmonious powers,
Which forms the foul of happiness; and all
Is off the poife within the paffions all
Have burft their bounds; and reafon half extinct,
Or impotent, or elfe approving, fees
The foul diforder. Senfelefs, and deform'd,
Convulfive anger ftorms at large; or pale,
And filent, fettles into fell revenge.
Base envy withers at another's joy,
And hates that excellence it cannot reach.
Defponding fear, of feeble fancies full,
Weak and unmanly, loosens every power.
Even love itself is bitterness of foul,
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