THUS pass the temperate hours: but when the fur Its balmy effence breathes, where cowflips hang 445 Hung o'er the steep; whence, borne on liquid wing, 450- Or by the vocal woods and waters lull'd, 445 460 BEHOLD yon breathing profpect bids the Mufe 465 Throw all her beauty forth. But who can paint Like Nature? Can imagination boast, Amid its gay creation, hues like hers? Ah what shall language do? Ah where find words 470 475 YET tho' fuccefsless, will the toil delight. Come then, ye virgins and ye youths, whofe hearts Have felt the raptures of refining love; 480 And thou, AMANDA, come, pride of my fong! Form'd by the graces, loveliness itself! Come with those downcaft eyes, fedate and sweet, Oh come! and while the rofy-footed May SEE, where the winding vale its lavish ftores, Irriguous, fpreads. See, how the lily drinks The The latent rill, scarce oozing thro the grass, 495 A fuller gale of joy than, liberal, thence Full of fresh verdure, and unnumber'd flowers, Where, undifguis'd by mimic Art, she spreads 505 Here their delicious task the fervent bees, In fwarming millions, tend. Around, athwart, Thro' the soft air, the busy nations fly, Cling to the bud, and, with inferted tube, Suck its pure effence, its ethereal foul. 510 And oft, with bolder wing, they foaring dare The purple heath, or where the wild-thyme grows, And yellow load them with the luscious fpoil. 515 AT length the finish'd garden to the view Its viftas opens, and its alleys green. Snatch'd thro the verdant maze, the hurried eye Distracted wanders; now the bowery walk Of covert close, where scarce a speck of day Falls on the lengthen'd gloom, protracted sweeps; Now meets the bending sky: the river now 520 Dimpling Dimpling along, the breezy-ruffled lake, And polyanthus of unnumber'd dyes; The yellow wall-flower, ftain'd with iron brown; Anemonies; auriculas, enrich'd 530 With fhining meal o'er all their velvet leaves; 535 Then comes the tulip-race, where Beauty plays To family, as flies the father duft, The varied colours run; and, while they break 540 Low-bent, and blushing inward; nor jonquils, 545 Of potent fragrance; nor Narciffus fair, As o'er the fabled fountain hanging ftill; Nor broad carnations; nor gay-fpotted pinks; Nor, fhower'd from every bush, the damask-rose. Infinite numbers, delicacies, fmells, With hues on hues expreffion cannot paint, The breath of Nature, and her endless bloom. 550 556 Hail, SOURCE OF BEING! UNIVERSAL SOUL Of Heaven and earth! ESSENTIAL PRESENCE, hail! TO THE EI bend the knee; to THEE my thoughts, Continual, climb; who, with a master-hand, Haft the great whole into perfection touch'd. By THEE the various vegetative tribes, Wrapt in a filmy net, and clad with leaves, Draw the live ether, and imbibe the dew: By THEE difpos'd into congenial foils, 560 Stands each attractive plant, and fucks, and fwells As rifing from the vegetable world' 565 570 Invite you forth in all your gayeft trim. Lend me your fong, ye nightingales! oh pour |