Or where the beetle winds His fmall but fullen horn, As oft he rifes 'midft the twilight path, Against the pilgrim borne in heedless hum, To breathe fome softened ftrain, Thy genial lov'd return! For when thy folding ftar arifing shows The fragrant Hours, and Elves Who flept in flow'rs the day, And many a Nymph who wreathes her brows with sedge, Prepare thy fhadowy car. Then lead, calm Vot'refs, where some sheety lake Reflect its laft cool gleam. But when chill bluft'ring winds, or driving rain, Views wilds, and fwelling floods, And hamlets brown, and dim-difcover'd fpires, The gradual dusky veil. While fpring fhall pour his show'rs, as oft he wont, While fummer loves to sport Beneath thy ling'ring light: While fallow Autumn fills thy lap with leaves: And rudely rends thy robes; So long, fure-found beneath the Sylvan fhed, COLLINS CHAP. XXVI. ODE TO SPRING. SWEET daughter of a rough and stormy fire, Hoar Winter's blooming child; delightful spring! And swelling buds are crown'd; From the green islands of eternal youth, {Crown'd with fresh blooms, and ever-fpringing fhade) Turn, hither turn thy step, O thou, whofe powerful voice More sweet than softest touch of Doric reed, Breathe thy own tender calm. Thee, beft belov'd! the virgin train await, Thy Thy blooming wilds among, And vales and dewy lawns, With untir'd feet; and cull thy earliest sweets That prompts their whisper'd figh. Unlock thy copious ftores; thefe tender fhowers The milky ear's green flem, And feed the flowering ofier's early fhoots; Salute the blowing flowers. Now let me fit beneath the whitening thorn Thy fair unfolding charms. O Nymph approach! while yet the temperate fun And with chafte kiffes wooes The earth's fair bofom; while the ftreaming veil Protects thy modeft blooms From his feverer blaze, Sweet Sweet is thy reign, but short; the red dog-star Reluctant fhall I bid thee then farewell; For O, not all that Autumn's lap contains, Can aught for thee atone, Fair Spring! whofe fimpleft promise more delights With fofteft influence breathes. MRS. BARBAULJ, CHA P. XXVII. DOMESTIC LOVE AND HAPPINESS. O HAPPY they! the happiest of their kind! Whom gentler stars unite, and in one fate Their hearts, their fortunes, and their beings blend, 'Tis not the coarser tie of human laws, Unnatural oft, and foreign to the mind, That binds their peace, but harmony itself, Attuning all their paffions into love; Where friendship full exerts her foftest power. Perfect esteem, enliven'd by defire Ineffable, and fympathy of foul; Thought meeting thought, and will preventing will, Can answer love, and render bliss secure. Let Let him, ungenerous, who, alone intent While thofe whom love cements in holy faith, Surprizes |