"Alas! we both with cold and hunger quake Why do you weep?-Mama will foch awake.' -"She'll wake no more!" the hopeless mourner cried, And all the Father kindled in his heart; Oh, Heavens!" he cried, "my first rafh vow forgive! "These bind to earth, for thefe I pray to live!" Round his chill babes he wrapp'd his crimson veft, DARWIN CHA P. XXI. THE MORALIZER CORRECTED. A TALE. A Hermit (or if 'chance you hold That title now too trite and old) A man, once young, who lived retired Within its customary nook, And, staff in hand, fet forth to fhare Like Ifaac, with a mind applied Shades Shades flanting at the close of day Juft reach'd it when the fun was fet. Your Hermit, young and jovial Sirs! Learns fomething from whate'er occurs→→→→ And hence, he said, my mind computes The real worth of man's pursuits. Prefents it deck'd with ev'ry hue E'er long, approach Life's evening fhades, Which first engag'd him in the chase. True, anfwer'd an angelic guide, Attendant at the fenior's fide- Το urge the fruitless chafe be loft, Must be decided by the worth Of that which call'd his ardour forth. A vicious A vicious object ftill is worse, Successful there, he wins a curfe; But he, whoin ev'n in life's last stage] Is paid, at least in peace of mind, A brighter prize than that he meant CHAP. XXII. COWPER. THE FAITHFUL FRIEND. THE green-houfe is my fummer feat; Two goldfinches, whose sprightly fong They fang, as blithe as finches fing Strangers to liberty, 'tis true, But But Nature works in ev'ry breaft; And Dick felt fome defires, The open windows feem'd to invite The freeman to a farewell flight; But Tom was ftill confin'd; And Dick, although his way was clear, For fettling on his grated roof, He chirp'd and kifs'd him, giving proof Nor would forfake his cage at last, Oh ye, who never knew the joys Blush, when I tell you how a bird, COWPER. CHAP CHA P. XXIII. PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED. A FABLE. *I Shall not ask Jean Jacques Rouffeau, If birds confabulate or no ; "Tis clear that they were always able A ftory of a cock and bull, Must have a most uncommon skull. It chanc'd then, on a winter's day, But warm and bright, and calm as May The birds conceiving a defign, To forestal sweet St. Valentine; In many an orchard, copfe and grove, And with much twitter and much chatter, At length a Bulfinch, who could boaft, * It was one of the whimsical fpeculations of this philofopher that all fables which ascribe reafon and fpeech to animals fhould be withheld from children, as being only vehicles of deception. But what child was ever deceived by them, or can be, against the evidence of his fenfes ?. My |