 | The progress of refinement |  |
The PLUME.
Ye rosy hours,
When vernal flowers
The zephyrs of the morn perfume;
Your charms impart,
To inspire my heart,
While I but cull a favourite plume.
When vernal flowers
The zephyrs of the morn perfume;
Your charms impart,
To inspire my heart,
While I but cull a favourite plume.
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The rising dawn
Gilds the bright lawn,
Instant makes shadowy forms arise;
Makes Flora smile,
With magic guile,
And spreads fresh crimson round the skies.
Gilds the bright lawn,
Instant makes shadowy forms arise;
Makes Flora smile,
With magic guile,
And spreads fresh crimson round the skies.
All things are green;
Spring decks the scene;
The fragrant blossoms of the trees
Their sweets dispense,
Pleasing to sense,
And give rich flavour to the breeze.
Spring decks the scene;
The fragrant blossoms of the trees
Their sweets dispense,
Pleasing to sense,
And give rich flavour to the breeze.
The shepherd wakes,
His couch forsakes,
And joyous walks the fields around,
Sees his flocks play,
Frolic and gay,
And hears the rivulets tinkling sound.
His couch forsakes,
And joyous walks the fields around,
Sees his flocks play,
Frolic and gay,
And hears the rivulets tinkling sound.
174
The citron groves,
Where warbling loves
Pour forth their wild-thrilled amorous notes,
With playful ease,
Nod to the breeze,
And softly sweet the music floats.
Where warbling loves
Pour forth their wild-thrilled amorous notes,
With playful ease,
Nod to the breeze,
And softly sweet the music floats.
O'ershadowing bowers,
And mingling flowers,
That fringe the banks of haunted rill;
Shagged piles of rocks,
And towering oaks,
That shroud in frowns yon bordering hill;
And mingling flowers,
That fringe the banks of haunted rill;
Shagged piles of rocks,
And towering oaks,
That shroud in frowns yon bordering hill;
Vallies in bloom,
With rich perfume,
And every prospect nature gilds,
Sublime or mild,
Cultured or wild,
Some plumage to gay fancy yields.
With rich perfume,
And every prospect nature gilds,
Sublime or mild,
Cultured or wild,
Some plumage to gay fancy yields.
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Poets! aspire,
Catch, catch the fire,
And let it flash from soul to soul,
Enchant each breast,
That all be blessed,
And yield to nature's pure control.
Catch, catch the fire,
And let it flash from soul to soul,
Enchant each breast,
That all be blessed,
And yield to nature's pure control.
Full, full of means,
Of various scenes,
To captivate and charm the sight,
She shall e'er gain,
Each genius' strain,
And be the topic of delight.
Of various scenes,
To captivate and charm the sight,
She shall e'er gain,
Each genius' strain,
And be the topic of delight.
Though Venus frown,
And Jove send down
His fabled thunders to affright;
Though Ceres fail,
And Bacchus rail,
And though Apollo owe us spite;
And Jove send down
His fabled thunders to affright;
Though Ceres fail,
And Bacchus rail,
And though Apollo owe us spite;
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Though all declare,
And vengeful swear,
We ne'er their honours shall assume,
Their scoffs we'll spurn,
And in return,
Answer, that nature is our plume.
And vengeful swear,
We ne'er their honours shall assume,
Their scoffs we'll spurn,
And in return,
Answer, that nature is our plume.
Then shall the mind
Taste sweets refined,
Engage in still more rich employs;
Nor be controled,
By heathen mould,
But feast its powers on higher joys.
Taste sweets refined,
Engage in still more rich employs;
Nor be controled,
By heathen mould,
But feast its powers on higher joys.
| The progress of refinement | |