Familiar letters and poems on several occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

Stern Winter now resign'd his Iron Sway,
Thick gloom'd his Car, by Tempests roll'd away;
And Spring, her Chariot, drawn by rosy Hours,
Went forth to deck the Earth with rising Flow'rs;
To breathe the sportful Zephyr and to trace,
For the high-rolling Sun a larger Space:
When Colin and Myrtillo, first of Swains,
For sacred Knowledge, and melodious Strains,
To catch the springing Gale and shun the Heat,
Sat down beneath a spreading Oak's Retreat;

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When Colin first in Accents grave and kind,
Express'd the secret Musings of his Mind.

Colin.
Myrtillo, dearest Friend, and chiefly known,
For Sense and Piety thro' all our Town;
How gracious is the God whose Providence,
From fiery Beams has spread this green Defence,
And gives us this refreshing Breeze to play,
Along the curling Grass, and cool the Day!

Myrtillo.
Colin where'er we turn our wand'ring Eyes,
The Proofs of an Almighty Ruler rise,

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From yonder Sun that shines so fiercely bright,
To the least Fly that almost scapes the Sight:
The Foot-steps of his Skill and Pow'r appear,
Thro' all the Seasons of the changing Year;
But Spring with a peculiar Glory shows,
Our God, and with his boundless Image glows.

Colin.
Then let us since the Sun now fires the Noon,
And the Flocks browze along the flow'ry Down;
Take each an Oaten Reed, and try to sing,
The great Creator, and Almighty King;
So shall our Hours past-by look back again,
With Smiles of Pleasure, nor of Guilt complain.

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Myrtillo.
Well I approve the Thought, rejoic'd to find,
That so much Piety inspires your Mind:
How fit and sweet a Work is heav'nly Praise,
That from itself its own Devotion pays?
But as you first propos'd 'tis yours to lead,
Begin, and I in Turns will touch my Reed.

Colin.
Begin my Pipe, begin the lofty Verse,
And the Almighty's wond'rous Works rehearse.
The Maker's Word produc'd the Firmament,
Stain'd it with Blue, and stretch'd its vast extent;

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There the Sun rolls by Day its Ball of Light,
There the Moon fills her Silver Horns by Night;
And round their Queen in silent Order move
Unnumber'd Stars, and fire the Vault above.

Myrtillo.
Renew my Pipe, renew the lofty Verse,
And the Almighty's wond'rous Works rehearse.
What Wonders in the Air may we survey?
There Thunders roll, and rapid Light'nings play;
There Whirlwinds roar, and with resistless Force,
Tear down the Harvests in their furious Course:
Hence Rain in over-whelming Torrents pours,
And hence the Hail descends in stony Show'rs;

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And hence the Snow that, in bleak Winter's reign,
With hoary Spangles cloaths the Trees and Plain.

Colin.
Begin my Pipe, begin the lofty Verse,
And the Almighty's wond'rous Works rehearse.
From Air the Dews in hazy Fogs distil,
Which lightly touches on the thirsty Hill;
And thence in dusky Eddies wheel'd around,
Weeps o'er the Grove, and glides along the Ground.
Hence the Carnation takes its lovely Red;
Hence the tall Lilly lifts its snowy Head;
Hence Purple Bloom the Violets unfold;
Hence Cowslips wash their op'ning Buds in Gold;

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Hence glows the Beauty, hence the Odour flows,
Fresh from the Bosom of the Virgin Rose;
And hence the precious Sweets the Bees derive,
From springing Flow'rs, t'enrich their common Hive.

Myrtillo.
Renew my Pipe, renew the lofty Verse,
And the Almighty's wond'rous Works rehearse.
And as in Heav'n, so through the Earth below,
The narrow Scenes their Maker's Glories show;
Here the broad River rolls its sounding Course,
Its Depths how dang'rous, and how wild its Force!
And here the Fountain's scanty Waters glide,
And as they run the jarring Pebbles chide;

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Now hung with Shades steal unperceiv'd away;
Now shine and quiver in the Blaze of Day.

Colin.
Begin my Pipe, begin the lofty Verse,
And the Almighty's wond'rous Works rehearse.
There Mountains of un-measur'd Bulk arise,
And with their awful Tops support the Skies;
Humbly behind their wide-extended Gloom,
The Hills appear content with narrow Room;
The Hills that Crops of various Plenty bear,
And here with Grass, and here with Corn appear;
And from whose sloping Side I oft have seen,
My Sheep depending, crop the living Green.

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Myrtillo.

Renew my Pipe, renew the lofty Verse,
And the Almighty's wond'rous Works rehearse.
Nor less along the Level of the Plains,
And wat'ry Vales the kind Creator reigns;
Here from her Lap the Earth abundant pours,
Herbage and Fruits, and all the Tribes of Flow'rs.
Hence at the dropping Udders thrive my Lambs,
And hence with woolly Burdens sweat my Dams;
Hence I each Year a drugget Coat obtain,
To screen from piercing Cold and drenching Rain.
And hence the fattest Firstlings of my Fold,
At yon great Market Town I oft have sold;

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And rich sometimes with Gold from thence have come,
And part is spent, and part reserv'd at Home.

Thus the good Swains their leisure Hours employ'd,
And Silvan Mirth and Innocence enjoy'd:
The Larks a while forgot to tune their Throats,
Hush'd were the Finches and the Linnets Notes;
The Herds and Flocks to hear their tuneful Lays,
Stood round with Ears erect, and ceas'd to graze;
Echo alone within her rocky Cave,
Was known to speak, and Sound for Sound she gave:

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More had they sung, but Phæbe's nimble Heel,
Had nigh approach'd, and with her brought their Meal.
Young Lettices with clust'ring Foliage crown'd,
Cresses that in the Silver Brooks abound;
With Leeks, in Pride by antient Britons worn,
And Butter recent from the foaming Churn;
Thankful they eat, and scoop'd the brimming Spring,
And each smil'd happier than the happiest King.