 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
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IN SESE VOLVITUR ANNUS.
“With sprightly mien and visage bland,
“In order first, throughout the land,
“Spring trips it, and where'er she treads,
“With sweets revives the sickly meads;
“Strews flowers as she sports along,
“And blossom'd sprays resound the song;
“The fields with daisies now are spread,
“And ev'ry tree's a nuptial bed,
“While Man, Beasts, Birds, and Fish combine,
“In praise of genial Valentine:—
“Playful as Kid, amid her train,
“Is seen the Village Maid and Swain;
“The Loves and Graces at her sight,
“Whom Winter's chill had put to flight,
“From Heav'n accompanied by Mirth,
“Again revisit Spring and Earth;
“And Nature, with a gladsome eye,
“Beholds her Darling passing by.
“In order first, throughout the land,
“Spring trips it, and where'er she treads,
“With sweets revives the sickly meads;
“Strews flowers as she sports along,
“And blossom'd sprays resound the song;
“The fields with daisies now are spread,
“And ev'ry tree's a nuptial bed,
“While Man, Beasts, Birds, and Fish combine,
“In praise of genial Valentine:—
“Playful as Kid, amid her train,
“Is seen the Village Maid and Swain;
“The Loves and Graces at her sight,
“Whom Winter's chill had put to flight,
“From Heav'n accompanied by Mirth,
“Again revisit Spring and Earth;
“And Nature, with a gladsome eye,
“Beholds her Darling passing by.
“Next, with that majesty and pride
“By which Heav'n's Queen is dignified,
“Summer succeeds—whose pow'rful sway,
“Earth, Seas, and kindling Air obey:
“The Sun from Cancer darts his rays,
“And pours an all-commanding blaze;
“Impregns with life the fruitful Earth,
“And all Creation bursts to birth:
“Upon her Left, with glowing face,
“Heat slowly moves:—With gentle pace
“Zephyr upon her right is seen,
“Compress'd by whom, the melting Queen
“Produc'd fair Health, a lovely boy
“Whom all admire, yet few enjoy.
“By which Heav'n's Queen is dignified,
“Summer succeeds—whose pow'rful sway,
“Earth, Seas, and kindling Air obey:
“The Sun from Cancer darts his rays,
“And pours an all-commanding blaze;
“Impregns with life the fruitful Earth,
“And all Creation bursts to birth:
“Upon her Left, with glowing face,
“Heat slowly moves:—With gentle pace
152
“Compress'd by whom, the melting Queen
“Produc'd fair Health, a lovely boy
“Whom all admire, yet few enjoy.
“She passes on—and in her rear,
“Autumn, sheaf-crown'd, behold appear;
“In garment drest of motley hue,
“His aspect grave, yet pleasing too;
“And Plenty with a buxom face,
“And Cheerfulness with smiling grace,
“Dance hand in hand; and o'er the plains,
“Trip to Euphrosine's light strains;
“While Ceres-blest, the Reaper-throng
“The Chorus joins of Nature's song:
“Their treasur'd wealth the fields display
“In stacks, straw-bonnetted, of hay;
“And sheaves like marshall'd armies stand,
“Embattled o'er the stubble land;
“Memento blest, that God to'adore,
“Who guards from hostile rage our shore:
“With echoing horns the hills resound,
“The hare flies o'er the shaven ground,
“The loaded waggons strip the fields,
“The circling flail the Thresher wields,
“The Peasant fills the flowing bowl,
“While Pleasantry inspires each soul,
“O'er harvest suppers gay presides,
“And, mirthful, shakes his lusty sides;
“And Spleen, self-banish'd, takes her flight,
“Conceal'd in darkness, gloom, and night.
“Autumn, sheaf-crown'd, behold appear;
“In garment drest of motley hue,
“His aspect grave, yet pleasing too;
“And Plenty with a buxom face,
“And Cheerfulness with smiling grace,
“Dance hand in hand; and o'er the plains,
“Trip to Euphrosine's light strains;
“While Ceres-blest, the Reaper-throng
“The Chorus joins of Nature's song:
“Their treasur'd wealth the fields display
“In stacks, straw-bonnetted, of hay;
“And sheaves like marshall'd armies stand,
“Embattled o'er the stubble land;
“Memento blest, that God to'adore,
“Who guards from hostile rage our shore:
“With echoing horns the hills resound,
“The hare flies o'er the shaven ground,
“The loaded waggons strip the fields,
“The circling flail the Thresher wields,
“The Peasant fills the flowing bowl,
“While Pleasantry inspires each soul,
“O'er harvest suppers gay presides,
“And, mirthful, shakes his lusty sides;
“And Spleen, self-banish'd, takes her flight,
“Conceal'd in darkness, gloom, and night.
153
“From the bleak North, in sables drest,
“Crawls Winter last—with age opprest;
“Blear-ey'd—his back ybent like bow,
“His bald head deeply cap'd in snow;
“With shrunk-in cheeks—and frightful beard
“Of isicles;—his voice is heard
“In howling tempests—and his train
“Compos'd of fogs, winds, snow, and rain;
“With scanty light obliquely given
“From the remotest part of Heaven;
“His wrinkled Visage, Looks severe,
“Strike Nature with a chilly fear;
“Languid her pulse and spirits beat,
“And frighted to her heart retreat:
“Where'er he moves, wild Horror reigns,
“He spreads destruction thro' the plains,
“'Till Hope once more on Cherub-wing
“Points the return of youthful Spring;
“At whose approach the Tyrant flies
“To cheerless Patagonian skies;
“While, as before, in order due,
“The passing Seasons we review.
“Crawls Winter last—with age opprest;
“Blear-ey'd—his back ybent like bow,
“His bald head deeply cap'd in snow;
“With shrunk-in cheeks—and frightful beard
“Of isicles;—his voice is heard
“In howling tempests—and his train
“Compos'd of fogs, winds, snow, and rain;
“With scanty light obliquely given
“From the remotest part of Heaven;
“His wrinkled Visage, Looks severe,
“Strike Nature with a chilly fear;
“Languid her pulse and spirits beat,
“And frighted to her heart retreat:
“Where'er he moves, wild Horror reigns,
“He spreads destruction thro' the plains,
“'Till Hope once more on Cherub-wing
“Points the return of youthful Spring;
“At whose approach the Tyrant flies
“To cheerless Patagonian skies;
“While, as before, in order due,
“The passing Seasons we review.
“Thus Nature annual life resumes,
“And with fresh youth and beauty blooms;
“But all the changes Mortals know,
“From one poor single round must flow;
“For wounded once by Winter's sting,
“Man never hails return of Spring.”
“And with fresh youth and beauty blooms;
“But all the changes Mortals know,
“From one poor single round must flow;
“For wounded once by Winter's sting,
“Man never hails return of Spring.”
Beneath a spreading shade reclin'd,
Thus Lucius sung with pensive mind;
When blest with Music's sweetest lay,
A heav'nly Voice was heard to say;
“Can Man, ungrateful, thus despair,
“Man, who is Heav'n's peculiar care?
“Reason and Revelation show,
“That Man, Heaven-favour'd Man, shall know
“Another Spring above the skies,
“There Phœnix-like again to rise,
“Where gloomy Winter never comes,
“But Spring unfading always blooms;
“And He who Virtue's mount can climb,
“Defiance bids to murd'ring Time:
“The Seasons that in Orbits run,
“The Earth, and Heav'n's great eye, the Sun,
“Yon azure Vault, and starry Host,
“Shall fade—again in Chaos lost:
“Ev'n Time itself shall be no more,
“Whilst Virtue shall immortal soar;
“The Stream of Virtue never dies,
“Which God's eternal Fount supplies.”
Thus Lucius sung with pensive mind;
154
A heav'nly Voice was heard to say;
“Can Man, ungrateful, thus despair,
“Man, who is Heav'n's peculiar care?
“Reason and Revelation show,
“That Man, Heaven-favour'd Man, shall know
“Another Spring above the skies,
“There Phœnix-like again to rise,
“Where gloomy Winter never comes,
“But Spring unfading always blooms;
“And He who Virtue's mount can climb,
“Defiance bids to murd'ring Time:
“The Seasons that in Orbits run,
“The Earth, and Heav'n's great eye, the Sun,
“Yon azure Vault, and starry Host,
“Shall fade—again in Chaos lost:
“Ev'n Time itself shall be no more,
“Whilst Virtue shall immortal soar;
“The Stream of Virtue never dies,
“Which God's eternal Fount supplies.”
| Poems on Several Occasions | |