Wantons on silken wing. And goblins all
To the damp dungeon shrink, or hoary hall,
Or westward, with impetuous flight,

Shoot to the desert realms of their congenial night.

II. 1.

When first on childhood's eager gaze

Life's varied landscape, stretch'd immense around,

Starts out of night profound,

Thy voice incites to tempt th' untrodden maze.
Fond he surveys thy mild maternal face,
His bashful eye still kindling as he views,
And, while thy lenient arm supports his pace,
With beating heart the upland path pursues:
The path that leads where, hung sublime,
And seen afar, youth's gallant trophies, bright
In Fancy's rainbow ray, invite

His wingy nerves to climb.

II. 2.

Pursue thy pleasurable way,

Safe in the guidance of thy heavenly guard,
While melting airs are heard,

And soft-ey'd cherub-forms around thee play-
Simplicity, in careless flowers array'd,
Prattling amusive in his accent meek;
And Modesty, half turning as afraid,

The smile just dimpling on his glowing cheek!

Content and Leisure, hand in hand

With Innocence and Peace, advance, and sing; And Mirth, in many a mazy ring,

Frisks o'er the flowery land.

II. 3.

Frail man, how various is thy lot below!
To-day though gales propitious blow,
And Peace, soft gliding down the sky,
Lead Love along, and Harmony,
To-morrow the gay scene deforms:
Then all around

The thunder's sound

Rolls rattling on through heaven's profound,
And down rush all the storms.

Ye days that balmy influence shed,
When sweet childhood, ever sprightly,
In paths of pleasure sported lightly,
Whither, ah whither are ye fled?

Ye cherub train, that brought him on his way,
O leave him not midst tumult and dismay;
For now youth's eminence he gains,

But what a weary length of lingering toil remains!

III. 1.

They shrink, they vanish into air.

Now Slander taints with pestilence the gale; And mingling cries assail,

The wail of Woe, and groan of grim Despair.

To, wizard Envy from his serpent eye

Darts quick destruction in each baleful glance;
Pride smiling stern, and yellow Jealousy,
Frowning Disdain, and haggard Hate advance;
Behold, amidst the dire array,

Pale wither'd Care his giant-stature rears,
And lo, his iron hand prepares

its feeble prey.

III. 2.

Who now will guard bewilder'd youth Safe from the fierce assault of hostile rage? Such war can Virtue wage,

Virtue that bears the sacred shield of Truth?

Alas! full oft on Guilt's victorious car
The spoils of Virtue are in triumph borne;
While the fair captive, mark'd with many a scar,
In long obscurity, oppress'd, forlorn,

Resigns to tears her angel form.

Ill-fated youth, then whither wilt thou fly?

No friend, no shelter now is nigh,

And onward rolls the storm.

III. 3.

But whence the sudden beam that shoots along?

Why shrink aghast the hostile throng?

Lo, from amidst affliction's night

Hope bursts all radiant on the sight;

Her words the troubled bosom soothe : "Why thus dismay'd?

Though foes invade,

Hope ne'er is wanting to their aid
Who tread the path of truth.

"Tis I who smooth the rugged way,
I who close the eyes of Sorrow,

And with glad visions of to-morrow
Repair the weary soul's decay.

[heart,
When Death's cold touch thrills to the freezing
Dreams of heaven's opening glories I impart,
Till the freed spirit springs on high

In rapture too severe for weak mortality."

ODE ON LORD HAY'S BIRTH-DAY.

A MUSE unskill'd in venal praise,
Unstain'd with flattery's art,
Who loves simplicity of lays
Breath'd ardent from the heart,
While gratitude and joy inspire,
Resumes the long-unpractis'd lyre,
To hail, O HAY, thy natal morn :
No gaudy wreath of flowers she weaves,
But twines with oak the laurel leaves,

Thy cradle to adorn.

For not on beds of gaudy flowers

Thine ancestors reclin'd,

Where sloth dissolves, and spleen devours
All energy of mind.

To hurl the dart, to ride the car,
To stem the deluges of war,

And snatch from fate a sinking land;
Trample th' invaders' lofty crest,

And from his grasp the dagger wrest,
And desolating brand:

'Twas this that rais'd th' illustrious line To match the first in fame!

A thousand years have seen it shine
With unabated flame;

Have seen thy mighty sires appear
Foremost in glory's high career,
The pride and pattern of the brave:
Yet
pure from lust of blood their fire,
And from ambition's wild desire,—
They triumph'd but to save.

The Muse with joy attends their way
The vale of peace along;

There to its lord the village gay
Renews the grateful song.

Yon castle's glittering towers contain
No pit of woe, nor clanking chain,
Nor to the suppliant's wail resound;
The open doors the needy bless,
Th' unfriended hail their calm recess,
And gladness smiles around.

There to the sympathetic heart

Life's best delights belong,