Thence Fancy measures, as they parting fly,
Which first will throw its shadow on the eye,
Passing the source of light; and thence away,
Succeeded quick by brighter still than they.
For yet above these wafted clouds are seen
(In a remoter sky, still more serene)
Others, detach'd in ranges through the air,
Spotless as snow, and countless as they're fair;
Scatter'd immensely wide from east to west,
The beauteous 'semblance of a Flock at rest.
These, to the raptur'd mind, aloud proclaim
Their MIGHTY SHEPHERD's everlasting Name.

Whilst thus the loit'rer's utmost stretch of soul Climbs the still clouds, or passes those that roll, And loos'd Imagination soaring goes High o'er his home, and all his little woes, Time glides away; neglected Duty calls: At once from plains of light to earth he falls, And down a narrow lane, well known by day, With all his speed pursues his sounding way, In thought still half absorb'd, and chill'd with cold; When, lo! an object frightful to behold; A grisly SPECTRE, cloth'd in silver-gray, Around whose feet the waving shadows play, Stands in his path!-He stops, and not a breath Heaves from his heart, that sinks almost to death, Loud the owl halloos o'er his head unseen; All else is silent, dismally serene: Some prompt ejaculation whisper'd low, Yet bears him up against the threat'ning foe; And thus poor Giles, though half inclin'd to fly, Mutters his doubts, and strains his steadfast eye. 'Tis not my crimes thou com'st here to reprove; No murders stain my soul, no perjur'd love: If thou'rt indeed what here thou seem'st to be, Thy dreadful mission cannot reach to me. By parents taught still to mistrust mine eyes, Still to approach each object of surprise,

Lest Fancy's formful visions should deceive
In moonlight paths, or glooms of falling eve,
This then's the moment when my heart should try
To scan thy motionless deformity;

But oh, the fearful task! yet well I know
An aged ash, with many a spreading bough
(Beneath whose leaves I've found a summer's
bow'r,

Beneath whose trunk I've weather'd many a show'r)

Stands singly down this solitary way,

But far beyond where now my footsteps stay.
'Tis true, thus far I've come with heedless haste;
No reck'ning kept, no passing objects traced :-
And can I then have reach'd that very tree?
Or is its reverend form assum'd by thee?'
The happy thought alleviates his pain:
He creeps another step; then stops again ;
Till slowly, as his noiseless feet draw near,
Its perfect lineaments at once appear;

Its crown of shiv'ring ivy whispering peace,
And its white bark that fronts the moon's pale face.
Now, whilst his blood mounts upward, now he
The solid gain that from conviction flows; [knows
And strengthen'd Confidence shall hence fulfil
(With conscious Innocence more valued still)
The dreariest task that winter nights can bring,
By churchyard dark, or grove, or fairy ring:
Still buoying up the timid mind of youth,
Till loit'ring Reason hoists the scale of Truth.
With these blest guardians Giles his course pursues,
Till numbering his heavy-sided ewes,
Surrounding stillness tranquillize his breast,
And shape the dreams that wait his hours of rest.
As when retreating tempests we behold,
Whose skirts at length the azure sky unfold,
And full of murmurings and mingled wrath,
Slowly unshroud the smiling face of earth,

Bringing the bosom joy: so WINTER flies!-
And see the Source of Life and Light uprise!
A height'ning arch o'er southern hills he bends;
Warm on the cheek the slanting beam descends,
And gives the reeking mead a brighter hue,
And draws the modest primrose bud to view.
Yet frosts succeed, and winds impetuous rush,
And hail-stones rattle through the budding bush;
And night-fall'n Lambs require the shepherd's care,
And teeming Ewes, that still their burdens bear;
Beneath whose sides to-morrow's dawn may see
The milk-white strangers bow the trembling knee;
At whose first birth the pow'rful instinct's seen
That fills with champions the daisied green :
For ewes that stood aloof with fearful eye,
With stamping foot now men and dogs defy,
And obstinately faithful to their young,
Guard their first steps to join the bleating throng.
But casualties and death from damps and cold
Will still attend the well-conducted fold:
Her tender offspring dead, the dam aloud
Calls and runs wild amidst the unconscious crowd,
And orphan'd sucklings raise the piteous cry;
No wool to warm them, no defenders nigh.
And must her streaming milk then flow in vain?
Must unregarded innocence complain?
No;-ere this strong solicitude subside,
Maternal fondness may be fresh apply'd,
And the adopted stripling still may find
A parent most assiduously kind.

For this he's doom'd awhile disguis'd to range
(For fraud or force must work the wish'd-for
For this his predecessor's skin he wears, [change);
Till cheated into tenderness and cares,
The unsuspecting dam, contented grown,
Cherish and guard the fondling as her own.

Thus all by turns to fair perfection rise;
Thus twins are parted to increase their size:

Thus instinct yields as interest points the way,
Till the bright flock, augmenting every day,
On sunny hills and vales of springing flow'rs
With ceaseless clamour greet the vernal hours.
The humbler Shepherd here with joy beholds
The approv'd economy of crowded folds,
And, in his small contracted round of cares,
Adjusts the practice of each hint he hears:
For Boys with emulation learn to glow,
And boast their pastures and their healthful show
Of well-grown Lambs, the glory of the Spring;
And field to field in competition bring.

E'en GILES, for all his cares and watchings past,
And all his contests with the wintry blast,
Claims a full share of that sweet praise bestow'd
By gazing neighbours, when along the road,
Or village green, his curly-coated throng
Suspends the chorus of the spinner's song;
When Admiration's unaffected grace

Lisps from the tongue, and beams in every face: Delightful moments!-Sunshine, Health, and Joy, Play round, and cheer the elevated Boy!

Another SPRING!' his heart exulting cries;

Another YEAR! with promis'd blessings rise!ETERNAL POWER! from whom those blessings flow, Teach me still more to wonder, more to know: Seed-time and Harvest let me see again; Wander the leaf-strewn wood, the frozen plain : Let the first Flower, corn-waving Field, Plain, Tree, Here round my home, still lift my soul to THEE; And let me ever, midst thy bounties, raise An humble note of thankfulness and praise!'

April 22, 179"

NOTES.

Note (1), Page 16.

A fav'rite morsel with the Rook, &c.

In these verses, which have much of picturesque, there is a severe charge against Rooks and Crows, as very formidable depredators; and their destruction, as such, seems to be recommended. Such was the prevalent opinion some years back. It is less general now and I am sure the humanity of the Author, and his benevolence to Animals in general, will dispose him to rejoice in whatever plea can be offered in stay of execution of this sentence. And yet more so, if it shall appear that Rooks, at least, deserve not only mercy, but protection and encouragement from the Farmer.

I shall quote a passage from BEWICK'S interesting HISTORY OF BIRDS: the narrative part of which is often as full of information as the embellishments cut in wood are beautiful.-It is this:

Speaking of Birds of the PIE-KIND in general, he says, 'Birds of this kind are found in every part of the known world, from Greenland to the Cape of Good Hope. In many respects they may be said to be of singular benefit to mankind: principally by destroying great quantities of noxious insects, worms, and reptiles. Rooks, in particular, are fond of the eruca of the hedge-chaffer, or chesnut brown beetle : for which they search with indefatigable pains. These insects,' he adds in a note, appear in hot weather in formidable numbers: disrobing the fields and trees of their verdure, blossoms, and fruit; spreading desolation and destruction wherever they go.They appeared in great numbers in IRELAND during a hot summer, and committed great ravages. In the #P. 63.