Euphrof. That is a very beautiful Description of the Seafons, and the Similitude feems very juft and natural, -But now for a little Philofophy; pray let me fee, by the Orrery, how those different Seasons are brought about in Nature.

Cleon. I will, immediately; but, previous thereto, you muft obferve, and get a tolerable good Notion of the following Particulars-First, That the Motion of the Earth is in the Plane of the Ecliptic; that therefore Secondly, the Sun-beams are always perpendicular to that Part of the Earth which lies under the Degree of the Ecliptic in which the Sun appears at any Time.Thirdly, That the Axis of the Earth is not perpendicular to the Plane of the Ecliptic, but inclined thereto in an Angle of 66; as I fhewed you in the Sphere.-Fourthly, That the Axis of the Earth keeps always in a parallel Pofition, or points always towards the fame Parts of the Heavens, throughout its whole annual Courfe.-Fifthly, That the Sun being at fo vaft a Distance, the Rays which fall on the Earth may be looked upon as parallel among themselves And, Sixthly, That only one half of a Globe can be enlightened at once by parallel Rays.Do you think you understand me aright?

Euphrof. I believe I do pretty well, by what you have before taught me; and the Manner in which you now indicate these Things.

Cleon. Well then, fince the SPRING is the most delightful and primary Seafon of the Year, we will begin with it; to reprefent which, you fee, I place the Earth in the Beginning of Libra, and then the Sun will appear in the Beginning of Aries, which being the Equinoctial Point, the Sun muft for that Day equally enlighten all Places on the Earth, from Pole to Pole; and to make this Affair as clear to the Eye, as it is in Nature, you fee I take this small wax Taper, and-fhutting the Windows all clofe-I put it into this little brafs Cafe, with a Convex Glafs in the Side; that the Light may go to the Earth in parallel Rays-Then I fix it in the Place of the folar Ball, and-turning the Glafs directly to the Earth, -you fee that Hemisphere of the Earth next the Taper enlightened, the other being wholly in the dark.

Euphrof. I obferve it well; and from what you fhewed me on the Sphere, I eafily conceive, as the Earth revolves about its Axis, the Days and Nights must now be of equal Duration. But, pray, when do you put the Earth in Motion, to obferve the Particularities of Seafons?

Cleon. Immediately;you fee it begin its Course, proceeding for the Summer Seafon;for fince, now, every Part of the Earth, equally distant from the Equator, on either Side, enjoys equal Intervals of the Sun's Prefence and Abfence, the Warmth or Heat of every Clime must now be at a Medium, or in a moft temperate Degree, and therefore will be productive of all the Vegetation of Plants, and pleasant Temperature of Air, that any Part of the Earth is capable of; which Qualities, I need not tell you, do every where conftitute the SPRING; which charming Seafon has afforded a delightful Theme to the Poets, who have varioufly defcribed it. Of which I fhall repeat to you fome choice Specimens. The Firft fhall be that of Virgil.

See on the Shore inhabits purple Spring,

Where Nightingales their Love-fick Ditties fing;

See Meads with purling Streams, with Flow'rs the Ground, The Grottos cool with fhady Poplars crown'd,

And creeping Vines on Arbours weav'd around.

Again:

Eclogue IX,

When Winter's Rage abates, when chearful Hours
Awake the Spring, and Spring awakes the Flow'rs;
'Tis then the Hills with pleafing Shades are crown'd,
And Sleeps are fweeter on the filken Ground;
With milder Beams the Sun fecurely fhines,
Fat are the Lambs, and lufcious are the Wines.

But his moft beautiful and grand Defcription of this

Seafon is in the following Lines:

The SPRING adorns the Woods, renews the Leaves,
The Womb of Earth the genial Seed receives ;
For then almighty Jove defcends and pours,
Into his buxom Bride, his fruitful Show'rs;
And mixing his large Limbs with hers, he feeds
Her Births with timely Juice, and fofters teeming Seeds.
Then joyous Birds frequent the lonely Grove,
And Beafts, by Nature flung, renew their Love.

Then

Then Fields the Blades of bury'd Corn difclofe,
And while the balmy weftern Spirit blows,
Earth to the Breath her Bofom dares expofe.
With kindly Moisture then the Plants abound,
The Grafs fecurely fprings above the Ground:
The tender Twig fhoots upwards to the Skies,
And on the Faith of the new Sun relies.

The fwerving Vines on the tall Elms prevail,
Unhurt, by fouthern Show'rs, or northern Hail;
They Spread their Gems, the genial Warmth to share,
And boldly trust their Buds in open Air.

In this foft Seafon (let me dare to fing)

The World was batch'd by Heav'n's imperial King
In prime of all the Year, and Holidays of Spring.
Then did the new Creation first appear,

Nor other was the Tenor of the Year;

}

When laughing Heav'n did the great Birth attend,
And eaftern Winds their wint'ry Breath fufpend.
Then Sheep firft faw the Sun in open Fields,
And favage Beafts were fent to flock the Wilds;
And golden Stars flew up to light the Skies,
And Man's relentless Race from ftony Quarries rife.
Nor could the tender, new Creation bear
Th' exceffive Heats, or Coldness of the Year;
But chill'd by Winter, or by Summer fir'd,
The middle Temper of the Spring requir'd:
When Warmth and Moisture did at once abound,
And Heav'n's Indulgence brooded on the Ground.
Georg. II.
Among numberless Descriptions of the Moderns,

Mr. Pope has the following moft delicate one:

In that foft Seafon, when defcending Show'rs
Call forth the Greens, and wake the rifing Flow'rs;
When op'ning Buds falute the welcome Day,
And Earth relenting, feels the genial Ray.
And again,

'Twas now the Seafon, when the glorious Sun His heav'nly Progrefs thro' the Twins had run; And Jove, exalted, his mild Influence yields, To glad the Glebe, and paint the flow'ry Fields. Mr. Thomson has made this Seafon the Subject of an exquifite Poem; in which, after a fhort Invocation or figurative Address in these Words

Come, gentle SPRING, ETHEREAL MILDNESS, come,
And from the Bofom of yon dropping Cloud,
While Mufic wakes around, veil'd in a Show'r

Of fhadowing Rofes, on our Plains defcend

He infcribes the Poem; and foon after begins the magnificent Description thus-

At laft from Aries rolls the bounteous Sun,

And the bright Bull receives him. Then no more
Th' expanfive Atmosphere is cramp'd with Cold,
But full of Life, and vivifying Soul,

Lifts the light Clouds fublime, and fpreads them thin,
Fleecy and white o'er all-furrounding Heaven.

Forth fly the tepid Airs; and unconfin'd,

Unbinding Earth the moving Softness ftrays.
Joyous th' impatient Husbandman perceives
Relenting Nature.

And having fung the Praises of the Plough, he confiders the delightful Effects of this Seafon on vegetative Nature.

Nor thro' the lenient Air alone, this Change
Delicious breathes, the penetrative Sun,
His Force deep-darting to the dark Retreat
Of Vegetation, fets the teaming Pow'r
At large to wander o'er the verdant Earth,
In various Hues, but chify thee, gay Green!
Thou Smiling Nature's univerfal Robe!
United Light and Shade! where the Sight dwells
With growing Strength, and ever-new Delight!
From the moift Meadow to the brown-brow'd Hill
Led by the Breeze, the vivid Verdure runs,

And fwells, and deepens to the cherish'd Eye.

Having beautifully defcribed the Vegetation and wondrous Growth of all Kinds of Plants; he next defcants on the Influence of the Spring on animated Bodies, and firft on the feathered Kind.

Lend me your Song, ye Nightingales! O pour

The mazy running Soul of Melody
Into my varied Verfe! while I deduce,
From the first Note the hollow Cuckoo fings,
The fymphony of Spring, and touch a Theme
Unknown to Fame, the Paffion of the Groves,