The spotted axis bounds in fear away,
The leopard darts on his defenceless prey.
"Mid reedy pools and ancient forests rude,
Cool, peaceful haunts of awful solitude!
The huge rhinoceros rends the crashing boughs,
And stately elephants untroubled browse.
Two tyrant seasons rule the wide domain,
Scorch with dry heat, or drench with floods of rain:
Now fev'rish herds rush madding o'er the plains,
And cool in shady streams their throbbing veins;
The birds drop lifeless from the silent spray,
And nature faints beneath the fiery day;
Then bursts the deluge on the sinking shore,
And teeming plenty empties all her store.
"Twas dead of night, when weary bodies close Their eyes in balmy sleep and soft repose; The winds no longer whisper through the woods, Nor murmuring tides disturb the gentle floods. The stars in silent order moved around,
And peace, with downy wings, was brooding on the ground.
The flocks and herds, and particolour'd fowl, Which haunt the woods, orswim the reedy pool, Stretched on the quiet earth securely lay, Forgetting the past labours of the day.
THE bold swimmer joys not so
To feel the proud waves under him, and beat
With strong repelling arm the billowy surge;
The generous courser does not so exult
To toss his floating mane against the wind,
And neigh amidst the thunder of the war,-
As Virtue to oppose her swelling breast
Like a firm shield against the darts of Fate.
TO MORNING.
HAIL to thy living light,
Ambrosial Morn! all hail thy roseate ray,
That bids young Nature all her charms display In varied beauty bright';
That bids each dew-be-spangled flow'rét rise, And dart around its vermeil dies;
Bids silver lustre grace yon sparkling tide,
That, winding warbles down the mountain's side.
SAY, know'st thou why the beech delights the glade
With boughs extended and a rounder shade,
Whilst towering firs in conic forms arise,
And with a pointed spear divide the skies?
Or why again the changing oak should shed
'The yearly honours of his stately head,
Whilst the distinguished yew is ever seen
Unchanged his branch and permanent his green?
Wanting the sun why does the caltha fade?
Why does the cypress flourish in the shade?
'The fig, and date, why love they to remain
In middle station and an even plain;
Whilst in the lower marsh the gourd is found,
And while the hill with olive shade is crowned?
Why does one climate and one soil endue
The blushing poppy with a crimson hue,
Yet leave the lily pale, and tinge the violet blue?
The twining jasmine, and the blushing rose,
With lavish grace their morning scents disclose;
The fragrant tuberose, and jonquil, declare
The stronger impulse of an evening air.
Whence has the tree, resolve me, or the flower,
A various instinct, or a different power?
Why should one earth, one clime, one stream,
one breath,
Raise this to strength, and sicken that to death?
Whence does it happen that the plant, which
We name the sensitive, should move and feel?
Whence know her leaves to answer her command,
And with quick horror fly the neighbouring
hand?
Along the sunny bank, or watery mead,
Ten thousand stalks their various blossoms
Peaceful and lowly in their native soil,
They neither know to spin, nor care to toil;
Yet with confest magnificence deride
Our vile attire, and impotence of pride.
How void of care yon merry thrush,
That tunes melodious on the bush,
That has no stores of wealth to keep,
No lands to plow, no corn to reap!
He never frets for worthless things,
But lives in peace, and sweetly sings;
Enjoys the present with his mate,
Unmindful of to-morrow's fate.
Of true felicity possest,
He glides through life supremely blest;
And for his daily meal relies
On Him whose love the world supplies.
Rejoiced he finds his morning fare,
His dinner lies-he knows not where;
Still to th' unfailing hand he chaunts
His grateful song, and never wants.
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