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What order so contriv'd as not to mix

Tastes not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change :·
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever Earth, all bearing mother, yields
In India East or West, or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths
From many a berry, and from sweet kernels press'd
She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold
Wants her fit vessels pure; then strows the ground
With rose and odours from the shrub unfum'd.

MILTON.

THE LAMB.

AH, gentle shepherd! thine the lot to tend,
Of all that feel distress, the most assail'd,
Feeble,-defenceless. Lenient be thy care:
But spread around thy tend'rest diligence

In flow'ry spring time, when the new dropp'd lamb,
Tett'ring with weakness by his mother's side,
Feels the fresh world about him, and each thorn,
Hillock, or furrow, trips his feeble feet.

O! guard his meek, sweet innocence from all
Th' innum'rous ills, that rush around his life.
Mark the quick kite, with beak and talons prone,
Circling the skies, to snatch him from the plain.
Observe the lurking crows. Beware the brake;
There the sly fox the careless minute waits.

Nor trust thy neighbour's dog, nor earth, nor sky.

Thy bosom to a thousand cares divide.
Eurus oft flings his hail: the tardy fields
Pay not their promis'd food: and oft the dam
O'er her weak twins with empty udder mourns,
Or fails to guard when the bold bird of prey
Alights, and hops, in many turns around,
And tires her, also turning. To her aid
Be nimble: and the weakest, in thine arms,
Gently, convey to the warm cot; and oft,
Between the lark's note and the nightingale's,
His hungry bleating still with tepid milk :
In this soft office may thy children join,
And charitable habits learn in sport.

DYER'S FLEECE.

SHEEP-WASHING.

-IF verdant elder spreads

Her silver flow'rs; if humble daisies yield
To yellow crow-foot and luxuriant grass,
Gay shearing-time approaches. First, howe'er,
Drive to the double fold, upon the brim
Of a clear river; gently drive the flock,
And plunge them one by one into the flood:
Plung'd in the flood, not long the struggler sinks,
With his white flakes that glisten through the tide :
The sturdy rustic, in the middle wave,

Awaits to seize him rising: one arm bears
His lifted head above the limpid stream,
While the full clammy fleece the other laves
Around, laborious, with repeated toil;
And then resigns him to the sunny bank,

Where, bleating loud, he shakes his dripping locks.

DYER'S FLEECE,

BUXTON WELLS.

IN green vales, amid her mountains bleak, Buxtonia smiles, the goddess-nymph of Peak ; Deep in warm waves, and pebbly baths she dwells, And calls Hygeia to her sainted wells.

Hither in sportive bands bright Devon leads

Graces and Loves from Chatsworth's flow'ry meads.—
Charm'd round the nymph, they climb the rifted rocks;
And steep in mountain-mist their golden locks;
On vent rous step her sparry caves explore,
And light with radiant eyes her realms of ore.
-Oft by her bubbling founts and shadowy domes,
In gay undress the fairy legion roams,

Their dripping palms in playful malice fill,

Or taste with rúby lip the sparkling rill;

Crowd round her baths, and, bending o'er the side,
Unclasp'd their sandals, and their zones untied,
Dip with gay fear the shudd'ring foot undress'd,
And quick retract it to the fringed vest;

Or cleave with brandish'd arms the lucid stream,
And sob, their blue eyes twinkling in the steam.
-High o'er the chequer❜d vault with transient glow
Bright lustres dart, as dash the waves below;
And Echo's sweet responsive voice prolongs
The dulcet tumult of their silver tongues.-
O'er their flush'd cheeks uncurling tresses flow,
And dewdrops glitter on their necks of snow;
Round each fair nymph her dropping mantle clings,
And Loves emerging shake their show'ry wings.

DARWIN'S BOTANIC GARDEN.

ELEGY ON REVISITING THE SCENES OF
EARLY LIFE.

HAIL, loveliest scene these eyes have e'er survey'd!
Where my gay childhood innocently grew:

Where oft my feet with truant pastime play'd,

And my warm youth life's freshest pleasures knew! Roll back, ye hasty suns, and bring again

Those days of gold; then stand for ever still!
Ere through my frame had pierc'd the shaft of Pain;
Ere my warm spirits Care had learn'd to chill.
Delightful Hope! gay, laughing prophetess !
The flatt'ring painter of Futurity!

That told'st me I should feel unmingled bliss;
Come, tell me o'er again the charming lie!
Repeat that tale I heard of days to come';
All rich with bright impossibilities!

Walks always smooth, and flow'rs of lasting bloom,
And thornless roses, and unclouded skies!

Return that health, which bloom'd without my care; Came uninvok'd, and, though neglected, staid : Which ask'd nor lenient herb, nor fount, nor air, Contemn'd all danger, and despis'd all aid.

Again, my bosom glow as then it glow'd;

When round I look'd, and felt that all was fair;
When high on Rapture's eagle-wing I rode;
Tow'r'd to the sun, and spurn'd the clouds of care!

Those slumbers sound again my senses bind,
That made but one swees instant all my night;
That heard nor barking cur, nor howling wind,
Nor Time's deep, solemn toll proclaim his flight.
And, O the fervours, Heav'n, renew, that ran

Through my young nerves (sensation all divine!) Ere broke that golden dream, which show'd me man Not fairer in his form than pure within.

Ere yet Surprise had made her fearful start,

As Hell-born Villainy first meets the view! That smoothest smiles oft mask a frowning heart, Ere yet my blissful inexperience knew.

Give me again in all men to confide;

.

Again Suspicion from my breast be driv'n; Still would I view my kind with gen'rous pride,

And deem the word of man the word of Heav'n. And take once more your turn, ecstatic days !

When life's vast curtain rose, and bless'd my view!
Lo! the gay plumes, the spangles, and the blaze !
All wond'rous bright, enchanting all, and new!
Move my still breast, sweet Novelty, again !

Again with wild delight my passions dance!
Return the bounding heart, the fever'd brain,
Return the years of transport and romance!
But, chief, that sweet surprise restore me, Fate,
Young Fancy felt in Academia's hall;
The muse of Rome and Greece as first she met,
And each quick passion own'd her mighty call!
And give me, Nature, once again to prove
Those dear, delirious, agitated days,

When woke within me first the throb of love,
And radiant Beauty dazzled first my gaze!
Soft idle hours! when Reason sat retir'd,

And Fancy o'er me all her influence threw !
When, save what Laura's changeful eyes inspir'd,
No hopes I cherish'd, and no fears I knew!
Ah! swift-wing'd joys! for ever, ever flown!
Ah, fruitless revocation, fond and vain!
Adieu, blest days, that must but once be known!
Farewell, delights, I may not taste again!

Come, Virtue, when all other joys retreat,

Still constant found; and, smiling Friendship, come! And beauteous Truth!-now gaudier beams have set, Gild, with your mild and lunar rays, my gloom.

FAWCETT'S POEMS.

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