THE POPLAR FIELD.

THE Poplars are felled; and Adieu to the shade And the whispering sound of the cool colonnade! The winds play no longer and sing in their leaves; Nor the Ouse in its bosom their image receives!

Twelve years had elapsed, since I last took a view Of my favourite field, and the bank where they grew; When, behold! on their sides, in the grass, they were laid; And I sat on the trees, under which I had strayed.

The blackbird has sought out another retreat, Where the hazels afford him a screen from the heat; And the scene where his notes have oft charmed me before,

Shall resound with his sweet-flowing ditty no more!

My fugitive years are all hast'ning away!

And I must, alas! lie as lowly as they,

With a turf on my breast, and a stone at my head, Ere another such grove rises up in their stead!

The change both my heart and my fancy employs;
I reflect on the frailty of Man and his joys!
Short-lived as we are; yet our pleasures, we see,
Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we!

THE LILY AND THE ROSE.

THE Nymph must lose her female friend,
If more admired than she;

But where will fierce contention end,
If Flowers can disagree?

Within the garden's peaceful scene
Appeared two lovely foes,
Aspiring to the rank of Queen-
The Lily and the Rose.

The Rose soon reddened into rage;
And, swelling with disdain,
Appealed to many a Poet's page,
To prove her right to reign.

The Lily's height bespoke command;
A fair imperial flower,

She seemed designed for FLORA's hand,
The sceptre of her power!

This civil bick'ring and debate

The Goddess chanced to hear; And flew to save, ere yet too late,

The pride of the parterre!

Yours is,' she said, 'the nobler hue;
And yours, the statelier mien!
And till a third surpasses you,

Let each be deemed a Queen!'

Thus soothed and reconciled, each seeks

The fairest British Fair;

The seat of empire is her cheeks,

They reign united there!

ON THE LOSS OF THE 'ROYAL GEORGE.'

[AUGUST 27, 1782.]

WRITTEN WHEN THE NEWS ARRIVED.

To the March in SCIPIO.

TOLL for the brave!

The brave that are no more!
All sunk beneath the wave

Fast by their native shore!

Eight hundred of the brave,
Whose courage well was tried,

Had made the vessel heel,

And laid her on her side.

A land-breeze shook the shrouds,
And she was overset;

Down went the Royal George,

With all her crew complete!

Toll for the brave!

Brave KEMPENFELT is gone! His last sea-fight is fought! His work of glory done!

It was not in the battle;
No tempest gave the shock!
She sprang no fatal leak!
She ran upon no rock!

His sword was in its sheath,
His fingers held the pen,
When KEMPENFELT went down
With twice four hundred men.

Weigh the vessel up!

Once dreaded by our foes;

And mingle with our cup

The tear that England owes !

Her timbers yet are sound;
And she may float again,

Full charged with England's thunder,
And plough the distant Main!

But KEMPENFELT is gone!

His victories are o'er!

And he and his eight hundred
Shall plough the wave no more!

THE NEEDLESS ALARM.

A TALE.

THERE is a field, through which I often pass,
Thick overspread with moss and silky grass,
Adjoining close to Kilwick's echoing Wood;
Where oft the bitch-fox hides her hapless brood,
Reserved to solace many a neighb'ring Squire,
That he may follow them, through brake and briar,
Contusion hazarding of neck or spine;
Which rural Gentlemen call Sport divine.

A narrow brook, by rushy banks concealed,
Runs in a bottom, and divides the field;
Oaks intersperse it, that had once a head,
But now wear crests of oven-wood instead ;
And, where the land slopes to its wat'ry bourn,
Wide yawns a Gulf, beside a ragged thorn;
Bricks line the sides, but shivered long ago,
And horrid brambles intertwine below;
A hollow scooped, I judge, in ancient time,
For baking earth, or burning rock to lime.

Not yet the hawthorn bore her berries red,
With which the fieldfare, wintry guest! is fed;
Nor AUTUMN yet had brushed from ev'ry spray,
With her chill hand, the mellow leaves away;
But corn was housed, and beans were in the stack:
Now therefore issued forth the spotted pack,