Whofe fading beauties pafs without regard,
While every drooping herb upbraids the bard.
What learned fong will Nature's care impart,
By what kind instinct, and unftudied art,
The numerous natives of the sheltering wood
Avoid their dangers, or procure their food?
What verfe has told, how fmaller rivals wage
Unequal war, and with the toad engage?
They, Argus-like, are fet around with eyes,
And, hung on filken threads, the foe furprize;
Spit on the poisonous wretch more deadly bane,
Who, deeply-wounded, feels the raging pain.
Swift up her pendent womb Arachne climbs,
While he scarce trails along his tortur'd limbs;
But careful will the healing plantain find,
(Plantain to undeferving creatures kind)
Whose fovereign herb the venom'd juice expels,
And now the bloated wretch with innate poison
fwells.

Or how the fpeckled fnakes their prey furprize,
And with hot fennel rub their weaker eyes;
They, when the bloom of warmer fpring begins,
Caft off, as worn-out cloaths, their floughy skins;
With early youth, returning vigour bleft,
Brandifh the tongue, and raise the azure crest.
Ants prudent bite the ends of hoarded wheat,
Left growing feeds their future hopes defeat;

And

And when they conscious scent the gathering rains, Draw down their windy eggs, and pilfer'd grains; With fummer's toil, and ready viands fill

The deepest caverns of their puny

hill ;

There lie fecure, and hug their treafur'd goods, And, fafe in labour'd cells, they mock the coming floods.

A thousand kinds unknown in forests breed,

And bite the leaves, and notch the growing weed;
Have each their feveral laws, and fettled ftates,
And conftant sympathies, and constant hates;
Their changing forms no artful verse describes,
Or how fierce war destroys the wandering tribes.
How prudent Nature feeds her various young,
Has been, if not untold, at leaft unfung.
To th' infect-race the Mufe her aid denies,
While prouder men the little ant defpife.
But tho' the bulky kinds are eafy known,
Yet Nature's skill is moft in little shown;
Befide that man, by fome kind demon taught,
Has fecrets found, that were of old unfought.
Labourious wights have wonderous optics made,
Whose borrow'd fight the curious fearcher aid,
And show, what heaven to common view denies,
Strange puny fhapes, unknown to vulgar eyes.
So fhadowy forms, and sportive demons fly,
Wafted on winds, and not perceiv'd when nigh;

Unfeen they fweep along the graffy plains,
And fcud unfeen before the whistling fwains.
But to those feers, in northern ifles confin'd,
Inur'd to cold, and harden'd by the wind,
Th' indulgent powers have given a fecond fight,
That kens the airy fylph, and wandering fprite.
No flitting elf the fubtle eye efcapes,

When wanton genii fport in antic fhapes.
Men Nature, in her fecret work, behold,
Untwist her fibres, and her coats unfold;
With pleasure trace the threads of ftringy roots,
The various textures of the ripening fruits;
And animals, that careless live at ease,

To whom the leaves are worlds, the drops are seas.
If to the finish'd whole fo little goes,

How fmall the parts that muft the whole compofe!
Matter is infinite, and flill defcends :

Man cannot know where leffening Nature ends.
The azure dye, which plums in autumn boast,
That handled fades, and at a touch is loft,
Of fairest show, is all a living heap;

And round their little world, the monsters creep.
Who would on colour dote, or pleasing forms,
If beauty, when discover'd, is but worms?
When the warm fpring puts forth the opening bud,
The waken'd infects find their ready food;
But when the fummer-days dilate the gem,
Stretch out the leaves, and fix the growing item,

They

They die unknown, and numerous kinds fucceed,
That bask in flowers, or eat the ranker weed;
Wanton in fultry heat, and keep their place,
"Till autumn-fruits produce a different race.
But tho' a thoufand themes invite the Mufe,
Yet greater fubjects will from mean excufe;
They claim the grateful fong, whofe prudent care
Has quench'd the wafting flames of endless war.
Late civil rage alarm'd the trembling woods,
And bursting fulphur fcar'd the fylvan-gods.
War fell'd the trees, and fpreading havock made,
The nymphs could hardly find a sheltering shade.
Now, with lefs frightful founds the fields are bleft,
The fwains have leifure, and the land has reft.
Faction, that Hydra, is no longer fear'd,
Her heads are lopp'd, and all the wounds are fear'd:
When innovating schemes fuccefsless prove,
They do but faften, what they would remove.
So restless winds would fly without restraint,
Sweep down the corn, and bend the growing plant;
But taller trees withstand their giddy haste,
And break the fury of the coming blaft;
They angry tear the leaves, and blight the fruit,
But ftrengthen while they fhake, and fix the spreading
Be ftill, ye afpin-boughs, nor restless scare,

[root. With bufy trembling leaves, the liftening hare; And cease, ye infects, who, to plants unkind, gnaw the root, or bite the fofter rind; D 4

Or

Silent

Silent attend, while I Britannia blefs,
And fing the future joys of lasting peace.
Victoria long her fruitlefs labour mourn'd;
Without effect her annual work return'd.
One blow to Cæfar gave the deftin'd throne;
Philippi made the Roman power his own.
Swift as a ray, fhot from the rifing fun,
Pella's immortal youth his Perfia won.
But conqueft now is stopp'd by every fort;
Bloodshed is cheap, and war becomes a sport;
In vain the captains fall, the heroes bleed ;
Fresh victims to the facrifice fucceed.
So doubtful hills the wearied pilgrim fees,
And flattering profpects give a fancied ease;
Delufive hopes compel his fainting feet
To climb th' afcent, and pass the steepy height:
That fummit gain'd, far diftant mountains rife,
Whose towering ridges meet the forrowing eyes,
And, pain renew'd, the wish'd-for reft denies.
Ten years could Hector coming fate retard,
And from th' infulting Greek his Illium guard.
Yet waving heaps, as antient ballads tell,
The doubtful ruins of old Troy conceal;
Now ten campaigns, and battles yearly won,
Transfer no kingdom, and no king dethrone.
But pitying Anna ends the fruitless toil,
Blood shall no more enrich Flanderian foil.

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