Calls all her chirping Family around,

Fed, and defended by the fearless Cock,

Whofe Breaft with Ardour flames, as on he walks
Graceful, and crows Defiance. In the Pond,
The finely-chequer'd Duck, before her Train,
Rows garrulous. The ftately failing Swan
Gives out his fnowy Plumage to the Gale,
And, arching proud his Neck, with oary Feet
Bears onward fierce, and beats you from the Bank,
Protective of his Young. The Turkey nigh,
Loud-threatning, reddens; while the Peacock spreads
His every colour'd Glory to the Sun,

And fwims in floating Majefty along.

O'er the whole homely Scene, the cooing Dove
Flies thick in amorous Chace, and wanton rolls
The glancing Eye, and turns the changeful Neck.

WHILE thus the gentle Tenants of the Shade
Indulge their purer Loves, the rougher World
Of Brutes below rush furious into Flame,

And fierce Defire. Thro' all his lufty Veins
The Bull, deep-fcorcht, receives the raging Fire.

Of Pafture fick, and negligent of Food,

Scarce-feen, he wades among the yellow Broom,
While o'er his brawny Back the rambling Sprays
Luxuriant fhoot; or thro' the mazy Wood
Dejected wanders, nor th' inticing Bud

Crops, tho' it preffes on his careless Sense:

For, wrapt in mad Imagination, he
Roars for the Fight, and idly butting feigns
A Rival gor'd in every knotty Trunk.

Such should he meet, the bellowing War begins;
Their eyes flash Fury; to the hollow'd Earth,
Whence the Sand flies, they mutter bloody Deeds,
And groaning vast th' impetuous Battle mix:
While the fair Heifer, redolent, in View

Stands kindling up their Rage. The trembling Steed,
With this hot impulse feiz'd in every Nerve,

Nor hears the Rein, nor heeds the founding Whip;
Blows are not felt; but toffing high his Head,
And by the well-known Joy to distant Plains

Attracted strong, all wild, he bursts away;

O'er Rocks, and Woods, and craggy Mountains flies, And neighing on th' aerial Summit takes

Th'

Th' informing Gale; then fteep-defcending stems
The headlong Torrents foaming down the Hills,
Even where the Madness of the straiten'd Stream
Turns in black Eddies round: Such is the Force
With which his frantic Heart, and Sinews fwell.

NOR, undelighted by the boundless Spring,
Are the broad Monsters of the Deep thro' all
Their oozy Caves, and gelid Kingdoms rous'd,
They flounce, and tumble in unwieldy Joy.
Dire were the Strain, and diffonant, to fing
The cruel Raptures of the Savage Kind;
How the red Lioness, her Whelps forgot
Amid the thoughtless Fury of her Heart,
The lank rapacious Wolf, th' unshapely Bear,
The spotted Tyger, felleft of the Fell,

And all the Terrors of the Lybian Swain,

By this new Flame their Native Wrath sublim'd,
Roam the refounding Waste in fiercer Bands,

And growl their horrid Loves. But this the Theme
I fing, tranfported to the British Fair,

Forbids, and leads me to the Mountain-brow,
Where fits the Shepherd on the graffy Turf,
Inhaling, healthful, the defcending Sun.
Around him feeds his many bleating Flock,

Of various Cadence; and his fportive Lambs,
and that convolv'd in friskful Glee,

This

way

Their little Prolicks play. And now the Race
Invites them forth; when swift, the Signal given,

They start away, and fweep the circly Mound
That runs around the Hill; the Rampart once
Of Iron War, in ancient barbarous Times,
When difunited Britain ever 'bled,

Loft in eternal Broil; e'er yet the grew

To this deep-laid, indiffoluble State,

Where Wealth and Commerce lift their golden Head,

And o'er our Labours, Liberty and Law

Illuftrious watch, the Wonder of a World!

WHAT is this mighty Breath, ye Curious, fay,

Which, in a Language rather felt than heard,

Inftructs the Fowls of Heaven ; and thro' their Breasts

These

Thefe Arts of Love diffuses?

What? but GOD!

Inspiring GOD! who boundless Spirit all,

And unremitting Energy, pervades,

Subfifts, adjufts, and agitates the Whole.
He ceaseless works alone, and yet alone
Seems not to work, fo exquifitely fram'd
Is this complex, amazing Scene of Things,
But tho' conceal'd, to every purer Eye

Th' informing Author in his Works appears;

His Grandeur in the Heavens: the Sun, and Moon,

Whether that fires the Day, or falling this

Pours out a lucid Softness o'er the Night,

Are but a Beam from Him. The glittering Stars, By the deep Ear of Meditation heard,

Still in their Midnight Watches fing of Him.

He nods a Calm. The Tempeft blows His Wrath,

Roots up the Foreft, and o'erturns the Main.

The Thunder is His Voice; and the red Flash

His fpeedy Sword of Justice. At his touch

The Mountains flame. He takes the folid Earth,

And rocks the Nations. Nor in thefe alone,