Commit their feeble offspring: the cleft tree,
Offers its kind concealment to a few,

Their food its infects, and its mofs their nefts.
Others apart, far in the graffy dale,

Or roughening wafte, their humble texture weave.
But most in woodland folitudes delight,
In unfrequented glooms, or fhaggy banks,
Steep, and divided by a babb'ling brook,
Whose murmurs foothe them all the live-long
day,

When by kind duty fix'd. Among the roots
Of hazel, pendant o'er the plaintive stream,
They frame the firft foundation of their domes;
Dry sprigs of trees, in artful fabric laid,
And bound with clay together. Now 'tis nought,
But reftlefs hurry thro' the bufy air,
Beat by unnumber'd wings. The swallow sweeps
The flimy pool, to build his hanging house
Intent. And often, from the careless back
Of herds and flocks, a thousand tugging bills
Pluck hair and wool: and oft, when unobserv'd
Steal from the barn a ftraw: till foft and warm,
Clean and complete, their habitation grows.

WITH

WITH the fame truth, delicacy, and minuteness are defcribed the other offices of the parental charge among the pleasing inhabitants of the grove: fitting, hatching, rearing their young, protecting them from danger, and teaching them to fly. All these are original pieces; for no poet before Thomson had thought of studying in fields and woods. It is faid of that admirable defigner of wild animals, Mr. Ridinger of Vienna, that he has frequently paffed whole nights in the depths of forefts for the purpose of viewing the fierce and folitary inhabitants in their native abodes, with all the actions and manners of their favage ftate. It cannot be doubted that Thomfon must have beftowed equal attention and diligence in examining those parts

of animated nature which occupy fo distinguished a place in his paintings.

THE descriptions referred to above, have all a character of elegance, gayety, or softness; the following rifes to fublimity.

High from the fummit of a craggy cliff
Hung o'er the deep, such as amazing frowns
On utmost Kilda's fhore, whofe lonely race
Refign the fetting fun to diftant worlds,
The royal eagle draws his vigorous young,
Strong pounc'd, and ardent with paternal fire.
Now fit to raise a kingdom of their own,
He drives them from his fort, the towering feat,
For ages, of his empire; which in peace,
Unftain'd he holds, while many a league at fea
He wings his courfe, and preys in diftant ifles.

THE circumftance of the parent eagles' driving their young, as soon as reared,

reared, from the limits of their kingdom, is not only poetical, but agreeable to ancient obfervation, Pliny relates it with his ufual elegance. "Adultos "perfequitur parens, et longé fugat, "æmulos fcilicet rapinæ. Et alioqui "unum par aquilarum magno ad popu"landum tractu, ut fatietur, indiget." "The parent bird purfues its adult young, and drives them afar, as rivals in rapine. For a fingle pair of eagles requires a large tract for preying in, to provide a fufficiency of food."

A PLEASING contrast to the manners of this folitary tyrant is exhibited in thofe of the various kinds of domeftic fowl; which are thus grouped in a truly rural landskip.

Should I my steps turn to the rural feat, Whofe lofty elms, and venerable oaks, Invite the rook, who high amid the boughs, In early Spring, his airy city builds,"

And ceafelefs caws amufive; there, well-pleas'd, I might the various polity furvey

Of the mixt houfhold kind.

The careful hen

Calls all her chirping family around,

Fed and defended by the fearless cock ;

Whose breast with ardour flames, as on he walks,
Graceful, and crows defiance. In the pond,
The finely-checker'd duck, before her train,
Rows garrulous. The ftately-failing fwan
Gives out his fnowy plumage to the gale;
And, arching proud his neck, with oary feet
Bears forward fierce, and guards his offer isle,
Protective of his young. The turkey nigh,
Loud-threatning, reddens; while the peacock
fpreads

His every-colour'd glory to the fun,

And swims in radiant 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.

WERE