Part 35 (2/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: SPRING.]

SUMMER.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter F.]

From bright'ning fields of ether fair disclosed, Child of the Sun, refulgent Summer comes, In pride of youth, and felt through nature's depth: He comes attended by the sultry hours, And ever-fanning breezes on his way; While from his ardent look the turning Spring Averts his blus.h.i.+ng face, and earth and skies, All-smiling, to his hot dominion leaves.

Cheer'd by the milder beam, the sprightly youth Speeds to the well-known pool, whose crystal depth A sandy bottom shows. Awhile he stands Gazing the inverted landscape, half afraid To meditate the blue profound below; Then plunges headlong down the circling flood.

His ebon tresses, and his rosy cheek, Instant emerge: and through the obedient wave, At each short breathing by his lip repell'd, With arms and legs according well, he makes, As humour leads, an easy-winding path; While from his polish'd sides a dewy light Effuses on the pleased spectators round.

This is the purest exercise of health.

The kind refresher of the Summer heats: Nor, when cold Winter keens the brightening flood, Would I, weak-s.h.i.+vering, linger on the brink.

Thus life redoubles, and is oft preserved By the bold swimmer, in the swift elapse Of accident disastrous.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SUMMER.]

AUTUMN.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter C.]

Crown'd with the sickle and the wheaten sheaf, While Autumn nodding o'er the yellow plain Comes jovial on, the Doric reed once more, Well pleased, I tune. Whatever the wintry frost Nitrous prepared, the various-blossom'd Spring Put in white promised forth, and Summer suns Concocted strong, rush boundless now to view, Full, perfect all, and swell my glorious theme.

Hence from the busy, joy-resounding fields In cheerful error let us tread the maze Of Autumn, unconfined; and taste, revived, The breath of orchard big with bending fruit.

Obedient to the breeze and beating ray, From the deep-loaded bough a mellow shower Incessant melts away. The juicy pear Lies in a soft profusion scatter'd round.

A various sweetness swells the gentle race, By Nature's all-refining hand prepared; Of tempered sun, and water, earth, and air, In ever-changing composition mix'd.

Such, falling frequent through the chiller night, The fragrant stores, the wide projected heaps Of apples, which the l.u.s.ty-handed year, Innumerous, o'er the blus.h.i.+ng orchard shakes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: AUTUMN.]

WINTER.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter S.]

See, Winter comes to rule the varied year, Sullen and sad, with all his rising train-- Vapours, and clouds, and storms. Be these my theme, These--that exalt the soul to solemn thought And heavenly musing. Welcome, kindred glooms; Congenial horrors, hail: with frequent foot, Pleased have I, in my cheerful morn of life, When nursed by careless solitude I lived, And sung of nature with unceasing joy; Pleased have I wander'd through your rough domain, Trod the pure virgin snows, myself as pure; Heard the winds roar, and the big torrent burst, Or seen the deep-fermenting tempest brew'd In the grim evening sky.

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