Even fo luxurious men, unheeding, pass An idle fummer-life in fortune's fhine, A feafon's glitter! In soft-circling robes, Which the hard hand of INDUSTRY has wrought, 315 The human infects glow; by HUNGER fed, And chear'd by toiling THIRST, they rowl about 320 From toy to trifle, vanity to vice; Till blown away by Death, Oblivion comes Behind, and ftrikes them from the book of life. Now swarms the village o'er the jovial mead; The ruftic youth, brown with meridian toil, Healthful, and strong; full as the fummer-rose 325 Blown by prevailing funs, the blooming maid, Her kindled graces burning o'er her cheek. Even stooping age is here; and infant hands 330 Trail the long rake, or with the fragrant load O'ercharg'd, amid the soft oppression roll. Wide flies the tedded grain; all in a row Advancing broad, or wheeling round the field, They 1 They spread the tawny harvest to the sun, Or, as they rake the green-appearing ground, 335 In order gay. While heard from dale to dale, 340 Of happy labour, love, and focial glee. 'Tis raging noon; and, vertical, the fun Shoots thro' th' expanding air a torrid gleam. O'er heaven and earth, far as the darted eye 345 And keen reflection pain. Burnt to the heart Adds a new fever to the fickening foul: And o'er their flippery furface wary treads The foot of thirsty pilgrim, often dipt 350 In In a cross rill, presenting to his wish A living draught: he feels before he drinks! Of sharpening scythe; the mower finking heaps 355 O'er him the humid hay, with flowers perfum'd; And scarce a chirping grafhopper is heard 360 Thro' the dumb mead. Distressful nature pants. ALL-CONQUERING heat, oh intermit thy wrath! And on my throbbing temples potent thus Already darkens on the dizzy fight, And double objects dance; unreal founds Sing deep around; a weight of fultry dew Hangs deathful on the limbs; fhiver the nerves; Misgiving, horror lays his heavy hand. Thrice happy he! that on the funless fide 375 380 385 Emblem inftructive of the virtuous man, Who keeps his temper'd mind ferene, and pure, And all his paffions aptly harmoniz'd, 390 Amid a jarring world, with vice inflam'd. WELCOME, ye fhades! ye bowery thickets, hail! Ye lofty pines! ye venerable oaks! Ye ashes wild, refounding o'er the fteep! Delicious Delicious is your shelter to the foul, As to the hunted hart the fallying spring, Or stream full-flowing, that his swelling fides Laves, as he floats along the herbag'd brink. Cold thro' the nerves, your pleafing comfort glides; And ear resume their watch; the finews knit ALL in th' adjoining brook, that shrills along The vocal grove, now fretting o'er a rock, 395 400 |