delight. Of these stones the first, beaming with the Fine prenets. Moreover, under the stations of these twelve stones a sevenfold array of gems kept up, with a continual circling, a marvelous sort of play and pleasing dance. Nor did this dance lack the sweetness of melodious 145 sound. Now it frolicked in little notes, now it quickened into tones rich and swelling, and now, with stronger trump, advanced into the full burst of harmony, the depth of which stirred delight in our ears, and brought the first joys of sleep to our eyes. For 150 since it is that moderate listening keeps away discontent, so excess brings on weariness; and the drowsy hearing faded, tired with the full and excessive melody. These seven stones, though not held subject to the diadem itself by any bands of connection, yet never 155 deserted their fellowship of the upper stones. The highest was a diamond. This, more economical of movement than the others, but more spendthrift of ease, delayed very long in the completion of its wide orbit. With such frostiness and great cold did it slowly 160 move that its essential form gave proof that it had 10 The Complaint of Nature PROSE I been born under the Saturnian star. The second was an agate, which, from its path being close at hand, was more easily seen than the others. Its effect was 165 with some to change hate to love, and with others by its commanding virtue and power to render imperfect charity perfect; for its kindly operation asserted it to be, by close relationship of nature, of a family with the star of Jove. The third was an asterite, in 170 which the dominion of heat had taken its station, and where was gathered the energy of the star Mars and its peculiar quality preserved. This, with threatening countenance of terrible splendor, warned destruction to others. The fourth was a ruby, having the likeness 175 of the sun. With its streaming candle this banished the shades of night, and put to sleep the eclipsed lamps of its fellows. Now in the regal authority of majesty it ordered the others to make way, and now brought to the disturbance a quiet power. Then with 180 a sapphire came an amethyst, pressing on the former's tracks, and tending it almost as a servant, yet never prejudiced by the quality of the other's light. Apart from the sapphire a little space, it either ran beside it round its orbit, or followed, or the one star lagged 185 and granted the other the concesssion of going first. Of these two stones, the first by its harmonious quality gave the effect of the Mercurial star; the other, the effect of the Dionean. The last stone was a pearl, which was set in the rim of the flashing crown, and 190 which shone with another's light, begging the aid of lustre from the ruby. Within the presence of the latter's radiance it either increased in the growth of its beam of light, or reached its full and shrank, as if it worshiped the ruby; and it petitioned that it 195 should be re-adorned with the fires of its brother, and wear the beauties of that light renewed. Now it re ng the likeness e this banished p the eclipsed al authority of way, and now er. Then with n the former's ant, yet never light. Apart er ran beside he star lagged of going first. Onious quality he other, the was a pearl, crown, and g the aid of ence of the e growth of shrank, as ned that it brother, and Now it re Next, as if its simplicity had be and it were striving for something with rosy life. Then, reaching th fection, it gladdened the sight wi of the emerald. Moreover, spun ex as to escape the scrutiny of the ey cate of substance that you would th of the same nature. On it, as a I the sight, was being held a parliam creation. There the eagle, first assu age, and finally returning to the fi Nestor to Adonis. There the hawk, of the air, demanded tribute from violent tyranny. The kite assumed hunter, and in its stealthy preying see of the hawk. The falcon stirred up the heron, though this was not di balance, for that should not be t name of war where you strike, but The ostrich, disregarding a worldly dwelt like a hermit in solitudes of de swan, herald of its own death, foreto sweet lyre of music the stopping 2 of princes. The cock, like a popular a with its voice's clock the divisions of th 245 the wild cock derided its domestic roamed abroad, wandering through the w The horned owl, prophet of misery, s future deep sorrowing. The night owl with the dregs of ugliness that you wo 250 Nature had dozed at its making. The things to come in the excitement of vain dubiously colored magpie kept up a sl tion to argument. The jackdaw treas its commendable thieving, showing th 255 born avarice. The dove, drunk with the evil, labored at the sport of Cypris. The the shame of rivalry, did not confess fo own offspring, until the sign of dark o closed, whereupon, as if disputing with its 260 edged the fact. The partridge shunne tacks of the powers of the air, now the tr now the warning barks of dogs. The goose wintered, according to the same in their native land of streams. Th 265 widowed of its mate, scorned to return 1 Migne reads ciconia, stork. 2 Lat. lat refused the consolation of marrying again. The parrot on the anvil of its throat fashioned the coin of human speech. There the trick of a false voice beguiled the quail, ignorant of the deceit of the serpent's figure. The woodpecker, architect of its own small house, 270 with its beak's pick made a little retreat in an oak. The hedge-sparrow, putting aside the role of stepmother, with the maternal breast of devotion adopted as its child the alien offspring of the cuckoo; but the offspring, though the subject of so great a boon, 275 yet knew itself not as own son, but as stepchild. The swallow returned from its wandering, and made with mud under a beam its nest and home. The nightingale, renewing the complaint of its ravishment, and making music of harmonious sweetness, gave excuse 280 for the fall of its chastity. The lark, like a highsouled musician, offered the lyre of its throat, not with the artfulness of study but with the mastery of nature, as one most skilled in the lore of melody; and refining its tones into finer, separated these little notes 285 into inseparable chains. The bat, bird of double sex, held the rank of cipher among small birds. These living things, although as it were in allegory moving there, seemed to exist actually. Fine linen, with its white shaded into green, which 290 the maiden, as she herself shortly afterward said, had woven without a seam, and which was not of common material, but rejoiced in a skilled workmanship, served for her mantle. Its many intricate folds showed the Su color of water, and on it a graphic picture told of 295 the nature of the watery creation, as divided into numerous species. There the whale fought with cliffs, and rushed on and rammed the forts of ships with the rock of its hugely towering body. The sea-dog, (the noisy sound of the name of which is doubly 300 |