Tam fubitò periiffe videns tam digna manere,
Agnofco humanas fortes et triftia fata-
Sit licèt ipfe brevis, volucrique fimillimus umbræ,
Eft homini brevior citiùfque obitura voluptas.
O MATUTINI Fores, auræque falubres,
O nemora, et lætæ rivis felicibus herbæ,
Graminei colles, et amænæ in vallibus umbræ !
Fata modò dederint quas olim in rure paterno
Delicias, procul arte, procul formidine novi,
Quam vellem ignotus, quod mens mea femper avebat,
Ante larem proprium placidam expectare fenectam,
Tum demùm, exactis non infeliciter annis,
Sortiri tacitum lapidem, aut fub cefpite condi!
Sub fepe exiguum eft, nec rarò in margine ripæ,
Reptile, quod lucet nocte, dieque latet,
Vermis habet fpeciem, fed habet de lumine Nomên;
At prifcâ à famâ non liquet, unde micet.
Plerique à caudâ credunt procedere lumen ;
Nec defunt, credunt qui rutilare caput.
Nam fuperas ftellas quæ nox accendit, et illi
Parcam eadem Lucem dat, moduloque parem.
Forfitan hoc prudens voluit Natura caveri,
Ne pede quis duro reptile contereret.
Exiguam, in tenebris ne greffum offenderet ullus,
Prætendi voluit forfitan Illa facem.
Sive ufum hunc Natura parens, feu maluit illum,
Haud fruftra accenfa eft Lux, radiique dati.
Ponite vos faftus, humiles nec fpernite, magni ;
Quando habet et minimum reptile, quod niteat.
TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE.
BENEATH the hedge, or near the ftream,
A worm is known to ftray;
That shows by night a lucid beam,
Which difappears by day.
Difputes have been, and ftill prevail,
From whence his rays proceed;
Some give that honour to his tail,
But this is fure-the hand of might,
That kindles up the skies, Gives him a modicum of light Proportioned to his fize.
Perhaps indulgent nature meant,
By fuch a lamp beftowed,
To bid the traveller, as he went,
Be careful where he trod:
Nor crush a worm, whose useful light Might serve, however small,
To fhew a ftumbling ftone by night, And fave him from a fall.
Whate'er fhe meant, this truth divine Is legible and plain,
'Tis power almighty bids him shine, Nor bids him fhine in vain.
Ye proud and wealthy, let this theme
Teach humbler thoughts to you,
Since fuch a reptile has its gem,
And boafts its splendour too.
Nigras inter aves avis eft, quæ plurima turres,
Antiquas ædes, celfaque Fana colit.
Nil tam fublime eft, quod non audace volatu,
Aeriis fpernens inferiora, petit.
Quo nemo afcendat, cui non vertigo cerebrum
Corripiat, certè hunc feligit illa locum.
Quo vix à terrâ tu fufpicis abfque tremore,
Illa metûs expers incolumisque fedet.
Lamina delubri fupra faftigia, ventus
Quâ cœli fpiret de regione, docet ;
Hanc ea præ reliquis mavult, fecura pericli,
Nec curat, nedum cogitat, unde cadat.
Res inde humanas, fed fumma per otia, specta“,
Et nihil ad fefe, quas videt, effe videt.
Concurfus fpectat, plateâque negotia in omni,
Omnia pro nugis at fapienter habet.
Clamores, quas infra audit, fi forfitan audit,
Pro rebus nihili negligit, & crocitat.
File tibi invideat, felix Cornicula, pennas,
Qui fic humanis rebus abeffe velit.
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