Female Employments. Save weeping lovers, see; a nobler game, Through Love's enchanting wiles pursued, yet fled, And, fashion'd all to harmony, alone Know they to seize the captivated soul, In rapture warbled from love-breathing lips; To teach the lute to languish; with smooth step, To swim along, and swell the mazy dance; To train the foliage o'er the snowy lawn; To guide the pencil, turn the tuneful page; 590 595 And heighten Nature's dainties; in their race 600 To rear their graces into second life; To give Society its highest taste; Well-order'd Home Man's best delight to make; With every gentle care-eluding art, To raise the virtues, animate the bliss, And sweeten all the toils of human life: This be the female dignity, and praise. Ye swains, now hasten to the hazel-bank; 605 Nutting described.-Various Fruits. Where, down yon dale, the wildly-winding brook 610 Ye virgins, come. For their latest song you The woodlands raise; the clustering nuts for you 615 And, where they burnish on the topmost bough, With active vigour crushes down the tree; A glossy shower, and of an ardent brown, 620 625 From the deep-loaded bough a mellow shower A various sweetness swells the gentle race; 630 Various Fruits.-Mr. Dodington's seat By Nature's all-refining hand prepar'd; Of temper'd sun, and water, earth, and air, Such, falling frequent through the chiller night, 635 Innumerous, o'er the blushing orchard shakes. A various spirit, fresh, delicious, keen, 640 Dwells in their gelid pores! and, active, points The piercing cider for the thirsty tongue: Thy native theme, and boon inspirer too, 645 With BRITISH freedom sing the BRITISH Song: 650 In this glad season, while his sweetest beams 655 The Seat of Mr. Dodington described. Diffusive, spreads the pure Dorsetian downs, In boundless prospect: yonder shagg'd with wood, New beauties rise with each revolving day; 660 New columns swell; and still the fresh Spring finds New plants to quicken, and new groves to green. Full of thy genius all! the Muses' seat: Where in the secret bower, and winding walk, 665 For virtuous YOUNG and thee they twine the bay. Here wandering oft, fir'd with the restless thirst Th' inspiring breeze: and meditate the book Warm from the heart, to learn the moral song. $670 Where Autumn basks, with fruit empurpled deep, The vine too here her curling tendrils shoots; 675 A Vineyard described. Hangs out her clusters, glowing to the south; Turn we a moment Fancy's rapid flight 680 To vigorous soils, and climes of fair extent; Where, by the potent sun elated high, The vineyard swells refulgent on the day; Spreads o'er the vale; or up the mountain climbs, 685 695 Exulting rove, and speak the vintage nigh. That by degrees fermented, and refin'd, 700 |