Rous'd into life and action, light in air
Th' acquitted parents see their foaring race,
And, once rejoicing, never know them more.
High from the fummit of a craggy cliff,
Hung o'er the deep, fuch as amazing frowns
On utmoft Kilda's* fhore, whose lonely race
Refign the fetting fun to Indian worlds,
The royal eagle draws his vigorous young,
Strong-pounc'd, and ardent with paternal fire:
Now fit to raise a kingdom of their own,
He drives them from his fort, the towering feat,
For ages, of his empire, which in peace 760
Unftain'd he holds, while many a league to fea
He wings his courfe, and preys in diftant ifles.
Should I my steps turn to the rural feat
Whofe lofty elms and venerable, oaks
Invite the rook, who high amid the boughs, 765
In early Spring, his aeiry city builds,
And ceafelefs caws amufive, there, well-pleas'd,
I might the various polity furvey
Of the mixt household kind. The careful hen
Calls all her chirping family around,
Fed and defended by the fearlefs cock,
Whose breaft with ardour flames as on he walks, Graceful, and crows defiance. In the pond The finely-checker'd duck, before her train, Rows garrulous. The ftately-failing fwan
The fartheft of the western islands of Scotland.
Gives out his fnowy plumage to the gale,
And, arching proud his neck, with oary feet
Bears forward fierce, and guards his ofier-ifle,
Protective of his young. The turkey nigh,
Loud-threatening,reddens; while the peacock fpreads
His every-colour'd glory to the fun,
And fwims in radiant majesty along.
O'er the whole homely scene the cooing dove
Flies thick in amorous chace, and wanton rolls
The glancing eye, and turns the changeful neck. 785
While thus the gentle tenants of the shade
Indulge their purer loves, the rougher world
Of brutes below, rufh furious into flame
And fierce defire. Thro' all his lufty veins
The bull, deep-fcorch'd, the raging paffion feels: 790
Of pasture fick, and negligent of food,
Scarce feen, he wades among the yellow broom,
While o'er his ample fides the rambling fprays
Luxuriant fhoot; or thro' the mazy wood
Dejected wanders, nor th' enticing bud
Crops, tho' it preffes on his careless sense:
And oft' in jealous madning fancy wrapt,
He feeks the fight; and, idly butting, feigns
His rival gor'd in every knotty trunk:
Him should he meet the bellowing war begins: 800 Their eyes flash fury: to the hollow'd earth, Whence the fand flies, they mutter bloody deeds,
And, groaning deep, th' impetuous battle mix;
While the fair heifer, balmy-breathing, near,
Stands kindling up their rage. The trembling fteed,
With this hot impulse feiz'd in every nerve. 806
Nor heeds the rein, nor hears the founding thong:
Blows are not felt; but toffing high his head,
And by the well-known joy to distant plains
Attracted ftrong, all wild he bursts away;
O'er rocks, and woods, and craggy mountains, flies;
And, neighing, on the aërial fummit takes
Th' exciting gale; then, fteep-defcending, cleaves
The headlong torrents foaming down the hills,
Even where the madness of the straiten'd ftream 815
Turns in black eddies round: fuch is the force
With which his frantic heart and finews fwell.
Nor undelighted by the boundless Spring
Are the broad monsters of the foaming deep;
From the deep ooze and gelid cavern rous'd,
They flounce and tumble in unwieldy joy.
Dire were the ftrain, and diffonant, to fing
The cruel raptures of the favage kind;
How by this flame their native wrath fublim'd,
They roam, amid the fury of their heart,
The far-refounding wafte in fiercer bands,
And growl their horrid loves: but this the theme
I fing, enraptur'd, to the British fair,
Forbids, and leads me to the mountain-brow,
Where fits the fhepherd on the grassy turf,
Inhaling, healthful, the defcending fun :
Around him feeds his many-bleating flock,
Of various cadence; and his sportive lambs,
This way and that convolv'd, in friskful glee
Their frolics play. And now the sprightly race 835
Invites them forth; when swift, the signal given,
They ftart away, and sweep the massy mound
That runs around the hill, the rampart once
Of iron War, in ancient barbarous times,
When difunited Britain ever bled,
Loft in eternal broil; ere yet
To this deep-laid indiffoluble ftate,
Where Wealth and Commerce lift their golden heads,
And o'er our labours Liberty and Law,
Impartial, watch, the wonder of a world!
What is this mighty Breath, ye Sages! fay,
That in a powerful language, felt, not heard,
Inftructs the fowls of heaven, and thro' their breasts
Thefe arts of love diffufes? What but God?
Infpiring God! who, boundlefs Spirit all, 850
And unremitting Energy, pervades,
Adjufts, fuftains, and agitates the whole.
He ceafelefs works alone, and yet alone
Seems not to work: with fuch perfection fram'd
Is this complex ftupendous scheme of things, 855
But tho' conceal'd to every purer eye
Th' informing Author in his works appears,
Chief, lovely Spring! in thee, and thy foft fcenes,
The fmiling God is feen, while water, earth,
And air, atteft his bounty, which exalts
The brute creation to this finer thought,
And annual melts their undefigning hearts
Profufely thus in tenderness and joy.
Still let my fong a nobler note affume,
'And fing th' infufive force of Spring on Man: 865
When heaven and earth, as if contending, vie
To raife his being and ferene his foul,
Can he forbear to join the general smile
Of Nature? can fierce paffions vex his breast,
While every gale is peace, and every grove
870
Is melody? Hence! from the bounteous walks
Of flowing Spring, ye fordid Sons of Earth,
Hard, and unfeeling of another's woe,
Or only lavish to yourselves away!
But come,ye generous Minds! in whofe wide thought,
Of all his works, creative Bounty burns
With warmest beam, and on your open front
And liberal eye fits, from his dark retreat
Inviting modeft Want: nor till invok'd
Can reftless Goodness wait; your active fearch 880
Leaves no cold wintry corner unexplor❜d!
Like filent-working Heaven, furprising oft'
The lonely heart with unexpected good.
For you the roving fpirit of the wind
Blows Spring abroad! for you the teeming clouds 885
Defcend in gladfome plenty o'er the world,
And the fun fheds his kindeft rays for you,
Ye flower of human race! In these green days,
Reviving Sickness lifts her languid head,
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