To train the foliage o'er the fnowy lawn ; Well-ordered Home Man's best delight to make; 510 515 To raise the virtues, animate the bliss, And fweeten all the toils of human life: This be the female dignity, and praise. 520 525 YE fwains now haften to the hazel-bank; Where, down yon dale, the wildly-winding brook Falls hoarfe from steep to fteep. In close array, Fit for the thickets and the tangling shrub, Ye virgins come. For you their latest fong The woodlands raife; the clustering nuts for you The lover finds amid the fecret shade; And, where they burnish on the topmost bough, With active vigour crushes down the tree ; Or fhakes them ripe from the refigning husk, A gloffy fhower, and of an ardent brown, As are the ringlets of MELINDA's hair: MELINDA form'd with every grace compleat, Yet thefe neglecting, above beauty wife, And far tranfcending fuch a vulgar praise. 530 535 HENCE 540, 545 HENCE from the bufy joy-refounding fields, In chearful error, let us tread the maze Of Autumn, unconfin'd; and tafte, reviv'd, The breath of orchard big with bending fruit. Obedient to the breeze and beating ray, From the deep loaded bough a mellow shower Inceffant melts away. The juicy pear Lies, in a foft profufion, scatter'd round. A various sweetness fwells the gentle race; By Nature's all-refining hand prepar'd ; Of temper'd fun, and water, earth, and air, In ever-changing compofition mixt. Such, falling frequent thro' the chiller night, The fragrant ftores, the wide-projected heaps Of apples, which the lufty-handed year, Innumerous, o'er the blufhing orchard shakes. A various fpirit, fresh, delicious, keen, Dwells in their gelid pores; and, active, points The piercing cyder for the thirsty tongue : Thy native theme, and boon Inspirer too, PHILLIPS, Pomona's bard, the second thou Who nobly durft, in rhyme-unfetter'd verfe, With BRITISH freedom fing the BRITISH fong: How, from Silurian vats, high-sparkling wines 560 Foam in transparent floods; fome strong, to cheer The wintry revels of the labouring hind; And tafteful fome, to cool the fummer-hours. 550 555 IN In this glad feason, while his sweetest beams 565 569 574 In boundless profpect; yonder fhagg'd with wood, Th' infpiring breeze: and meditate the book Warm from the heart, to learn the moral fong. 585 Here, as I fteal along the funny wall, The The ruddy, fragrant nectarine; and dark, 590 595 TURN we a moment Fancy's rapid flight To vigorous foils, and climes of fair extent; Where, by the potent fun elated high, The vineyard fwells refulgent on the day; Spreads o'er the vale; or up the mountain climbs, Profufe; and drinks amid the funny rocks, 599 From cliff to cliff encreas'd, the heightened blaze. Low bend the weighty boughs. The clusters clear, Half thro' the foliage feen, or ardent flame, Or fhine transparent; while perfection breathes White o'er the turgent film the living dew. As thus they brighten with exalted juice, Touch'd into flavour by the mingling ray; . The rural youth and virgins o'er the field, 605 Each fond for each to cull th' autumnal prime, 609 Exulting rove, and speak the vintage nigh. That by degrees fermented, and refin’d, Round Round the rais'd nations pours the cup of joy: The claret smooth, red as the lip we press In fparkling fancy, while we drain the bowl; 615 The mellow-tafted burgundy; and quick, As is the wit it gives, the gay champaign. Now, by the cool declining year condens'd, 620 625 Of gathering vapour, from the baffled fenfe Even in the height of noon oppreft, the fun 630 635 Objects |