Whilft the diftinguish'd Yew is ever seen, Unchang'd his branch, and permanent his green. Wanting the fun why does the Caltha fade? Why does the Cyprus flourish in the shade? The Fig and Date, why love they to remain. In middle ftation, and an even plain; While in the lower marfh the Gourd is found; And while the hill with Olive-fhade is crown'd? Why does one climate, and one foil endue The blufhing Poppy with a crimson hue; Yet leave the Lilly pale, and tinge the Violet blue? Why does the fond Carnation love to shoot A various colour from one parent root? While the fantastic Tulip ftrives to break In two-fold beauty, and a parted ftreak ? The twining Jafmine, and the blushing Rofe, With lavish grace their morning scents disclose ; The fmelling Tub'rofe and Junquil declare, The ftronger impulfe of an evening air, Whence has the tree (refolve me) or the flower A various instinct, or a diff'rent power?
Why fhould one earth, one clime, one ftream, one breath
Raife this to ftrength, and ficken that to death?
Whence does it happen, that the plant which well We name the Senfitive fhould move and feel? Whence know her leaves to answer her command, And with quick horror fly the neighbouring hand?
Along the funny bank, or watery mead,
Ten thousand stalks their various bloffoms spread: Peaceful and lowly in their native foil,
They neither know to spin, nor care to toil; Yet with confefs'd magnificence deride
Our vile attire, and impotence of pride. The Cowflip fmiles, in brighter yellow dress'd, Than that which veils the nubile virgin's breast : A fairer red stands blushing in the Rofe,
Than that which on the bridegroom's vestment flows. Take but the humbleft Lilly of the field; And if our pride will to our reason yield, It must by fure comparison be shown That on the regal feat great David's son, Array'd in all his robes, and types of power, Shines with lefs glory, than that fimple flower. Of fishes next, my friends, I would enquire, How the mute race engender, or refpire; From the fmall fry that glide on Jordan's ftream Unmark'd, a multitude without a name,
To that Leviathan, who o'er the feas
Immenfe rolls onward his impetuous ways, And mocks the wind, and in the tempeft plays. How they in warlike bands march greatly forth From freezing waters, and the colder North, To fouthern climes directing their career, Their ftation changing with th' inverted year. How all with careful knowledge are endued, To chufe their proper bed, and wave, and food : To guard their fpawn, and educate their brood.
Of Birds, how each according to her kind Proper materials for her neft can find,
And build a frame, which deepest thought in man Would or amend, or imitate in vain.
How in fmall flights they know to try their young, And teach the callow child her parent's fong. Why these frequent the plain, and those the wood, Why every land has her fpecific brood: Where the tall Crane, or winding Swallow goes, Fearful of gathering winds, and falling fnows: If into rocks, or hollow trees they creep, In temporary death confin'd to fleep; Or conscious of the coming evil, fly To milder regions, and a fouthern sky.
Of beafts and creeping infects fhall we trace The wond'rous nature, and the various race; Or wild or tame, or friend to man or foe, Of us what they, or what of them we know? Tell me, ye ftudious, who pretend to fee
Far into nature's bosom, whence the Bee Was first inform'd her vent'rous flight to steer Through tractlefs paths, and an abyfs of air. Whence the avoids the flimy marsh, and knows The fertile hills, where fweeter herbage grows, And honey making flowers their opening buds difclofe.
How from the thicken'd mift, and setting fun, Finds fhe the labour of her day is done?
Who taught her against winds and rain to strive, To bring her burden to the certain hive,
And through the liquid fields again to pass Duteous, and hearkening to the founding brass?
And, O thou fluggard, tell me why the Ant, 'Midft fummer's plenty thinks of winter's want: By conftant journies careful to prepare
Her ftores; and bringing home the corny ear, By what inftruction does the bite the grain, Left hid in earth, and taking root again, It might elude the forefight of her care? Diftinct in either infect's deed appear
The marks of thought, contrivance, hope, and fear. Fix thy corporeal, and internal eye
On the young Gnat, or new engender'd Fly; On the vile Worm that yesterday began
To crawl; thy fellow-creatures, abject man! Like thee they breathe, they move, they tafte, they fee, 'They show their paffions by their acts, like thee: Darting their ftings, they previously declare Defign'd revenge, and fierce intent of war: Laying their eggs, they evidently prove The genial power, and full effects of love. Each then has organs to digeft his food, One to beget, and one receive the brood: Has limbs and finews, blood, and heart, and brain, Life and her proper functions to sustain,
Tho' the whole fabric fmaller than a grain. What more can our pernicious reason grant To the large Whale, or caftled Elephant, To those enormous terrors of the Nile, The crested Snake, and long-tail'd Crocodile ;
Than that all differ but in fhape and name, Each deftin'd to a lefs or larger frame?
For potent nature loves a various act, Prone to enlarge, or ftudious to contract: Now forms her work too small, now too immenfe, And fcorns the measures of our feeble fenfe. The object fpread too far, or rais'd too high,, Denies its real image to the eye;
Foo little it eludes the dazzled fight,
Becomes mix'd blacknefs, or unparted light.
Water and air the various form confound;
The ftraight looks crooked, and the fquare grows round.
Thus while with fruitlefs hope, and wearied pain, We feek great Nature's power, but feek in vain; Safe fits the goddefs in her dark retreat;
Around her, myriads of Ideas wait,
And endless fhapes which the mysterious queen Can take or quit, can alter or retain:
As from our loft purfuit fhe wills to hide Her clofe decrees, and chaften human pride. Untam'd and fierce the Tiger ftill remains: He tires his life in biting out his chains: " For the kind gift of water and of food, Ungrateful, and returning ill for good,
He fecks his keeper's fiefh, and thirfts his blood: While the ftrong Camel, and the generous Horfe, Reftrain'd and aw'd by man's inferior force,
Do to the rider's will their rage submit,
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