Nor why again the changing Oak fhould shed
The Yearly Honour of his ftately Head;
Whilft the distinguish'd Tew is ever seen,
Unchang'd his Branch, and permanent his Green.
Wanting the Sun why does the Caltha fade?
Why does the Cypress flourish in the Shade?
The Fig and Date, why love they to remain
In middle Station, and an even Plain;
While in the lower Marsh the Gourd is found;
And while the Hill with Olive-fhade is crown'd?
Why does one Climate, and one Soil endue
The blushing 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 Streak;
The twining Jasmine, and the blushing Rose,
With lavish Grace their Morning Scents difclose:
The smelling Tub'rofe and Junquele declare,
The stronger Impulse of an Evening Air.
Whence has the Tree (refolve me) or the Flow'r
A various Inftinct, or a diff'rent Pow'r?
Cur eadem tellus, coelum, amnis, fpiritus idem
Ad vitam levat hunc, ad funera deprimit illum?
Queis oritur Caufis, Animate ut nomine Plantæ Senfus ineft? fefe unde movet, tactumque refugit? Unde fequi imperium faciles didicere capilli,
Et tremere admotam celeri formidine dextram?
Per Ripam æftivam vel aquofi gramina prati
Diverfam jactant foliorum millia formam:
Natali contenta Solo fecuraque florent,
Texere nec difcunt, operamve infumere curant;
Illa tamen clarè ardefcunt, ridentque fuperbam
Pauperiem noftræ veftis, luxumque minorem.
Cincta magis nitido flavent Verbafcula cultu,
Quàm Velum, pectus quod adultæ Virginis ambit;
Fulgidiorque Rubor clarefcit in ore Rofarum,
Quàm fluitante novi fuffufus fyrmate Sponfi.
Afpice Liliolum, cui fplendor humillimus agris;
Cedere fi poffit Ratione Superbia vićta,
Ipfe etiam facto certamine DAVIDE natus,
Ipfe minùs fulget, folio fublimis in aureo,
Indutus Trabeam & veneranda Infignia regni,
Quæfitumque decus; quàm Flosculus iste, decora
Simplicitate nitens, nudoq; illuftris honore.
Why should one Earth,oneClime,one Stream,oneBreath Raife this to Strength, and ficken That to Death?
Whence does it happen, that the Plant which well We name the Sensitive, should move and feel? Whence know her Leaves to answer her Command, And with quick Horror fly the Neighb'ring Hand?
Along the Sunny Bank, or wat'ry Mead,
Ten thousand Stalks their various Bloffoms fpread:
Peaceful and lowly in their native Soil,
They neither know to fpin, 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 ftands blushing in the Rose,
Than That which on the Bridegroom's Veftment flows.
Take but the humbleft Lilly of the Field;
And if our Pride will to our Reafon yield,
It must by fure Comparison be shown,
That on the Regal Seat great DAVID's Son,
Array'd in all his Robes, and Types of Pow'r,
Shines with lefs Glory, than that fimple Flow'r.
Indigenam undarum gentem fcrutemur, Amici,
Quo generet more & refpiret muta Caterva;
A plebe exigua, quæ lubrica labitur amne
Jordani, fine honore natans, fine nomine turba,
Ipfam ad Balænam, quæ vexans æquora faltu,
Mole ruens ingenti immania corpora volvit,
Irridetque Notum, exercetque in Turbine lufus.
Protinus, inverfo mutatis fedibus anno,
Ut migrant omnes audaciter, agmine facto,
Fluctibus ex ftrictis, rigidique horroribus Axis,
Tendentes illuc, ubi ridet amicior aer.
Sollicitam ut ftimulat fua cuique Scientia curam
Conciliare finus aptos, lymphafque, cibofque,
Semina complecti, teneramque attollere prolem.
Explorem aerias Gentes, ut quæque ftruendo
Colligit inftrumenta fuis accommoda Nidis;
Fingit opus, quale humani vis fumma cerebri
Mutabit fruftrà, vanaque imitabitur arte.
Ut brevibus fobolem tentare volatibus audent,
Difcipulo implumi cantus referente paternos.
Cur hoc planitie, fylva Genus illud oberrat :
Cur Tellus proprium fortita eft fingula fætum.
Ardua Grus, finuanfque fugam quò cedit Hirundo,
Of Fishes next, my Friends, I would enquire, How the mute Race engender, or refpire; From the small Fry that glide on JORDAN'S Stream Unmark'd, a Multitude without a Name,
To that Leviathan, who o'er the Seas
Immenfe rolls onward his impetuous Ways,
And mocks the Wind, and in the Tempest plays.
How They in warlike Bands march greatly forth
From freezing Waters, and the colder North,
To Southern Climes directing their Career,
Their Station changing with th' inverted Year.
How all with careful Knowledge are indu'd,
To chuse their proper Bed, and Wave, and Food:
To guard their Spawn, 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 Song.
Why these frequent the Plain, and those the Wood,,
Why ev'ry Land has her specific Brood.
Where the tall Crane, or winding Swallow goes,
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