N Cham's fair banks, where Learning's hallow'd fane

ON

Majestic rifes on th' aftonifh'd fight,

Where oft the mufe has led the favourite fwain,

And warm'd his foul with Heaven's inspiring light,

Beneath the covert of the fylvan fhade,

Where deadly cypress, mix'd with mournful yew, Far o'er the vale a gloomy ftillness spread, Celestial Genius burft upon the view.

The bloom of youth, the majesty of years,
The foften'd afpect, innocent and kind,
The figh of forrow, and the ftreaming tears,
Refiftlefs all, their various pow'r combin'd.

In her fair hand a filver harp fhe bore,

Whose magic notes, foft-warbling from the ftring, Give tranquil joy the breast ne'er knew before, Or raise the foul on rapture's airy wing. By grief impell'd, I heard her heave a figh, While thus the rapid ftrain refounded thro' the fky:

Hafte, ye fifter powers of fong,

Haften from the shady grove,

Where the river rolls along,
Sweetly to the voice of love.

Where, indulging mirthful pleasures,
Light you prefs the flow'ry green,
And from Flora's blooming treasures
Cull the wreaths for fancy's queen:

Where your gently-flowing numbers,
Floating on the fragrant breeze,
Sink the foul in pleasing slumbers,

On the downy bed of eafe.

For

For graver ftrains prepare the plaintive lyre,
That wakes the fofteft feelings of the foul;
Let lonely grief the melting verfe inspire,
Let deep'ning forrow's folemn accents roll.

Rack'd by the hand of rude difeafe
Behold our fav'rite poet lies!
While every object form'd to pleafe,
Far from his couch ungrateful flies.

The blissful mufe, whofe favouring smile
So lately warm'd his peaceful breast,
Diffusing heavenly joys the while,

In transport's radiant garments dreft,
With darksome grandeur and enfeebl❜d blaze,
Sinks in the shades of night, and thuns his eager
gaze.

The gaudy train, who wait on SPRING *,
Ting'd with the pomp of vernal pride,
The youth who mount on pleasure's wing t
And idly sports on Thames's fide,

With cool regard their various arts employ,
Nor roufe the drooping mind, nor give the pause

of joy.

* Ode on SPRING.

+ Ode on the Profpect of ETON COLLEGE.

Ha!

Ha! what forms, with port fublime *,
Glide along in fullen mood,
Scorning all the threats of time,

High above misfortune's flood?

They seize their harps, they ftrike the lyre,
With rapid hand, with freedom's fire.

Obedient nature hears the lofty found,

And Snowdon's airy cliffs the heavenly ftrains refound.

In pomp of ftate, behold they wait,

With arms outstretch'd, and aspects kind,
To fnatch on high to yonder sky,na na
The child of fancy left behind:

Forgot the woes of Cambria's fatal day, ent nt of
By rapture's blaze impell'd, they fwell the artlefs
lay.

But ah in vain they ftrive to footh,
With gentle arts, the tort'ring hours;
ADVERSITY †, with rankling tooth,
Her baleful gifts profufely pours.

* Behold the comes, the fiend forlorn,
Array'd in horror's fettled gloom; voi o

She ftrews the briar and prickly thorn,

And triumphs in th' infernal doom.

With frantic fury and infatiate rage,

She knaws the throbbing breast, and blasts the glowing page.

No more the foft EOLIAN flute

Breathes thro' the heart the melting strain;

The powers of Harmony are mute,

And leave the once-delightful plain;

With heavy wing I fee them beat the air,
Damp'd by the leaden hand of comfortless despair.

Yet ftay, O! ftay, celeftial pow'rs,

And with a hand of kind regard,

Difpel the boift'rous storm that lours e
Destructive on the fav'rite bard

O watch with me his laft expiring breath, y And fnatch him from the arms of dark, oblivious death.

2

Hark the FATAL SISTERS † join,

And with horror's mutt'ring founds,

Weave the tiffue of his line,

While the dreadful spell refounds.

The PROGRESS OF POETRY.

+ The FATAL SISTERS, an Ode, wooly

«Hail,