A

WINTER

THOUGHT.

By J. EARLEa,

2

1.

Taree from vexing cares his mind,
TH
HE man whofe conftitution's ftrong,

And

As changing feafons pafs along,

Can in them all fresh pleasures find.
II.

Not only in the teeming bud,

The opening leaf, and following bloom, (Urg'd by the fap's afcending flood) And fruit fair knitting in its room;

III.

Not only when the smiling fields
In all their gaiety appear,

And the perfumes their bofom yields

On balmy wings the zephyrs bear.

IV.

In morning fair, in evening mild,

The murm'ring brook, and cooling fhade, Birds airy notes in concerts wild,

And Philomela's ferenade.

a Chaplain to the Duke of Douglas,

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V. Not

V.

Not only in the waving ear,

And branches bending with their load, Or whilft the produce of the year

Is gathering, and in safety stow'd.

VI.

He, pleas'd, in days autumnal fees
The fhadowy leaf diverfify'd

With various colours, and the trees

Stripp'd, and ftand forth in naked pride.
VII.

Each hollow blaft, and hafty show'r,
The rattling hail, and fleecy fnow,
The candy'd rime, and scatter'd hoar,
And icicles which downward grow.

VIII.

The shining pavement of the flood,
To which the youthful tribes refort,
And game, which the difcover'd wood
Exposes to the fowler's fport.

The

.IX.

greens, which wintry blafts defy, Through native ftrength, or human care, In hedge, or close arrangery,

All these a fource of pleasure are.

X.

The fun which from the northern signs
Scorch'd with unsufferable heat,

Now in a milder glory fhines,

And every glancing ray is sweet.

AXI.

The filver moon, and each fair star,

Forth to the best advantage fhine, And by the richest scene prepare

For noble thoughts th' enlarged mind.

XII.

He, when the mornings flowest rise,
Can sweetly pass the nights away

In lucubration with the wife,

Or converfation with the gay.

XIII.

And when the winter tedious grows,

And lengthening days cold stronger bring,

A new increasing pleasure flows,

From expectation of the spring.

XIV.

So he whofe faculties are found,

His heart upright and confcience clean,

Agreeably can pass his round

Of life, in every shifting.scene.

XV.

Not only in his youthful prime,
And whilst his powers continue firm,
But when he feels th' effect of time,

And age prepares him for the worm.
XVI.

Grateful for every bleffing paft,
Patient in every present ill;

And on whatever ground he's plac'd,
Hope does with pleafing profpects fill ;

XVII.

And faith in heaven's enchanting love
(From whence that Sun will foon appear
Whose smiles make endless fpring above)
Does all his damps and darkness clear.

a This fong has been generally afcribed to Mrs. Barber. It is here on very good authority reftored to the real authorefs.

More

More boundless Flavia's conquefts are,
And Stella's more confin'd;

All can difcern a face that's fair,
But few a lovely mind.

Stella, like Britain's monarchs, reigns
O'er cultivated lands;

Like eastern tyrants Flavia deigns
To rule o'er barren fands.

Then boast not, Flavia, thy fair face,

Thy beauty's only store;

Thy charms will every day decrease,
Each day gives Stella more.

VERSES fpoken by the KING'S SCHOLARS at WESTMINSTER, at their Annual Feaft, on Queen ELIZABETH'S Birth-day, 1729-30.

By MARIUS D'ASSIGNY",

'OW like you, Sir, the fplendor of the day?

J. F. HOW

What! has your lordship not a word to say?

Can neither verfe, nor profe, your praises move?

He fure diflikes, who cares not to approve.

a One of the ufhers of Weftminfter School. Thefe verfes have fometimes been attributed to Dr. Robert Freind.

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