THE subject proposed....Addressed to Mr. Onslow....A prospect of the fields ready for harvest....Reflections in praise of industry raised by that view....Reaping....A tale relative to it.... A harvest storm.... Shooting and hunting; their barbarity....A ludicrous account of fox-hunting.... A view of an orchard.... Wall-fruit.... A vineyard....A description of fogs, frequent in the latter part of Autumn; whence a digression, inquiring into the rise of fountains and rivers....Birds of season considered, that now shift their habitation....The prodigious number of them that cover the northern and western isles of Scotland....Hence a view of the country....A prospect of the discoloured, fading woods.... After a gentle dusky day, moon-light....Autumnal meteors....Morning: to which succeeds a calm, pure, sun-shiny day, such as usually shuts up the season....The harvest being gathered in, the country dissolved in joy....The whole concludes with a panegyric on a philosophical country life. AUTUMN. CROWNED with the sickle and the wheaten sheaf, While AUTUMN, nodding o'er the yellow plain, Comes jovial on; the Doric reed once more, Well pleased, I tune. Whate'er the Wintry frost Nitrous prepared; the various-blossomed Spring Put in white promise forth; and Summer-suns Concocted strong, rush boundless now to view, Full, perfect all, and swell my glorious theme. ONSLOW! the Muse, ambitious of thy name, To grace, inspire, and dignify her song, M 10 16 The Harvest. But she too pants for public virtue, she, Tho' weak of power, yet strong in ardent will, To mix the patriot's with the poet's flame. When the bright Virgin gives the beauteous days, And Libra weighs in equal scales the year; 20 From heaven's high cope the fierce effulgence shook 25 Of parting Summer, a serener blue, With golden light enlivened, wide invests The happy world. Attempered suns arise, Falls from its poise, and gives the breeze to blow. The clouds fly different; and the sudden sun, These are thy blessings, Industry! rough power! And all the soft civility of life : 30 45 With various seeds of art deep in the mind Still unexerted, in the unconscious breast, Even desolate in crowds; and thus his days Of Art demanded; shewed him how to raise 50 55 60 65 70 75 On what to turn the piercing rage of fire, On what the torrent, and the gathered blast; 80 Gave the tall ancient forest to his ax; |