Just as the peasant, when his timid eyes
Suspect each sign of weather he espies,
The seed, or sickle, from his field detains,
And, simply, of his desert barns complains;
So superstitious Anglers watch the wind,
Now Boreas chills; now Eurus breathes unkind.
Blow Boreas, Eurus, but nor loud nor cold,
Angler go forth, with high assurance bold :
Believe a tepid season, and partake
Large booty from the river, pond or lake.
Yet trust not, Angler, to an April morn,
That oft entices,-often leaves forlorn ;
The sun, relinquishing his eastern bed,
In clouds successively involves his head;
The face of Heav'n is variously inclin'd,
The true resemblance of a female mind!
Here darted beams with full refulgence glow,
There faintly streak the party-colour'd bow;
Soft showers fall, and gentle zephyrs play,
The field alternately, now sad, now gay:—
In numerous vicissitudes appears,
Now seems to smile-is now bedew'd with tears.
Now suns on suns in verdant mirrors blaze;
Where by reflection equally we trace
The lively blossom's imitated
In mingled order Heaven and Nature rear
The promis'd blessings of the fruitful year:
And thus by amicable strife constrain
The bud to swell, and prompt the lazy grain.
Hail, happy shades! and hail, thou cheerful plain! Where peace and pleasure unmolested reign;
Where dewy buds their blushing bosoms show,
And the cool rivers murmur as they flow:
See yellow crow's-foot deck the gaudy hills,
While the faint primrose loves the purling rills;
Sagacious bees their labours now renew,
Hum round their blossoms, and extract their dew;
In their new liv'ries the green woods appear,
And smiling Nature decks the infant year;
See yon proud elm, that shines in borrow'd charms,
While the curl'd woodbines deck her aged arms.
When the streak'd east receives a lighter ray,
And larks prepare to meet the early day;
Through the glad bowers the shrill anthems run,
While the groves glitter to the rising sun:
Then PHILLIS hastens to her fav'rite cow,
Her shining tresses wanton on her brow;
While to her cheek enliv'ning colours fly,
And health and pleasure sparkle in her eye.
Unspoil❜d by riches, nor with knowledge vain,
Contented CYMON whistles o'er the plain;
His flock dismisses from their nightly fold,
Observes their health, and sees their number told. : Pleas'd with its being, see the nimble fawn
Sports in the grove, or wantons o'er the lawn;
While the pleas'd coursers frolic out the day,
And the dull ox affects unwieldy play.
Hark! the shrill linnet charms the distant plain,
And Philomel replies in softer strain;
See those bright lilies shine with milky hue,
And those fair cowslips drop with balmy dew!
Such scenes as these delight the Angler's eyes,
As through the meads towards the stream he hies;
And whether fish will kindly bite or not,
Pleasure and health are from th' excursion got.
Where the dull river rolls its lazy stream, And deep'ning shades seclude the noon-day beam, Sequester'd from the world, I fish and think
A conscience clear from self will never shrink.
Imagination now expands her wing,
To nobler heights the teeming fancy soars : Unchain'd, unfetter'd, at th' approach of spring,
She once again her latent themes explores.
Here as along the river's bank I rove,
I sing the sweets, or fly the pangs of love;
Hail the pure stream, in whose transparent wave,
In Summer's heats I've us'd my limbs to lave;
No torrents foul obscure its limpid source-
No stubborn rocks impede its dimpling course;
That softly rolls and warbles o'er its bed,
With variegated, polish'd, pebbles spread;
While lightly pois'd, the glitt'ring, scaly brood
In myriads frisk, and cleave its crystal flood;
The springing Trout in all its speckled pride,-
The darting Salmon, monarch of the tide,-
The ruthless tyrant Pike, intent on war,
The silver Eel, and curious mottled Par ;()
And as I look to Nature's Lord I sing,
Who forms such beauties, and who forms the spring;-
Who wakes the earth with gentle fost'ring show'rs,
And strews her lap with beauteous, blooming flow'rs:
(i) The Par is a small fish, not unlike the Smelt, which it rivals in delicacy and flavor.
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