CONTAINING THE SEASONS, BY JAMES THOMSON, AND THE COURSE OF TIME, BY ROBERT POLLOK, A.M. A NEW EDITION. BOSTON: PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, AND COMPANY. PR3732 54 1856 MAIN SPRING. 941 7483 The subject proposed. Inscribed to the Countess of Hertford. The Season is described as it affects the various parts of Nature, ascending from the lower to the higher; with digressions arising from the subject. Its influence on inanimate Matter, on Vegetables, on brute Animals, and last on Man; concluding with a dissuasive from the wild and irregular passion of Love, opposed to that of a pure and happy kind. COME, gentle SPRING, ethereal Mildness, come, Which thy own Season paints; when Nature all And see where surly WINTER passes off, 10 While softer gales succeed, at whose kind touch, 15 The mountains lift their green heads to the sky As yet the trembling year is unconfirm'd, 20 And Winter oft at eve resumes the breeze, 134 At last from Aries rolls the bounteous sun, And the bright Bull receives him. Then no more Lifts the light clouds sublime, and spreads them thin, Fleecy, and white o'er all surrounding heaven. 31 Forth fly the tepid airs; and unconfined, Unbinding earth, the moving softness strays. 35 Drives from their stalls, to where the well used plough They lend their shoulder, and begin their toil, 40 While thro' the neighbouring fields the sower stalks, Be gracious, Heaven! for now laborious man 50 In luxury and ease, in pomp and pride, Think these lost themes, unworthy of your ear. 55 To wide imperial Rome, in the full height amen Of elegance and taste, by Greece refined. In ancient times, the sacred plough employ'd The kings, and awful fathers of mankind · And some, with whom compared your insect tribes 60 Are but the beings of a summer's day, Have held the scale of empire, ruled the storm Of mighty war; then, with unwearied hand |