“_Uncull’d by_ ME shall bloom;
“And, nurs’d by bright AURORA’S tears,
“Diffuse their rich perfume.
XII.
“Then urge me not, with narrow mind,
“To wrong the dust below;
“But rather THOU expand thy heart,
“And gen’rous tears bestow.”
XIII.
Thus as he spoke, the REDBREAST mild,
The friend of human-kind,
Wide scatter’d leaves o’er the low mound,
And on the turf reclin’d.
XIV.
While PHILOMEL with plaintive notes
Funereal dirges sung
O’er LAURA’S tomb, who oft’ in life
Had mourn’d _her_ ravish’d young.
XV.
And vain (she sang) was Wisdom’s lore,
That taught the heart to hide;
And vain the empty idle boast
Of Philosophic Pride.
XVI.
The flow’rs more sweetly seem’d to smile
Reviving at her lay;
And sweeter scent, and fresher green,
The swelling leaves display.
XVII.
The Sage stood check’d, the solemn song
Such virtue could impart;
He dropp’d a tear, to pity due,
That humaniz’d the heart.
XVIII.
The “graceful softness of the soul”
He learn’d thenceforth to prize;
And own’d, _where_ NATURE _touch’d the Heart,_
_’Twas_ FOLLY _to be_ WISE.
FABLE XXIV.
The FIELD and GARDEN DAISY.
I.
In fields, where Thames her swelling wave
Translucent pours along;
Where many a blooming green retreat
Inspires the poet’s song;
II.
A mead with native beauty crown’d,
Extends its verdant bed;
Where fragrant Field-flow’rs wildly bloom,
In sweet confusion spread.
III.
It chanc’d a sportive youth had there
A GARDEN DAISY rear’d,
Which ’midst the tribe of wilder sort
Full haughtily appear’d.
IV.
“Away! (she cry’d) ye meaner train,
“Whose leaves no culture know;
“Respect the Cultivated Flower,
“That _deigns_ in fields to grow!
V.
“And chiefly _thou_ that boast’st _my_ name,
“Though surely _not ally’d_;
“Claim kindred with thy native weeds,
“Nor flourish by _my_ side!
VI.
“I know thee not;—thy form I scorn;
“In native splendour bright
“IRIS has dipp’d my painted leaves,
“All beauteous to the sight.
VII.
“Whilst THOU!—but vainly spent the time,
“On such a flow’r bestow’d:
“Disdain’d by all the Garden’s tribes,
“_My_ late belov’d abode.
VIII.
“Know ME your queen, ye low-born race,
“Confess superior sway;
“Nor longer in my presence bloom,
“But tremble, and obey.”
IX.
“To foul reproach (the DAISY said)
“What answer can we yield,
“When _cultivated flow’rs_ insult
“The natives of the field?
X.
“Yet what art THOU? proud gaudy toy,
“Descended but from me,
“Who mourn too late I e’er gave birth
“To such Ingrates as thee!
XI.
“I have my use, and oft’ am seen
“The village maids t’ adorn:
“Go prouder _thou_, in gardens bloom,
“And be the great-ones scorn.
XII.
“But here, proud flow’r, thy date is short,
“The soil denies thee room;
“And ev’n this spot, where now thou swell’st,
“Shall shortly prove thy tomb.”
XIII.
The Sun gaz’d hot, the foreign field
No moisture would supply;
Soon did the boaster droop her head,
And wither, fade, and die.
XIV.
What need I more?—The village swain,
While on the sod reclin’d,
Feels the plain Moral of the Tale
Deep graven on his mind.
[Illustration: _Fab. XXV. The Pinks and Arbutus._]
[Illustration: _Fab. XXVI. The Cockscomb & Sweetwilliam._]
FABLE XXV.
The PINKS and ARBUTUS.
I.
Virtue, the growth of ev’ry clime,
Alike should be rever’d;
Whether from distant regions brought,
Or in _our_ country rear’d.
II.
Rome, the great mistress of the world,
Such height had ne’er attain’d;
The train of worth in ev’ry land
Had her proud sons disdain’d.
III.
From _foreign_ arms, from _foreign_ arts,
Her _native_ glory rose;
And more than half her boasted state
She borrow’d from her foes.
IV.
Vain is that boast of selfish pride,
Which deems no worth is found,
But in the narrow sphere confin’d
Of its own native ground.
V.
Though not to foreign lands, untaught,
We need for Virtue roam;
Yet real Virtue, nurs’d abroad,
Should be rever’d at home.—
VI.
On fair Ierne’s happy shore
A tall ARBUTUS plac’d,
Bloom’d near a sweetly-cultur’d spot,
By PINKS unnumber’d grac’d,
VII.
’Twas on the border of that lake[24],
Where vary’d prospects rise,
Of sunny hills, o’er-hanging rocks,
And low’ring misty skies;
[24] The Lake of Killarney, most romantically situated in the county of
Kerry, in Ireland, where the Arbutus tree is found, which bears a most
beautiful blossom, and a fruit sometimes used for food, and which is
supposed to have been transplanted thither from Italy.
VIII.
SELINA, wand’ring near the Lake,
The foreign tree survey’d;
“And bloom’st thou ’midst our native Flow’rs?”
Exclaim’d the redd’ning maid—
IX.
“O could these hands thy root remove!
“But since that may not be,
“Far I’ll transplant my fragrant Race,
“Now plac’d too near to thee.”
X.
She said—when strait before her stood
An ancient Hermit grave;
With silver’d locks and streaming beard,
The tenant of the cave;
XI.
“Desist, fond maid! the Hermit cry’d,
“Lest these thy favour’d flow’rs
“Should die, if hastily remov’d
“From these their well-known bow’rs;
XII.
“What if the tall ARBUTUS share
“Th’ indulgence of thy land;
“Do not his sweetly fragrant flow’rs
“As fair a lot demand?
XIII.
“Nor let IERNE’S children grieve,
“Where foreign worth is shown;
“But learn with cultivating care
“To make that worth _their own_.
XIV.
“For thee, fair maid—the patriot flame
“Still nourish in thy breast:
“But let that flame by Reason’s rules
“Be modell’d and repress’d.
XV.
“Know that thy country’s weal depends
“Not on _herself_ alone;
“But each assisting hand that strives
“To fix fair Freedom’s throne.
XVI.
“Commerce and Stores from other lands
“Your glories still increase;
“Encourage then the golden stream,
“And ev’ry art of peace.
XVII.
“Nor foreign Flow’rs, nor foreign Plants,
“Deny a fost’ring place;
“When those fair Plants or blooming Flow’rs
“Bring Profit, Sweet, or Grace.
XVIII.
“Reject alone the idle weed,
“That blooms but to destroy;
“To cultivate the rest with care
“Your utmost skill employ.”
XIX.
He ceas’d;—the Nymph her task forsook,
And still together bloom
The beautous Tree, and fragrant Flow’rs,
Whence ZEPHYRS steal perfume.
FABLE XXVI.
The COCK’S COMB and SWEET WILLIAM.
I.
High rose the Sun, the fleeting hours
Verg’d tow’rds meridian height,
And all around the glitt’ring scene
Was lost in floods of light.
II.
The flocks and herds, that graz’d awhile,
Now left the sunny glade;
And in the stream their fervour cool’d,
Or sought the shelt’ring shade.
III.
Beneath a high projected fence,
At this irradiate hour,
The sweet _Dianthus_[25] humbly blew,
A solitary Flow’r.
[25] Another name for Sweet William.
IV.
But where a thousand mingling sweets
Diffus’d a rich perfume;
The gaudy COCK’S COMB, idly vain,
Appear’d in all its bloom.
V.
And “Matchless excellence!” he cry’d,
“With ME what can compare?
“The sweetest of the vernal train
“Were never half so fair.
VI.
“My crested head erect I rear,
“And bloom with matchless grace;
“The brightest hue my leaves adorns,
“Of all the flow’ry race.
VII.
“Nay, to immortal pow’rs a-kin,
“Descent from Heav’n I claim[26];
“And from eternal-blooming Flow’rs
“Derive my honour’d name.”
[26] This Flower is a kind of Bastard Amaranth.
VIII.
I view’d the Plant, its form admir’d;
When a more modest Flow’r
Engag’d my eye, where soft it rose
Within its lonely bow’r.
IX.
“Sweet tribes, (he sang,) fair FLORA’S care,
“What beauties you display!
“My breast expands with social joy
“To see your bright array.
X.
“To _me_, the last of flow’rets, give,
“Within this pale to grow:
“And give the west winds gentle breath
“O’er this my bed to blow.”
XI.
He spoke—the pow’rs indulgent heard,
Soft ZEPHYRS fann’d the trees;
And o’er his humble earthy bed
Diffus’d a gentle breeze.
XII.
Smit with the fragrance of the scent
The winds rejoicing bore;
I own’d the pow’r of modest worth,
Whose rival charm’d no more[27].
XIII.
Say, Fair-ones, is the Moral plain,
In easy Fable drest?
It is but this—_To Merit true,_
_Throw Coxcombs from your breast_.
[27] The Cock’s Comb being a gaudy Flower, without any agreeable smell
to recommend it.
[Illustration: _Fab. XXVII. The Jasmine and Hemlock._]
[Illustration: _Fab. XXVIII. The Carnation and Southernwood._]
FABLE XXVII.
The JASMINE and HEMLOCK.
I.
Tow’ring aloft, a JASMINE sweet
In a rich garden stood;
And thence, nurs’d by wild Nature’s care,
The neighb’ring HEMLOCK view’d.
II.
High o’er the pale the angry flow’r
Rear’d her affronted head;
And, glowing in her vernal bloom,
She thus contemptuous said:
III.
“Say, worse than Aconite, pernicious weed!
“How dar’st thou here to grow;
“And thy detested head advance,
“Near where my blossoms blow?”
IV.
The angry HEMLOCK strait reply’d,
“Thou proud insulting thing!
“Vain is thy pride, and vain thy boast,
“Though deck’d by gaudy Spring.
V.
“Thou, in the blooming garden plac’d,
“May’st please the roving eye.
“I in some field or secret shade
“My useful aid supply.
VI.
“Nay, scornful flow’r! what I declare,
“Great Nature’s self will own:
“Ordaining all things fair and good,
“When once their use is known.
VII.
“Go ask of genial BACCHUS’ tree,
“Where purple clusters glow;
“(Whose juice produces gen’rous wine,
“The balm of human woe.)
VIII.
“Go ask what various ills attend,
“That precious balm’s abuse:
“Ills that too surely ev’n exceed
“Those of my baneful juice.
IX.
“Yet baneful _where_? when _mis-apply’d_;
“So is each blessing too.
“This lesson learn, and know thyself;
“Nor rob me of my due.
X.
“Me the grave Leech, who, greatly wise,
“Turns Nature’s volume o’er,
“Oft snatches from my low abode,
“And places in his store.
XI.
“There, amongst health-bestowing plants,
“He ranks my honour’d name;
“And, whilst he well employs _my_ pow’rs,
“Exalts _himself_ to fame.
XII.
“Thus death and life alike are _mine_,
“Neither to _thee_ belong:
“Though oft’ by poets most admir’d,
“The theme of idle song.
XIII.
“Be thou so still; but ne’er despise
“Those gifts thou canst not share:
“But keep this maxim in thy heart,
“_The_ USEFUL _is the_ FAIR.”
XIV.
She said—abash’d the JASMINE heard,
And hung her drooping head;
She saw, _That_ NATURE’S _works were good_,
And all her Boasting fled.
FABLE XXVIII.
The CARNATION and SOUTHERNWOOD.
I.
Rich in a thousand beauteous dyes,
The sweet CARNATION stood;
While with a proud disdainful eye
The SOUTHERNWOOD she view’d.
II.
“Great is thy Pride,” the flow’r exclaim’d,
“To place thee near my side;
“For ev’n to grow in this retreat,
“Argues thy matchless pride.
III.
“Say, what art thou, thyself no flow’r,
“That dar’st intrude thee here;
“’Midst plants fit for a prince’s bow’r,
“Flow’rs fit for kings to wear?
IV.
“Whate’er I am,” the Plant reply’d,
“My post I well maintain;
“And chearful lend my needful aid,
“Where thine, alas! were vain.
V.
“Say, could thy flow’rs of brightest dye
“_Infection’s_ force withstand?
“Ah! what could all thy beauties do,
“If plagues laid waste the land?
VI.
“Mean as I am, the task is mine,
“To purge th’ unwholesome air;
“To clear the brain, the blood refine,
“And seat HYGEIA[28] there.
[28] The Goddess of Health.
VII.
“Nay farther still;—thyself shalt own
“How oft’ I’m join’d with thee;
“And thy bright blossoms brighter bloom,
“Because they’re plac’d by me.
VIII.
“Are not the _various tints_, which deck
“This scene, the Florist’s pride?
“ME then, imperious! venerate
“For pow’rs to thee deny’d.—
IX.
“Say, if each warbler of the grove
“Should chuse the self-same strain;
“Would the tir’d ear the concert please,
“Or wish to hear again?
X.
“Nature, who made us what we are,
“Did diff’rent gifts impart;
“And gave to all their portion due
“Of her all-plastic art.
XI.
“Contented then in diff’rent spheres
“Unenvying let us move:
“For this must still most grateful be
“To THOSE who rule above.
XII.
“_Me_ let _thy_ sweetest fragrance grace,
“Ev’n from the early May;
“And _thee_ will _I_ in gardens fair
“With sov’reign balm repay.
XIII.
“For, thus united while we stand,
“We need to ask no more;
“While mutually we take and give,
“We double all our _store_.”
XIV.
Prudent she said;—her rival, pleas’d,
Adopts the smelling green;
And one for _Use_, and one for _Show_,
Together now are seen.
XV.
Learn hence, _That various talents giv’n_
_Mean variously to bless:_
_And thus on mutual wants kind Heav’n_
_Builds mutual Happiness_.
[Illustration: _Fab. XXIX. Field Flower & Rosemary._]
[Illustration: _Fab. XXX. Judgement of the Flowers._]
FABLE XXIX.
The ROSEMARY and FIELD FLOWER.
I.
Upon the fam’d HYPANIS’ banks,
By chance, in days of yore,
A tuft of Rosemary there grew,
Which scented all the shore.
II.
And near at hand a Field-flow’r rear
Its variegated head;
And view’d full many a spacious track,
With dreary desarts spread.
III.
But where the river roll’d its stream,
Unnumber’d insects swarm’d;
Which rose in myriads into life,
By PHŒBUS’ influence warm’d[29].
[29] On the banks of the river Hypanis, there is a sort of insect,
whose life is said only to extend from the rising to the setting of the
sun.
IV.
The same revolving day that saw
Their scene of life begun,
Beheld them sink to dust again,
With the declining sun.
V.
And one of these, at noon-tide hour,
(The hardiest of his race)
Urg’d to the Field-flow’r bright and gay
His quick and eager pace.
VI.
But when no fragrant scent he found
In that same flow’r so bright;
He to the sweeter Rosemary
Immediate urg’d his flight.
VII.
The _lasting_ aromatic plant,
His speed with wonder view’d;
Advis’d him other flow’rs to seek,
Nor on her spot intrude.
VIII.
“And how can I for _thee_ (she said)
“My happier pow’rs display,
“Or with my lasting flow’r support
“The insect of a day?
IX.
“Sure Nature form’d thy race in sport,
“Continual to destroy;
“Nor ever meant thy race to taste
“One pure, substantial joy.”
X.
“Not so,” the wiser Insect cry’d,
“My high descent I claim
“From PHŒBUS’ self—you cannot more,
“Nor wish a higher name.
XI.
“What if to me a shorter date
“By Nature’s law is giv’n;
“Each moment that I live, _t’ enjoy_,
“Is all I ask of Heav’n.
XII.
“Beneath the Mushroom’s spacious shade,
“Or in the mossy bow’r,
“Or still at noon as _now_ reclin’d,
“Beneath some fragrant flow’r.
XIII.
“Know, that as much of life I trace
“In one revolving sun;
“As yonder herds, whose destin’d course
“Full many an age has run.
XIV.
“For equal are great Nature’s gifts,
“And but an idle dream;
“The boast of time, which glides away
“Swift as the passing stream.
XV.
“Well to employ the present hour,
“Sweet plant, be ever thine;
“LIFE’S little day, _when once elaps’d_,
“_Shall seem as short as_ MINE.”
FABLE XXX.
The JUDGEMENT of FLOWERS.
I.
Far from the busy haunts of men,
Far from the glaring eye of day;
Still Fancy paints, with Nature’s pen,
Such tints as never can decay.
II.
Hast thou not seen, at ev’ning hour,
When PHŒBUS sunk beneath the main,
Reclin’d in some sequester’d bow’r,
The village maid, or shepherd swain?
III.
Hast thou not mark’d them cull with care
Some favour’d flow’ret from the rest,
To deck the breast, or bind the hair,
Of those they priz’d and lov’d the best?
IV.
And still expressive of the mind
The emblematic gift was found;
Whether to mournful thought inclin’d,
Or with triumphant gladness crown’d.—
V.
Near AVON’S banks, a cultur’d spot,
With many a tuft of flow’rs adorn’d,
Was once an aged shepherd’s lot,
Who scenes of greater splendor scorn’d.
VI.
Three beauteous daughters bless’d his bed,
Who made the little plat their care;
And ev’ry sweet by FLORA spread
Attentive still they planted there.
VII.
Once, when still ev’ning veil’d the sky,
The sire walk’d forth, and sought the bow’r;
And bade the lovely maids draw nigh,
And each select some favour’d flow’r.
VIII.
The first, with radiant splendor charm’d,
A variegated Tulip chose:
The next, with love of beauty charm’d,
Preferr’d the sweetly-blushing Rose.
IX.
The third, who mark’d, with depth of thought,
How those bright Flow’rs must droop away,
An Ev’ning Primrose only brought,
Which opens with the closing day.
X.
The sage a while in silence view’d
The various choice of flow’rs display’d;
And then (with wisdom’s gift endu’d)
Address’d each beauteous list’ning maid!
XI.
“Who chose the Tulip’s splendid dyes,
“Shall own, too late, when that decays,
“That, vainly proud, not greatly wise,
“She only caught a short-liv’d blaze.
XII.
“The Rose, though beauteous leaves and sweet
“Its glorious vernal pride adorn:
“Let her who chose beware to meet
“The biting sharpness of its thorn.
XIII.
“But _she_, who to fair day-light’s train
“The Ev’ning flow’r more just preferr’d;
“Chose real worth, nor chose in vain
“The one great object of regard.
XIV.
“Ambitious _thou_! the Tulip race
“In all life’s vary’d course beware:
“Caught with sweet Pleasure’s rosy grace,
“Do _thou_ its sharper thorns beware.
XV.
“_Thou_ prudent still to Virtue’s lore,
“Attend, and mark her counsels sage!
“She like _thy flow’r_ has sweets in store,
“To soothe the ev’ning of thine age.”
XVI.
He ceas’d—attend the moral strain,
The Muse enlighten’d pours;
Nor let her pencil trace in vain
The Judgement of the Flow’rs.
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