Vol. I.
Poetical Essays for FEBRUARY, 1731.
73
A Winter's Thought
By Mr. E———
All Seasons and their Change, &c.
Milton.
I.The man whose constitution's strong and free from vexing care hismin,As changing seasons pass along, Can in them all a pleasure find.
II.Not only in the teeming bud, The opening leaf, and lively bloom,(Urg'd by the sap's ascending flood) and fruit fair-knitting in its room.
III.Not only when the smiling fields, In all their gaiety appear,And the perfume their bosom yields, On balmy wings the Zephyr's bear,
IV.In morning fair, and evening mild, The murm'ring brook, and cooling shade,The notes of birds in confort mild, And philomela's serenade.
V.Not only in the waving ear, And branches bending with their loadOr while the produce of the year, Is gather'd in and safely stow'd.
VI.Pleas'd in the year's decline, he sees The fading leaf diversify'd,With various colours, and the trees Strip and stand forth in naked pride.
VII.Each hollow blast, and hasty shower, The rattling hail and fleecy snow,The candy'd rhime, and scatter'd hoar, And isicles which downward grow.
VIII.The shining pavement of the flood, To which the youthful tribes resort;And game, which the discover'd wood Exposes to the fowler's sport.
IX.The greens which winter's blasts defy, Thro' native strength or humane careIn hedge, or soft orangery, All a new source of pleasure are.
X.The sun which from the northern signs Scorch'd with unsufferable heat,Now in a milder glory shines, And every glancing ray is sweet.
XI.The silver moon, and every star, Now forth to full advantage shine,And, by the richest scene, prepare For noblest thoughts the enlarged mind.
XII.Ev'n when the mornings slowest rise, Sweetly the nights can pass away,In lucubrations with the wise, Or social pleasures with the gay.
XIII.And when the winter tedious grows, And length'ning days cold stronger bring,An unexhausted pleasure flows From expectation of the spring.
XIV.So he, whose faculties are sound, His heart upright, and conscience clean,Agreeably can pass the round Of life in every changing scene.
XV.Not only in his youthful bloom, And while his strength continues firm,But when the days of evil come, And age prepares him for the worm.
XVI.Thankfulness gives his comforts weight And patience lightens ev'ry ill,And in what ever ground he's set, Hope does with pleasing prospects fill.
XVIIFaith in a father's changeless love, Whose Christ will speedily appear,And make eternal spring above, Does all his damps and darkness clear.
The
