With fight of animals enjoying life, Nor feels their happiness augment his own. The bounding fawn, that darts across the glade When none pursues, through mere delight of heart, The horse as wanton, and almost as fleet, That skims the spacious meadow at full speed, Then stops and fnorts, and, throwing high his heels, Starts to the voluntary race again; The very kine that gambol at high noon, The total herd receiving firft from one That leads the dance a fummons to be gay, Thefe, and a thousand images of bliss, With which kind nature graces ev'ry scene, Impart to the benevolent, who wish All All that are capable of pleasure, pleas'd, A far fuperior happiness to theirs, The comfort of a reasonable joy. Man scarce had ris'n, obedient to his call Who form'd him from the duft, his future grave, When he was crown'd as never king was fince. God fet the diadem upon his head, And angel choirs attended. Wond'ring stood : The new-made monarch, while before him pass'd, The creatures, fummon'd from their various haunts Or bounded only by a law whofe force And own, the law of universal love. He rul'd with meeknefs, they obey'd with joy; And no diftruft of his intent in theirs. So Eden was a scene of harmless sport, Where kindness on his part who rul'd the whole And fear as yet was not, nor caufe for fear. But fin marr'd all; and the revolt of man, That fource of evils, not exhaufted yet, Was punish'd with revolt of his from him. Thy groves and lawns then witness'd! ev'ry heart, A jealoufy and an inftinctive fear, And, confcious of fome danger, either fled Precipitate the loath'd abode of man, Or growl'd defiance in such angry fort, As taught him too to tremble in his turn. Thus harmony and family accord Were driv'n from Paradife; and in that hour The feeds of cruelty, that fince have fwell'd Hence Hence date the perfecution and the pain That man inflicts on all inferior kinds, Regardless of their plaints. To make him fport, To gratify the frenzy of his wrath, Or his base gluttony, are caufes good And juft, in his account, why bird and beast Adds tenfold bitterness to death, by pangs And And howl and roar as likes them, uncontroul'd, Nor ask his leave to flumber or to play. Within the confines of their wild domain: Dependent upon man; thofe in his fields, Upon |