Et tibi forma datur procerior omnibus, inquit, His ubi fedatus furor eft, petit utraque nympham Hanc penes imperium eft, nihil optant amplius, hujus Regnant in nitidis, et fine lite, genis. THE POPLAR FIELD. HE poplars are fell'd, farewell to the And the whispering found of the cool colonnade; The winds play no longer and fing in the leaves, Nor Oufe on his bofom their image receives. Twelve years have elapfed fince I first took a view Of my favourite field, and the bank where they grew; And now in the grass behold they are laid, The blackbird has fled to another retreat, Where the hazels afford him a fcreen from the heat, And the scene where his melody charm'd me before Resounds with his sweet flowing ditty no more. My fugitive years are all hasting away, And I must ere long lie as lowly as they, With a turf on my breast, and a stone at my head, 'Tis a fight to engage me, if any thing can, IDEM LATINE REDDITUM. OPULEÆ cecidit gratiffima copia filvæ, Nullæ jam levibus se miscent frondibus auræ, cogor Hei mihi! bis fenos dum luctu torqueor annos, Ah ubi nunc merulæ cantus? Felicior illum * Cowper afterwards altered this last stanza in the following manner : The change both my heart and my fancy employs, Scilicet exuftos colles campofque patentes Sed qui fuccifas doleo fuccidar et ipfe, Tam fubitò periiffe videns tam digna manere, Sit licèt ipfe brevis, volucrique fimillimus umbræ, VOTUM. MATUTINI rores, auræque falubres, Fata modò dederint quas olim in rure paterno avebat, Ante larem proprium placidam expectare fenectam, Tum demùm exactis non infeliciter annis, Sortiri tacitum lapidem, aut sub cefpite condi. TRANSLATIONS FROM VINCENT BOURNE. 1. THE GLOWWORM. ENEATH the hedge, or near the stream, A worm is known to stray, That shows by night a lucid beam, Which disappears by day. Disputes have been, and still prevail, But this is fure-the hand of might Perhaps indulgent Nature meant, Nor crush a worm, whose useful light To show a stumbling ftone by night, Whate'er fhe meant, this truth divine 'Tis power Almighty bids him fhine, Ye proud and wealthy, let this theme 2. THE JACKDAW. HERE is a bird who, by his coat, Above the steeple fhines a plate, From what point blows the weather; Fond of the fpeculative height, And thence fecurely fees Secure and at his ease. |