88 OD E ON A DISTANT PROSPECT OF ETON COLLEGE. E diftant fpires, ye antique towers, YE That crown the wat'ry glade, Where grateful Science ftill adores Her HENRY's holy Shade ; And ye, that from the ftately brow Of WINDSOR'S heights th' expanfe below Of King HENRY the Sixth, Founder of the College. Of grove, of lawn, of mead furvey, Whose turf, whofe fhade, whofe flow'rs among Wanders the hoary Thames along His filver-winding way. Ah happy hills, ah pleafing fhade, Ah fields belov'd in vain, Where once my careless childhood stray'd, I feel the gales, that from you blow, As waving fresh their glad fome wing, To breathe a second spring. Say, And bees their honey redolent of fpring. Say, Father THAMES, for thou haft seen Full many a fprightly race Difporting on thy margent green The paths of pleasure trace, Who foremost now delight to cleave The captive linnet which enthral ? What idle progeny fucceed To chafe the rolling circle's fpeed, Or urge the flying ball? While fome, on earnest bufinefs bent, Their murm'ring labours ply ?Gainft graver hours, that bring constraint To fweeten liberty: 1 Some Some bold adventurers difdain The limits of their little reign, And unknown regions dare defcry: Still as they run, they look behind, Gay hope is theirs, by fancy fed, 'The tear forgot as foon as fhed, The funshine of the breaft: Theirs buxom health, of rofy hue, And lively chear of vigour born; That fly th' approach of morn. Alas, |