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,
A ftranger yet to pain?

I feel the gales, that from you blow,
A momentary blifs beftow,

As waving fresh their glad fome wing,
My weary foul they feem to footh,
And, * redolent of joy and youth,

To breathe a second spring.

Say,

And bees their honey redolent of fpring.
Dryden's Fable on the Pythag. Syftem.

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
With pliant arm thy glaffy wave?

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,
They hear a voice in every wind,
And fnatch a fearful joy.

Gay hope is theirs, by fancy fed,
Lefs pleafing when poffeft;

'The tear forgot as foon as fhed,

The funshine of the breaft:

Theirs buxom health, of rofy hue,
Wild wit, invention ever new,

And lively chear of vigour born;
The thoughtless day, the eafy night,
The fpirits pure, the flumbers light,

That fly th' approach of morn.

Alas,