What time the waggon's cumbrous load

Grates along the grav❜lly road:

There onward, dress'd in homely guife,

Some unregarded maiden hies.

Unless by chance a trav'lling 'fquire,
Of base intent and foul defire,

Stops to infnare, with speech beguiling,
Sweet innocence and beauty smiling.
Nor fail I joyful to partake

The lively sports of country wake,
Where many a lad and many a lass
Foot it on the clofe-trod graís.
There nimble Marian of the green
Matchlefs in the jig is feen,
Allow'd beyond compare by all
The beauty of the ruftic ball:
While, the tripping damfels near,
Stands a lout with waggifh leer;
He, if Marian chance to fhew
Her taper leg and stocking blue,
Winks and nods and laughs aloud,
Among the merry-making crowd,

Utt'ring

Utt'ring forth in aukward jeer,

Words unmeet for virgin's ear.

Soon as ev'ning clouds have fhed
Their wat❜ry ftore on earth's foft bed,
And, through their flowing mantles thin,
Clear azure spots of sky are feen,

I quit fome oak's clofe-cover'd bow'r,
To tafte the boon of new-fall'n fhow'r,
the corn-field's graffy edge

Το

pace

Clofe by a fresh-blown sweet-brier hedge;

While at every green leaf's end
Pearly drops of rain depend,

And an earthy fragrance 'round
Rifes from the moisten'd ground.
Sudden a fun-beam, darting out,
Brightens the landskip all about,
With yellow light the grove o'erfpreads,
And tips with gold the haycocks' heads:
Then, as mine eye is eastward led,

Some fair caftle rears its head,

Whofe height the country round commands,

Well known mark to diftant lands,

There

There the windows glowing bright

Blaze from afar with ruddy light,
Borrow'd from clouds of fcarlet dye,
Juft as the fun hath left the sky.
But, if chill Eurus cut the air
With keener wing, I then repair
To park or woodland, fhelter meet,
Near fome noble's ancient feat,
Where long winding walks are seen
Stately oaks and elms between,
Whofe arms promifcuous form above
High over-arch'd a green alcove;
While the hoarfe-voic'd hungry rook

Near her ftick-built neft doth croak,
Waving on the topmaft bough;

And the mafter stag below

Bellows loud with favage roar,

Stalking all his hinds before,

Thus mufing, night with even pace

Steals on, o'erihad'wing nature's face ;

While the bat with dufky wings

Flutters round in giddy rings,

And

And the buzzing chaffers come

Close by mine ear with folemn hum..
Homeward now my steps I guide

Some rifing graffy bank befide,
Studded thick with fparks of light,

Iffuing from many a glow-worm bright;

While village-cur with minute bark
Alarms the pilf 'rer in the dark,
Save what light the ftars convey,
Cluster'd in the milky way,

Or fcatter'd numberless on high
Twinkling all o'er the boundless sky.

Then within doors let me meet

The viol touch'd by finger neat ;

Or, foft fymphonies among,

Wrap me in the sacred fong,

Attun'd by Handel's matchlefs fkill,

While Attention, mute and fill,

Fixes all my foul to hear

The voice harmonious, fweet and clear.

Nor let fmooth-tongu'd Converfe fail,

With many a well-devifed tale,
C

And

That

And stories link'd, to twist a chain may awhile old Time detain, And make him reft upon his fcythe

Pleas'd to fee the hours fo blithe :

While, with sweet attractive grace,
The beauteous housewife of the place
Wins the heart of every guest

By courteous deeds, and all contest
Which shall readieft homage fhew
To fuch fov'reign sweetness due.
Thefe delights, Vacation, give,
And I with thee will choose to live.

ΤΟ