The foaming surges rage along the shores, For help, in vain! the mariner implores : And sends the frost to bind the floods in chains. By him the groves renew their fallen leaves: By him the joyful hind binds up the golden sheaves. 'Tis he with juicy clusters loads the vine, And gives the press to overflow with wine. From him the flow'rs receive their beauteous dyes, From him with various odours fill the skies: He with vermillion blushes paints the rose; He the carnation's elegance bestows; Its glittering white to him the lilly owes. 'Twas he first ting'd the violet with blue; And all its glories on the tulip drew. Behold the Forest TREES, a beauteous scene! Diff'rent their structure, various is their green: The graceful pine, the princely cedar rise, Proud sons of earth! and lift them to the skies. With loads of acorns overspread the ground, And see their offspring rising wide around. [gay? Does this seem strange?-Much stranger yet [remains. Nothing brings forth but what itself contains: 'Tis nature's constant law that ev'ry thing From parents like itself, in order spring : But life, in regular progressions, flows. Each seed includes a plant: that plant, again, Has other seeds which other plants contain: Those other plants have all their seeds, and those More plants again, successively, inclose. Thus, ev'ry single berry that we find, Has, really, in itself, whole forests of its kind. Each myrtle seed includes a thousand groves, Such wond'rous smallness?-Yet, we must believe From things inanimate withdraw thine eyes, For, wide around thee, living wonders rise: The feather'd tribes which fly from land to land, And insects, num'rous as the grains of sand- GOD gives the strength whereby the LION reigns, And drives the torrent boiling through his veins. As light'ning swift, and panting for the course, With iron sinews he has arm'd the HORSE: |