Tbe oottaae-onl'll at t>arly pilgrim bark;
Crown'ii with her pail the tripping milkmaid ainga;
The whistling ploughman atalka Afield ; and, hark!
Down'the t·ough slope the ponderol18 waggon rings;
Through rustling corn the hAre astoniali'd apringa J
Slow tolls the village-clock the drowsy hour ;
The part1•idge burata away on whirring wings,
Deep mourn11 the turtle in aeqoeater'd bower,
And shrill lark ca.rola clear from her al!rinl tour.
BU'l"''tt;,
HAGGARD and chill, u a lcet ghcet, the Mol'D,
With hair unbraided, and un.sandaH'd feet,
Her colourleaa robe like a poor wandering BtDOk<'--
Moved feebly up the heavens, and in her arm11
A shadowy burden heavily bore; soon fading
In a dark rain, through which the sun arOH
Scarce 'Visible, and in his orb oonfuaed........ ..
There was a slu!Xlb'rona silence in the ~til•,
By noontide's sultry murmurs !rom without
.Made more obUvioua. Not a pipe waa heard
From field or wood; but the grave beetle's drone
Pase'd near the entrance ; once the cuckoo call'd
O'er distant meads, and once a horn began
Melodious plniut, then dit:d away. A sound
Of murmul'OUB music yet> wu on the breeze,
For silver gnats that harp on g)asey strings,
And rise and fall in sparkling clouds, aueta.in'd
Their dizzy dancea o"er the seethl.ug meads.
Nool' deacenda around me now:
'Tia the noon of Autumn'a glow,
When a soft and purple milt
Like a vap'roua amethyst,HoRim.