58 



WINDS. 



A rushiug sound arose — like that of flames 

 Feeding at midnight on an ancient wood, 

 Or like the roaring of a flooded stream 

 That rages o'er its adamantine bed — 

 The heraldry of Boreas 1 He advanced 

 From the cold mountains, cinctured with a zone 

 Of gloom and clouds electric, shooting far 

 Their sulphurous terrors : from his frozen hands 

 He scattered wreaths of snow and sleety rain 

 And drops that once were liquid, but assailed 

 In their mid course and breathed on by the North, 

 Fell changed to icy globules; the fair earth 

 Chilled at his presence, and where e'er he came 

 The groves were silent, streams forgot to flow. 

 And every green tree from its tresses shook 

 The summer ornaments of leaf and flower, 

 Fading before his influence. 



Next appeared 

 Eurus, in wanton humour ; he came down 

 From his aerial height, and kissed the flowers 

 That Spring was twining on her graceful breast 

 And revelled in their sweetness ; then he sang 

 Amid the foliage of the blossomed wood ; 

 Anon he danced upon the sunny lake. 

 Quivering its surface o'er with little waves 

 That, like a sheet of thickly woven stars. 

 Twinkled and sparkled with a golden light ; 

 At last he rushed away with hurrying howl 

 And raged impetuous through the dark ravines 

 That led him to the mountain's rifted top 

 Where, on a snowy couch, the thunder's sound 

 Hushed him to slumber. 



Auster grieving came, 

 Sad visitor I he almost wept him blind, 

 And moaned and sighed unceasing, till the sun 

 Shot arrowy lustres through his pinions dun 

 And laughed him into pleasantness, he then 

 Eflused voluptuous influence, air of balm 

 Such as arises from the Lusian shore 

 Mid orange gardens, or exhales its soul 



