34 FLORA AND THALIA., 



See here thy pictured life ; pass some few years, 

 Thy flowering Spring, thy Summer's ardent strength, 

 Thy sober Autumn fading into age ; 

 And pale concluding Winter comes at last, 

 And shuts the scene. 



DECEMBER. 



No mark of vegetable life is seen ; 



No bird to bird repeats his tuneful call, 

 Save the dark leaves of some rude evergreen : 



Save the lone redbreast on the moss-grown wall. 



SCOTT. 



THE SEASONS. 



Wheiv snows descend, and robe the fields 



In winter's bright array : 

 Touched by the sun tlip lustre fades, 



And weeps itself away. 



When Spring appears ; when violets blow, 



And shed a rich perfume ; 

 How soon the fragrance breathes its last, 



How short-liv'd is its bloom. 



