18 FLORA AND THALIA. 



The winter's frown, if screen'd from his shrewd bite, 



Live there and posper ; — those Ausonia claims, 



Levantine regions these ; th' Azores send 



Their jessamine, her jessarnine, remote 



Caffraria; foreigners from many lands, 



They form one social shade, as if conven'd 



By magic summons of th' Orpheian lyre ; 



Yet just arrangement, rarely brought to pass 



But by a master's hand, disposing well 



The gay diversities of leaf and flow'r. 



Must lend its aid t' illustrate all their charms. 



And dress the regular, yet various scene. 



Plant behind plant aspiring, in the van 



The dwarfish ; in the rear retir'd, but still 



Sublime above the rest, the statelier stand. 



So once were ranged the sons of ancient Rome, 



A noble show ! while Roscius trod the stage ; 



And so, while Garrick, as renowned as he, 



The sons of Albion ; fearing each to lose 



Some note of Nature's music from his lips, 



And covetous of Shakspeare's beauty, seen 



In every flash of his far-beaming eye. 



Nor taste alone, and well-contriv'd display 



Suffice to give the marshall'd ranks the grace 



Of their complete effect. Much yet remains 



Unsung, and many cares are yet behind, 



And more laborious ; cares on which depends 



Their vigour, injur'd soon, not soon restor'd. 



