POEMS. 503 



Delightfully, to th' levell'd sun oppos'd : 

 Lovely refraction ! while the vivid brede 

 In listed colours glows, th' unconscious swain 

 With vacant eye gazes on the divine 

 Phenomenon, gleaming o ? er th' illumin'd fields, 

 Or runs to catch the treasure which it sheds. 



Not so the sage, inspir'd with pious awe ; 

 He hails the federal arch ; a and looking up 

 Adores that God, whose fingers formed this bow 

 Magnificent, compassing heaVn about 

 With a resplendent verge. " Thou mad'st the cloud, 

 " Maker omnipotent, and thou the bow; 

 *' And by that covenant graciously hast sworn 

 " Never to drown the world again : henceforth, 

 " Till time shall be no more, in ceaseless round, 

 " Season shall follow season ; day to night, 

 " Summer to winter, harvest to seed time, 

 " Heat shall to cold in regular array 

 " Succeed." b Heav'n-taught so sang the Hebrew bard. c 



Feb. 13, 1783. 



A HARVEST SCENE. 



WAK'D by the gentle gleamings of the morn, 

 Soon clad, the reaper, provident of want 

 Hies cheerful-hearted to the ripen'd field ; 

 Xor hastes alone ; attendant by his side 

 His faithful wife, sole partner of his cares, 

 Bears on her breast the sleeping babe ; behind 

 With steps unequal trips her infant train : 

 Thrice happy pair, in love and labour join'd ! 



All day they ply their task ; with mutual chat 

 Beguiling each the sultry, tedious hours : 

 Around them falls in rows the sever'd corn, 

 Or the shocks rise in regular array. 



But when high noon invites to short repast 

 Beneath thr shade of shelt'ring thorn they sit, 



Gen. ix. 1217, b Gen. viii. '22. c Moses. 



