The Natural History of Selborne 513 



On the Dark, Still, Dry, Warm Weather, Occa- 

 sionally Happening in the Winter Months. 



Th 1 imprisoned winds slumber within their caves 

 Fast bound : the fickle vane, emblem of change, 

 Wavers no more, long-settling to a point. 



All nature nodding senses composed ; thick streams 

 From land, from flood up-drawn, dimming the day, 

 " Like a dark ceiling stand ; " slow thro 1 the air 

 Gossamer floats, or stretch' 'd from blade to blade 

 The wavy net- work whitens all the field. 



Push'd by the weightier atmosphere, up springs 

 The ponderous Mercury, from scale to scale 

 Mounting, amidst the Torricellian tube.* 



While high in air, and pois'd upon his wings 

 Unseen, the soft, enamour 1 d wood- lark runs 



Thro 1 all his maze of melody ; the brake 



Loud with the blackbird's bolder note resounds. 



Sooth 1 d by the genial warmth, the cawing rook 

 Anticipates the spring, selects her mate, 

 Haunts her tall nest trees, and with sedulous care 

 Repairs her wicker eyrie, tempest torn. 



The ploughman idly smiles to see upturn 

 His mellow glebe, best pledge of future crop : 

 With glee the gardener eyes his smoking beds; 

 E'en pining sickness feels a short relief. 



The happy school-boy brings transported forth 

 His long-forgotten scourge, and giddy gig : 

 O'er the white paths he whirls the rolling hoop, 

 Or triumphs in the dusty fields of taw. 



Not so the museful sage : abroad he walks 

 Contemplative, if haply he may find 

 'What cause controls the tempest's rage, or whence 



Amidst the savage season winter smiles. 



*The Barometer. 



2 K 



