The Natural History of Selborne 455 



'Gossamer floats, or stretch* d Jrom 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 poised upon his wings 

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

 Thro* all his maze of melody ; the brake 

 Loud with the black-bird's bolder note resounds. 



SootKd 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 inly 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 schoolboy 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. 



For days, for weeks, prevails the placid calm. 

 At length some drops prelude a change : the sun 

 With . ray refracted bursts the parting gloom ; 

 When all the chequer 1 d sky is one bright glare. 



Mutters the wind at eve : tff horizon round 

 With angry aspect scowls : down rush the showers, 

 And float the deluged paths, and miry fields. 



* The Barometer. 



