The Natural History of Selborne 493 



On the Dark, Still, Dry, Warm Weather, Occasionally 

 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 

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

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

 Gossamer floats, or stretched from blade to blade 

 The wavy net -work whitens all the fleld. 



Pushed by the weightier atmosphere, up springs 

 The ponderous Mercury, from scale to scale 

 Mounting, admidst the Torricellian tube* 



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

 Unseen, the soft, enamoured wood-lark runs 



Thro' all his maze of melody ; the brake 



Loud with the blackbird'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 plough-man 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 tempesfs rage, or whence 

 Amidst the savage season winter smiles. 



* The Barometer. 



