50EMS. 



His faitliful wife, sole partner of liis cares, 

 Beaa's on her breast the sleeping babe ; beliind, 

 "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 com. 

 Or the shocks rise in regular array. 



But when high noon invites to short repast, 

 Beneath the shade of sheltering thorn they sit. 

 Divide the simple meal, and drain the cask : 

 The swinging cradle lulls the whimpering babe 

 Meantime ; while growling round, if at the tread 

 Of hasty passenger alarm'd, as of their store 

 Protective, stalks the cur with bristling back. 

 To guard the scanty scrip and russet frock. 



ON THE DARK, STILL, DRY, WARM WEATHER 



OCCASIONALLY HAPPENING IX TUE WINTER MONTHS. 



Th' imprison'd winds slumber within their caves, 

 Fast bound : the fickle vane, emblem of change, 

 Wavers no more, long settling to a point. 



All Nature nodding seems composed : thick steams, 

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

 " Like a dark ceiling stand : " slow through the aii- 

 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 poised upon his wino-g, 

 Unseen, the soft, enamour'd woodlark runs 



* The "barometer. 



