XXXil 
INTRODUCTION. 
Unconscious of a mother’s care, 
No infant wretchedness she knew ; 
But as she felt the vernal air, 
At once to full perfection grew. 
Her slender form, ethereal light, 
Her velvet-textured wings enfold ; 
With all the rainbow’s colours bright, 
And dropt with spots of burnish’d gold. 
Trembling with joy a while she stood, 
And felt the sun’s enlivening ray ; 
Drank from the skies the vital flood, 
And wonder’d at her plumage gay ! 
And balanced oft her broider’d wings, 
Through fields of air prepared to sail ; 
Then on her vent’rous journey springs, 
And floats along the rising gale. 
Go, child of pleasure, range the fields, 
Taste all the joys that Spring can give, 
Partake what bounteous Summer yields, 
And live, whilst yet “tis thine to live. 
Go, sip the rose’s fragrant dew, 
The lily’s honey’d cup explore, 
From flower to flower the search renew, 
And rifle all the woodbine’s store ; 
And let me trace thy vagrant flight, 
Thy moments, too, of short repose, 
And mark thee then with fresh delight 
Thy golden pinions ope and close. 
