342 



POEMS. 



With pastoral dance the smitten swain surprise. 

 And bring all Arcady before our eyes. 



Return, blithe maidens ; with you bring along 

 Free, native humour, all the charms of song ; 

 The feeling heart, and unaffected ease, 

 Each nameless grace, and ev'ry power to please. 



Nov. 1, 1763. 



ON THE RAINBOW. 



*' Look upon the Rainbow, and praise him that made it : 

 very beautiful is it in the brightness thereof." Eccles. 

 xliii. 11. 



On morning or on evening cloud impress'd, 

 Bent in vast curve, the wat'ry meteor shines 

 Delightfully, to th' levell'd sun oppos'd : 

 Lovely refraction ! while the vivid brede 

 In listed colours glows, th' unconscious swain 

 With vacant eye gazes on the divine 

 Phaenomenon, gleaming o'er the illumin'd fields. 

 Or runs to catch the treasures which it sheds. 



Not so the sage, inspir'd with pious awe ; 

 He hails the federal arch ; * and looking up 

 Adores that God, whose fingers form'd this bow 

 Magnificent, compassing heav'n about 

 » Gen. ix. 12—lT. 



