410 
POEMS. 
Hangs the chill hermitage in middle air ; 
Its haunts forsaken, and its feasts forgot, 
A leaf-strown, lonely, desolated cot I 
Is this the scene that late with rapture rang, 
Where Delphy danc'd, and gentle Anna sang ; 
With fairy-step where Harriet tripped so late, 
And on her stump reclined the musing Kitty sate ? 
Return, dear nymphs ; prevent the purple spring, 
Ere the soft nightingale essays to sing ; 
Ere the first swallow sweeps the freshening plain, 
Ere love-sick turtles breathe their amorous pain ; 
Let festive glee th' enliven' d village raise. 
Pan's blameless reign, and patriarchal days : 
With pastoral dance the smitten swain surprize, 
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.*' 
On morning or on evening cloud impress' d, 
Bent in vast curve, the wat'ry meteor shines 
Delightfully, to the 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 
Phenomenon, gleaming o'er th' illumin'd fields, 
Or runs to catch the treasure 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 
With a resplendent verge. Thou mad'st the cloud, 
Maker omnipotent, and thou the bow ; 
And by that covenant graciously hast sworn 
Never to drown the world again : henceforth, 
• Gen. ix. 12-17. 
