The INVITATION: To MISS B

The INVITATION : To MISS B— . Hic gelidi fontes , hic mollia prata , Lycori , Hic nemus : hic ipso tecum consumerer aevo . VIRGIL . HEALTH to my friend , and long unbroken years , By storms unruffled and unstain'd by tears : Wing'd by new joys may each white minute fly ; Spring on her cheek , and sunshine in her eye : O'er that dear breast , where love and pity springs , May peace eternal spread her downy wings : Sweet beaming hope her path illumine still , And fair ideas all her fancy fill . From glittering scenes which strike the dazzled sight With mimic grandeur and illusive light , From idle hurry , and tumultous noise , From hollow friendships , and from sickly joys , Will DELIA , at the muse's call retire To the pure pleasures rural scenes inspire ? Will she from crowds and busy cities fly , Where wreaths of curling smoke involve the sky , To taste the grateful shade of spreading trees , And drink the spirit of the mountain breeze ? When winter's hand the rough'ning year deforms , And hollow winds foretel approaching storms , Then Pleasure , like a bird of passage , flies To brighter climes , and more indulgent skies ; Cities and courts allure her sprightly train , From the bleak mountain and the naked plain ; And gold and gems with artificial blaze , Supply the sickly sun's declining rays : But soon returning on the western gale She seeks the bosom of the grassy vale ; There , wrapt in careless ease , attunes the lyre To the wild warblings of the woodland quire ; The daisied turf her humble throne supplies , And early primroses around her rise . We'll follow where the smiling goddess leads , Thro' tangled forests or enamel'd meads ; O'er pathless hills her airy form we'll chase , In silent glades her fairy footsteps trace : Small pains there needs her footsteps to pursue , She cannot fly from friendship , and from you . Now the glad earth her frozen zone unbinds , And o'er her bosom breathe the western winds : Already now the snow-drop dares appear , The first pale blossom of th' unripen'd year ; As FLORA's breath , by some transforming power , Had chang'd an icicle into a flower : Its name , and hue , the scentless plant retains , And winter lingers in its icy veins . To these succeed the violet's dusky blue , And each inferior flower of fainter hue ; Till riper months the perfect year disclose , And FLORA cries exulting , See my Rose ! The Muse invites , my DELIA haste away , And let us sweetly waste the careless day . Here gentle summits lift their airy brow ; Down the green slope here winds the labouring plow ; Here bath'd by frequent show'rs cool vales are seen , Cloath'd with fresh verdure , and eternal green ; Here smooth canals , across th' extended plain , Stretch their long arms , to join the distant main : The sons of toil with many a weary stroke Scoop the hard bosom of the solid rock ; Resistless thro' the stiff opposing clay With steady patience work their gradual way ; Compel the genius of th' unwilling flood Thro' the brown horrors of the aged wood ; Cross the lone waste the silver urn they pour , And chear the barren heath or sullen moor : The traveller with pleasing wonder sees The white sail gleaming thro' the dusky trees ; And views the alter'd landscape with surprise , And doubts the magic scenes which round him rise . Now , like a flock of swans , above his head Their woven wings the flying vessels spread ; Now meeting streams in artful mazes glide , While each unmingled pours a separate tide ; Now through the hidden veins of earth they flow , And visit sulphurous mines and caves below ; The ductile streams obey the guiding hand , And social plenty circles round the land . But nobler praise awaits our green retreats ; The Muses here have fixt their sacred seats . Mark where its simple front yon mansion rears , The nursery of men for future years : Here callow chiefs and embryo statesmen lie , And unfledg'd poets short excursions try : While Mersey's gentle current , which too long By fame neglected , and unknown to song , Between his rushy banks , ( no poet's theme ) Had crept inglorious , like a vulgar stream , Reflects th' ascending seats with conscious pride , And dares to emulate a classic tide . Soft music breathes along each op'ning shade , And sooths the dashing of his rough cascade . With mystic lines his sands are figur'd o'er , And circles trac'd upon the letter'd shore . Beneath his willows rove th' inquiring youth , And court the fair majestic form of truth . Here nature opens all her secret springs , And heav'n-born science plumes her eagle wings : Too long had bigot rage , with malice swell'd , Crush'd her strong pinions , and her flight witheld ; Too long to check her ardent progress strove : So writhes the serpent round the bird of Jove ; Hangs on her flight , restrains her tow'ring wing , Twists its dark folds , and points its venom'd sting . Yet still ( if aught aright the Muse divine ) Her rising pride shall mock the vain design ; On sounding pinions yet aloft shall soar , And thro' the azure deep untravel'd paths explore . Where science smiles , the Muses join the train ; And gentlest arts and purest manners reign . Ye generous youth who love this studious shade , How rich a field is to your hopes display'd ! Knowledge to you unlocks the classic page ; And virtue blossoms for a better age . Oh golden days ! oh bright unvalued hours ! What bliss ( did ye but know that bliss ) were yours ? With richest stores your glowing bosoms fraught , Perception quick , and luxury of thought ; The high designs that heave the labouring soul , Panting for fame , impatient of controul ; And fond enthusiastic thought , that feeds On pictur'd tales of vast heroic deeds ; And quick affections , kindling into flame At virtue's , or their country's honour'd name ; And spirits light to every joy in tune ; And friendship ardent as a summer's noon ; And generous scorn of vice's venal tribe ; And proud disdain of interest's sordid bribe ; And conscious honour's quick instinctive sense ; And smiles unforc'd ; and easy confidence ; And vivid fancy ; and clear simple truth ; And all the mental bloom of vernal youth . How bright the scene to fancy's eye appears , Thro' the long perspective of distant years , When this , this little group their country calls From academic shades and learned halls , To fix her laws , her spirit to sustain , And light up glory thro' her wide domain ! Their various tastes in different arts display'd , Like temper'd harmony of light and shade , With friendly union in one mass shall blend , And this adorn the state , and that defend . These the sequester'd shade shall cheaply please , With learned labour , and inglorious ease : While those , impell'd by some resistless force , O'er seas and rocks shall urge their vent'rous course ; Rich fruits matur'd by glowing suns behold , And China's groves of vegetable gold ; From every land the various harvest spoil , And bear the tribute to their native soil : But tell each land ( while every toil they share , Firm to sustain , and resolute to dare , ) MAN is the nobler growth our realms supply , And SOULS are ripen'd in our northern sky . Some pensive creep along the shelly shore ; Unfold the silky texture of a flower ; With sharpen'd eyes inspect an hornet's sting , And all the wonders of an insect's wing . Some trace with curious search the hidden cause Of nature's changes , and her various laws ; Untwist her beauteous web , disrobe her charms , And hunt her to her elemental forms : Or prove what hidden powers in herbs are found To quench disease and staunch the burning wound ; With cordial drops the fainting head sustain , Call back the flitting soul , and still the throbs of pain . The patriot passion this shall strongly feel , Ardent , and glowing with undaunted zeal ; With lips of fire shall plead his country's cause , And vindicate the majesty of laws . This cloath'd with Britain's thunder , spread alarms Thro' the wide earth , and shake the pole with arms . That to the sounding lyre his deeds rehearse , Enshrine his name in some immortal verse , To long posterity his praise consign , And pay a life of hardships by a line . While others , consecrate to higher aims , Whose hallow'd bosoms glow with purer flames , Love in their heart , persuasion in their tongue , With words of peace shall charm the list'ning throng , Draw the dread veil that wraps th' eternal throne , And launch our souls into the bright unknown . Here cease my song . Such arduous themes require A master's pencil , and a poet's fire : Unequal far such bright designs to paint , Too weak her colours , and her lines too faint , My drooping Muse folds up her fluttering wing , And hides her head in the green lap of spring .