ADDRESSED

TO VALENTINE,

ON THE RETURN OF SPRING.

BY THE REV. SAMUEL SAY.

HAIL! best of Bishops, and of Saints the best; By flaming love distinguish'd from the rest; By Love, the life in heaven, and business of the blest.

Love made the world! 'Twas love alone could draw The disagreeing seeds to Nature's law;

Heaven saw th' effects of Love, and bless'd them when it

saw.

Hence, mighty Saint, thy power; deriv'd from Love, Thy great commission reaches all above,

And earth and sea beneath, and all that live and move.

Thou call'st the flowers: they feel the glad command;

On sunny banks in smiling rows they stand,

Broke from their mother's womb, and drest by Nature's

hand.

By thee the birds salute the welcome Spring; Inspir'd by thee and Love, in pairs they sing : With music and with joy the woods and vallies ring.

Fierce tigers yield to thee. To hear thy voice,
The gentle hind and rugged bears rejoice,

And fishes scud the waves to meet their happy choice.

See, see, the cheerful morn! how bright it shines! With larger steps the sun his course reclines, As conscious of thy day, and favouring thy designs.

All wed below, and he above would wed;

The youthful Earth has drest her fragrant bed, And promises her shades to shroud his radiant head.

At his approach the storms and winter fly;
The joyful bride her snowy vest lays by,
Nor does, untimely coy, her naked form deny.

Ah! could thy power so warm Lucretia's heart,
And make the winter there and cold depart,
How wouldst thou bless a wretch, and ease his raging
smart!

Couldst thou but make her soul consent with mine, And with her heart her answering hands to join, For thee should Phoebus sing, and all the tuneful Nine.

While I in annual songs thy name would raise,
Thy day should stand above the rest of days,

All lovers bless the Saint,and crown my head with bays!

ON

THE SPRING.

GENTLE Zephyrs come away!
On this sweet, this silent grove,
Sacred to the Muse and Love,
In softest-whisper'd murmurs play.
Come, let thy soft, thy balmy breeze
Diffuse the vernal sweets around
From sprouting flowers and blossom'd trees;
While echoing hills and vales resound
With notes, which wing'd Musicians sing
In honour to the bloom of Spring.

Lovely Season of desire!

Nature smiles with joy to see

The amorous months led on by thee,
That kindly wake her genial fire.
The brightest object in the skies,

The fairest lights that shine below,
The Sun and Myra's charming eyes,

At thy return more charming grow.
With double glory they appear,
To warm and grace the infant year.

ON

THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING.

BY SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D.

STERN Winter now by Spring repress'd, Forbears the long-continued strife, And Nature on her naked breast Delights to catch the gales of Life.

Now, o'er the rural kingdom roves
Soft Pleasure, with her laughing train,
Love warbles in the vocal groves,

And Vegetation plants the plain.

Unhappy whom to beds of pain
Arthritic Tyranny consigns,

Whom smiling Nature courts in vain,

Tho' Rapture sings, and Beauty shines.

Yet tho' my limbs Disease invades,
Her wings Imagination tries,
And bears me to the peaceful shades,

Where **'s humble turrets rise.

Here stop, my Soul, thy rapid flight,

Nor from the pleasing groves depart, Where first great Nature charm'd my sight, Where Wisdom first inform'd my heart.

Here let me thro' the vales pursue
A guide, a father, and a friend;

Once more great Nature's work renew,
Once more on Wisdom's voice attend.

From false caresses, causeless strife,
Wild hope, vain fear, alike remov'd;
Here let me learn the use of life,

When best enjoy'd, when most improv'd.

Teach me, thou venerable bower,
Cool Meditation's quiet seat,
The generous scorn of venal power,
The silent grandeur of retreat.

When Pride by guilt to greatness climbs,
Or raging Factions rush to war;
Here let me learn to shun the crimes
I can't prevent, and will not share.

But, lest I fall by subtler foes,

Bright Wisdom teach me Curio's art,
The swelling passions to compose,
And quell the rebels of the heart.