Some to the rude protection of the thorn
Commit their feeble offspring: The cleft tree
Offers its kind concealment to a few,
Their food its infects, and its moss their nefts.
Others apart far in the graffy dale,
Or rough'ning waste, their humble texture weave. 640
But most in woodland folitudes delight,
In unfrequented glooms, or fhaggy banks,
Steep, and divided by a babbling brook,
Whose murmurs foothe them all the live-long day,
When by kind duty fix'd. Among the roots
Of hazel, pendent o'er the plaintive stream,
They frame the first foundation of their domes ;
Dry fprigs of trees, in artful fabric laid,
And bound with clay together. Now 'tis nought
But reflefs hurry thro' the bufy air,
Beat by unnumber'd wings. The swallow fweeps
The flimy pool, to build his hanging houfe
Intent. And often, from the careless back
Of herds and flocks, a thousand tugging bills
Pluck hair and wool; and oft, when unobferv'd, 655 Steal from the barn a ftraw: till foft and warm, Clean, and complete, their habitation grows.
As thus the patient dam affiduous fits,
Not to be tempted from her tender task,
Or by sharp hunger, or by fmooth delight,
Tho' the whole loosen'd Spring around her blows,
Her fympathizing lover takes his ftand
High on th' opponent bank, and ceaseless fings
The tedious time away; or else supplies
Her place a moment, while fhe fudden flits
To pick the fcanty meal. Th' appointed time
With pious toil fulfill'd, the callow young,
Warm'd and expanded into perfect life,
Their brittle bondage break, and come to light,
A helpless family, demanding food
With conftant clamour: O what paffions then,
What melting fentiments of kindly care,
On the new parents feize! Away they fly
Affectionate, and undefiring bear
The most delicious morfel to their young;
Which equally diftributed, again
The fearch begins. Ev'n fo a gentle pair,
By fortune funk, but form'd of gen'rous mold,
And charm'd with cares beyond the vulgar breast,
In fome lone cot amid the distant woods,
Suftain'd alone by providential HEAVEN,
Oft, as they weeping eye their infant train,
Check their own appetites, and give them all.
NOR toil alone they fcorn: exalting love,
By the great FATHER OF THE SPRING infpir'd,
Gives inftant courage to the fearful race,
With ftealthy wing,
Should fome rude foot their woody haunts moleft,
Amid a neighb'ring bufh they filent drop,
And whirring thence, as if alarm'd,. deceive. 699
Th' unfeeling fchool-boy. Hence, around the head Of wand'ring fwain, the white-wing'd plover wheels Her founding flight, and then directly on
In long excurfion skims the level lawn,
To tempt him from her nest. The wild-duck, hence,
O'er the rough mofs, and o'er the tracklefs wafte 696
The heath-hen flutters, pious fraud! to lead
The hot pursuing fpaniel far aftray.
BE not the Muse afham'd, here to bemoan Her brothers of the grove, by tyrant Man Inhuman caught, and in the narrow cage From liberty confin'd, and boundless air. Dull are the pretty flaves, their plumage dull, Ragged, and all its bright'ning lustre lost ; Nor is that fprightly wildness in their notes, Which, clear and vig'rous, warbles from the beech. O then, ye friends of love and love-taught song, Spare the foft tribes, this barb'rous art forbear; If on your bofom innocence can win,
Mufic engage, or piety perfuade.
But let not chief the nightingale lament
Her ruin'd care, too delicately fram'd
To brook the harsh confinement of the cage.
Oft when, returning with her loaded bill,
Th' astonish'd mother finds a vacant nest,
By the hard hand of unrelenting clowns
Robb'd, to the ground the vain provifion falls;
Her pinions ruffle, and low-drooping scarce
Can bear the mourner to the poplar shade; .
Where, all-abandon'd to despair, the fings
Her forrows thro' the night; and, on the bough
Sole-fitting, ftill at every dying fall
up again her lamentable strain
Of winding woe; till, wide-around, the woods
Sigh to her fong, and with her wail resound.
BUT now the feather'd youth their former bounds, · Ardent, difdain; and, weighing oft their wings, Dernand the free poffeffion of the fky:
This one glad office more, and then diffolves
Parental love at once, now needlefs grown..
Unlavish Wisdom never works in vain..
"Tis on fome ev'ning, funny, grateful, mild,
When nought but balm is breathing thro' the woods,
With yellow luftre bright, that the new tribes
Vifit the fpacious heav'ns, and look abroad
On Nature's common, far as they can fee,
Or wing, their range and pasture.. O'er the boughs
Dancing about, ftill at the giddy verge
Their refolution fails; their pinions still,
In loofe libration ftretch'd, to trust the void!
Trembling refufe; till down before them fly
The parent-guides, and chide, exhort, command,
Or push them off. The furging air receives
Its plumy burden; and their self-taught wings
Winnow the waving element. On ground.
Alighted, bolder up again they lead,
Farther and farther on, the length'ning flight ;:
Till vanish'd every fear, and every pow'r
Rous'd into life and action, light in air
Th' acquitted parents fee their foaring race,
And, once rejoicing, never know them more.
HIGH from the fummit of a craggy cliff,
Hung o'er the deep, fuch as amazing frowns
Qn utmost * Kilda's fhore, whose lonely race
Refign the setting fun to Indian worlds,
The royal eagle draws his vig'rous young,
Strong-pounc'd, and ardent with paternal fire.
Now fit to raise a kingdom of their own,
He drives them from his fort, the tow ring feat,
For ages,, of his empire;, which,, in peace,
Unftain'd he holds, while many a league to fea
He wings his courfe, and preys in diftant ifles.
SHOULD I my steps turn to the rural feat,
Whofe lofty elms, and venerable oaks,
Invite the rook, who high amid the boughs,.
In early Spring, his airy city builds,
And ceafelefs caws amufive; there, well-pleas'd,
I might the various polity.furvey
Of the mixt houfhold kind.
Calls all her chirping family around,
Fed and defended by the fearless cock;
• The fartheft of the western iflands of Scotland.
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