That far from ENVY's lurid eye

The fairest fruits of GENIUS rear, Content to see them bloom and die

In Friendship's small but kindly sphere.

The Evening Primrose shuns the day; Blooms only to the western star,

And loves its solitary ray.

In EDEN's vale an aged hind,

At the dim twilight's closing hour, On his time-smoothed staff reclined, With wonder viewed the opening flower.

"Ill-fated flower, at eve to blow,"

In pity's simple thought he cries,

Thy bosom must not feel the glow
"Of splendid suns, or smiling skies.

"Nor thee, the vagrants of the field,
"The hamlet's little train behold;
"Their eyes to sweet oppression yield,
"When thine the falling shades unfold.

"Nor thee the hasty shepherd heeds,

When love has filled his heart with cares,

"For flowers he rifles all the meads, "For waking flowers-but thine forbears.

"Ah! waste no more that beauteous bloom "On night's chill shade, that fragrant breath, "Let smiling suns those gems illume! "Fair flower, to live unseen is death."

Soft as the voice of vernal gales

That o'er the bending meadow blow, Or streams that steal through even vales, And murmur that they move so slow:

Deep in her unfrequented bower,
Sweet Philomela poured her strain;
The bird of eve approved her flower,
And answered thus the anxious swain.

Live unseen!

By moonlight shades, in valleys green,
Lovely flower, we'll live unseen.

Of our pleasures deem not lightly,
Laughing day may look more sprightly,

But I love the modest mien,

Still I love the modest mien

Of gentle ev'ning fair, and her star-trained queen.

Didst thou, shepherd, never find,
Pleasure is of pensive kind?

Has thy cottage never known
That she loves to live alone?
Dost thou not at evening hour
Feel some soft and secret power,

Gliding o'er thy yielding mind,
Leave sweet serenity behind;

While all disarmed, the cares of day
Steal through the falling gloom away?
Love to think thy lot was laid

In this undistinguished shade.

Far from the world's infectious view, Thy little virtues safely blew.

Go, and in day's more dangerous hour, Guard thy emblematic flower.