Or chill'd by Age, their airy dance Methinks I hear in accents low The sportive kind reply: Poor moralist! and what art thou? A solitary fly! Thy joys no glittering female meets, No hive hast thou of hoarded sweets, No painted plumage to display: On hasty wings thy youth is flown; Thy sun is set, thy spring is gone--We frolic, while 'tis May. ODE II. ON THE DEATH OF A FAVOURITE CAT, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes. TWAS on a lofty vase's side, Her conscious tail her joy declar'd; Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, Still had she gaz'd; but 'midst the tide Two angel forms were seen to glide, The Genii of the stream: Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue Thro' richest purple to the view The hapless Nymph with wonder saw : She stretch'd in vain to reach the prize. Presumptuous Maid! with looks intent The slipp'ry verge her feet beguil'd, Eight times emerging from the flood No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr'd: Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard. A Fav'rite has no friend! From hence, ye Beauties undeceiv'd, Know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd, And be with caution bold. Not all that tempts your wand'ring eyes And heedless hearts, is lawful prize; Nor all, that glisters, gold, ODE III. ON A DISTANT PROSPECT OF ETON COLLEGE. Ανθρωπος ἱκανὴ πρόφασις εἰς τὸ δυςυχεῖν. MENANDER. YE distant spires, ye antique towers, That crown the wat❜ry glade, Where grateful Science still adores And ye, that from the stately brow * King HENRY the Sixth, Founder of the College. |