Together thro' the fields they stray'd,

And to the murmuring riv'let's fide;
Renew'd their vows, and hopp'd and play'd
With honeft joy, and decent pride,

When, oh! with grief the Mafe relates
The mournful fequel of my tale;
Sent by an order from the Fates,
A gunner met them in the vale.

Alarm'd, the lover cry'd, "My dear!

"Hafte, hafte away! from danger fly! "Here, gunner! point thy thunder here; "O, fpare my love, and let me die !"

At him the gunner took his aim;
His aim, alas! was all too true:
O! had he chofe fome other game;
Or fhot-as he was wont to do!

Divided pair forgive the wrong,
While I with tears your fate rehearse;
I'll join the widow's plaintive fong,
And fave the lover in my verfe.

PRATT.

THE PARTRIDGES,

AN ELEGY.

Written on the last Day of August.

HARD by yon copfe, that skirts the flow'ry vale,

As late I walk'd to taste the ev'ning breeze,

A plaintive murmur mingled in the gale,

And notes of forrow echo'd thro' the trees.

Touch'd by the penfive found, I nearer drew;
But my rude ftep increas'd the cause of pain:
Soon o'er my head the whirring Partridge flew,
Alarm'd; and with her flew an infant train.
But fhort th' excurfion; for unus'd to play,
Feebly the unfledg'd wings th' effay could make:
The parent, fhelter'd by the clofing day,

Lodg'd her lov'd covey in a neighb'ring brake.
Her cradling pinions there she amply spread,
And hush'd th' affrighted family to reft;
But ftill the late alarm fuggefted dread,

And closer to their feath'ry friend they prefs'd.
She, wretched parent! doom'd to various woe,
Felt all a mother's hope, a mother's care;
With grief foresaw the dawn's impending blow,
And, to avert it, thus preferr'd her pray❜r:
"O Thou! who e'en the fparrow doft befriend;
"Whose providence protects the harmless wren;
"Thou, God of birds! these innocents defend,

"From the vile fport of unrelenting men.

"For foon as dawn shall dapple yonder skies,

"The flaughtering gunner, with the tube of fate, "While the dire dog the faithless stubble tries, "Shall perfecute our tribe with annual hate. "O may the fun, unfann'd by cooling gale, "Parch with unusual heat th' undewy ground; "So fhall the pointer's wonted cunning fail,

"So shall the sportsman leave my babes unfound. "Then fhall I fearlefs guide them to the mead ; "Then fhall I fee with joy their plumage grow;

"Then fhall I fee (fond thought) their future breed,

"And every transport of a parent know! "But if fome victim must endure the dart,

"And fate marks out that victim from my race, "Strike, strike the leaden vengeance thro' this heart! O fpare my babes! and I the death embrace.

COOPER.

FATHER'S ADVICE TO HIS SON.
DEEP in a grove by cypress shaded,

Where mid-day fun had feldom fhone,
Or noise the folemn scene invaded,
Save fome afflicted Mufe's moan,

A fwain, towards full-ag'd manhood wending,
Sat forrowing at the close of day,
At whofe fond fide a boy attending
Lifp'd half his father's cares away.
The father's eyes no object wrested,
But on the smiling prattler hung,
Till, what his throbbing heart fuggefted,
These accents trembled from his tongue :

"My youth's first hope, my manhood's treasure,
"My dearest innocent, attend,
"Nor fear rebuke, or four displeasure :
"A father's lovelieft name is Friend.

"Some truths from long experience flowing, "Worth more than royal grants, receive; "For truths are wealths of Heav'n's bestowing, “Which kings have feldom power to give.

Since, from an ancient race defcended, "You boaft an unattainted blood, "By yours be their fair fame attended, "And claim by birth-right-to be good. "In love for every fellow-creature, "Superior rife above the crowd; "What most ennobles human nature

"Was ne'er the portion of the proud.

"Be thine the generous heart that borrows
"From others' joys a friendly glow,
"And for each hapless neighbour's forrows
"Throbs with a sympathetic woe.

"This is the temper most endearing,

"Tho' wide proud pomp her banner spreads, "An heavenlier power good-nature bearing, "Each heart in willing thraldom leads. "Tafte not from fame's uncertain fountain "The peace-deftroying streams that flow, " Nor from ambition's dangerous mountain "Look down upon the world below. "The princely pine on hills exalted,

"Whose lofty branches cleave the sky, "By winds, long brav'd, at last affaulted, "Is headlong whirl'd in duft to lie; "While the mild rofe, more fafely growing, "Low in its unaspiring vale, "Amid retirement's shelter blowing, "Exchanges fweets with ev'ry gale.

"Wish not for beauty's darling features, "Moulded by Nature's partial pow'r,

"For fairest forms 'mong human creatures
"Shine but the pageants of an hour.

"I saw, the pride of all the meadow,
"At noon, a gay narciffus blow
"Upon a river's bank, whofe fhadow
"Bloom'd in the filver waves below;
"By noon-tide's heat its youth was wafted,
"The waters, as they pafs'd, complain'd;
"At eve, its glories all were blafted,
"And not one former tint remain❜d.

"Nor let vain wit's deceitful glory

"Lead you from Wisdom's path astray ; "What genius lives renown'd in story, "To happiness who found the way? "In yonder mead behold that vapour, "Whofe vivid beams illufive play, "Far off it feems a friendly taper,

"To guide the trav'ller on his way;

"But fhould fome hapless wretch, pursuing,
"Tread where the treach'rous meteors glow,
"He'd find, too late, his rafhness rueing,
"That fatal quickfands lurk below:
"In life fuch bubbles nought admiring,
"Gilt with falfe light, and fill'd with air,
"Do you, from pageant crowds retiring,
"To Peace in Virtue's cot repair.

"There feek the never-wasted treasure
"Which mutual love and friendship give,
" Domestic comfort, fpotlefs pleasure,
"And bleft and bleffing you will live.