Mechanic; nor the heaven-conducted prow 1770 Than non-existence worse! But, taught by thee, Ours are the plans of policy and peace; 1775 To live like brothers, and conjunctive all Embellish life. While thus laborious crowds Ply the tough oar, Philosophy directs The ruling helm; or, like the liberal breath Of potent Heaven, invisible, the sail 1780 Swells out, and bears the' inferior world along. NOR to this evanescent speck of earth Poorly confined, the radiant tracts on high Creation through; and, from that full complex 1785 Of never-ending wonders, to conceive Of the SOLE BEING right, who spoke the word, And Nature moved complete. With inward view, L 1790 1795 Unfetter'd and unmix'd. But here the cloud, This infancy of being, cannot prove 1800 The final issue of the works of God, By boundless LovE and perfect WISDOM form'd, And ever rising with the rising mind. 1805 AUTUMN. THE ARGUMENT. The subject proposed-Addressed to Mr. Onslow-A prospect of the Fields ready for Harvest-Reflections in praise of Industry, raised by that view-Reaping-A Tale relative to it-A harvest Storm-Shooting and Hunting, their barbarity-A ludicrous account of Foxhunting-A view of an Orchard-Wall-fruit-A Vineyard-A description of Fogs, frequent in the latter part of Autumn: whence a Digression, inquiring into the rise of Fountains and Rivers-Birds of season considered, that now shift their habitation-The prodigious number of them that cover the Northern and Western Isles of Scotland-Hence a view of the Country-A Prospect of the discoloured, fading Woods-After a gentle dusky Day, Moonlight-Autumnal Meteors-Morning; to which succeeds a calm, pure, sunshiny Day, such as usually shuts up the season-The Harvest being gathered in, the Country dissolved in joy-The whole concludes with a Panegyric on a philosophical Country Life |