3

But this is sure-the hand of might,
That kindles up the skies;

Gives him a modicum of light,
Proportioned to his size.

4

Perhaps indulgent Nature meant,
By such a lamp bestowed,

To bid the traveller as he went,

Be careful where he trod.

5

Nor crush a worm, whose useful light Might serve, however small,

To show a stumbling stone by night, And save him from a fall.

6

Whate'er she meant, this truth divine
Is legible and plain;
'Tis power Almighty bids him shine,
Nor bids him shine in vain.

7.

Ye proud and wealthy, let this theme,

Teach humbler thoughts to you;

Since such a reptile has its gem,
And boasts its splendour too.

To the GLOW-WORM:

BY PETER PINDAR, (DR. WOLCOT.)

BRIGHT stranger, welcome to my field,
Here feed in safety, here thy radiance yield,

To me, O nightly be thy splendour given ! O could a wish of mine the skies command, How would I gem thy leaf with lib'ral hand, With ev'ry sweetest dew of Heaven.

Say, dost thou kindly light the fairy train
Amid the gambols on the stilly plain,

Hanging thy lamp upon the moisten'd blade!

What lamp so fit, so pure as thine
Amid the gentle Elfin band to shine,

And chase the horrors of the midnight shade?

Oh! may no feathered foe disturb thy bow'r,
And with barbarian beak thy life devour!

Oh! may no ruthless torrent of the sky, O'erwhelming force thee from thy dewy seat; Nor tempest tear thee from thy green retreat,

And bid thee, mid the humming myriads, die.

Queen of the insect world, what leaves delight?

Of such these willing hands a bower shall form, To guard thee from the rushing rains of night, And hide thee from the wild wing of the storm.

Sweet child of stillness, mid the awful calm
Of pausing Nature thou art pleased to dwell,
In happy silence to enjoy thy balm,

And shed through life a lustre round thy cell.

How diff'rent man, the imp of noise and strife, Who courts the storm that tears and darkens life!

Blest when the passions wild the soul invade! How nobler far to bid those whirlwinds cease, To taste, like thee, the luxury of peace,

And shine in solitude and shade!

To the GLOW-WORM:

BY MRS. OPIE.

GEM of the lone and silent vale,
Treasure of evening's pensive hour!

I come thy fairy rays to hail,

I come a votive strain to pour.

Nor chilly damps, nor paths untrod,

Shall from thy shrine my footstep fright; Thy lamp shall guide me o'er the sod, And cheer the gathering mists of night.

Again the yellow fire impart;

Lo! planets shed a mimic day; Lo! vivid meteors round me dart;

On western clouds red light'nings play!

But I disdain these garish fires,

Sporting on evening's sultry wing;
Thy humbler light my eye admires,
Thy soft retiring charms I sing.

Thine is an unobtrusive blaze,

Content in lowly shades to shine;
And much I wish, while thus I gaze,
To make thy modest merit mine.

For, long by youth's wild wishes cast
On the false world's tempestuous sea,
I seek retirement's shore at last,
And find a monitor in thee.

DR. DARWIN also, in his admired poem, the Botanic Garden, commemorates the splendour of the Glow-worm among other phenomena, supposed to be produced under the superintendance of the nymphs of fire.

"You with light gas the lamps nocturnal feed
That dance and glimmer on the marshy mead;
Shine round Calendula at twilight hours,
And tip with silver all her saffron flowers;
Warm on her mossy couch the radiant worm,
Guard from cold dews her love-illumined form,
From leaf to leaf conduct the virgin light,
Star of the earth, and diamond of the night !"

MR. MONTGOMERY also, thus prettily describes this sparkling insect:

When evening closes Nature's eye,

The Glow-worm lights her little spark, To captivate her favorite fly,

And tempt the rover through the dark.

Conducted by a sweeter star

Than all that deck the fields above,

He fondly hastens from afar,

To sooth her solitude with love.

P