THE VISION.

When yellow waves the heavy grain, The threat'ning storm some, strongly, rein, Some teach to meliorate the plain,

With tillage-skill;

And some instruct the shepherd-train,
Blythe o'er the hill.

"Some hint the Lover's harmless wile; "Some grace the Maiden's artless smile; Some soothe the Lab'rer's weary toil, För humble gains,

And make his cottage-scenes beguile

His cares and pains.

Some, bounded to a district-space, Explore at large Man's infant race, To mark the embryotic trace,

Of rustic Bard;

And careful note each opening grace,

A guide and guard.

Of these am I-Coila my name; And this district as mine I claim,

THE VISION.

Where once the Campbell's, chiefs of fame,

'Held ruling pow'r;

I mark'd thy embryo tuneful flame,

With future hope, I oft would gaze,
Fond, on thy little early ways,

Thy rudely caroll'd, chiming phrase,

In uncouth rhymes,

Fir'd at the simple, artless lays

Of other times.

I saw thee seek the sounding shore, 'Delighted with the dashing roar; 'Or when the north his fleecy store

• Drove thro' the sky,

I saw grim Nature's visage hoar

Struck thy young eye.

Or when the deep green-mantl'd Earth,

'Warm cherish'd ev'ry flow'ret's birth,

And joy and music pouring forth.

In ev'ry grove,

I saw thee eye the genʼral mirth

With boundless love.

When ripen'd fields, and azure skies,
Call'd forth the Reapers' rustling noise,
I saw thee leave their ev❜ning joys,

And lonely stalk,

To vent thy bosom's swelling rise

In pensive walk.

When youthful Love, warm-blushing, strong, Keen-shivering shot thy nerves along,

Those accents, grateful to thy tongue,

Th' adored Name, u

'I taught thee how to pour in song,

To soothe thy flame.

I saw thy pulse's maddening play,
• Wild send thee Pleasure's devious way,
Misled by Fancy's meteor-ray,

By Passion driven;

But yet the light that led astray.

"Was light from Heaven.

'I taught thee manners-painting strains, The loves, the ways of simple swains,

'Till now, o'er all my wide domains

THE VISION.

And some the pride of Coila's plains,
Become thy friends.

Thou canst not learn, nor can I show, To paint with Thomson's landscape glow; • Or wake the bosom-melting throe,

• With Shenstone's art;

Or pour, with Gray, the moving flow
Warm on the heart.

< Yet all beneath th' unrivall'd Rose, The lowly Daisy sweetly blows;

'Tho' large the forest's Monarch throws

Then never murmur nor repine; 'Strive in thy humble sphere to shine; ' And trust me, not Potosi's mine,

Nor King's regard,

Can give a bliss o'ermatching thine,
A rustic Bard.

THE VISION.

To give my counsels all in one,

Thy tuneful flame still careful fan;
Preserve the Dignity of Man,

With soul erect;

'And trust, the Universal Plan

Will all protect.

And wear thou this'-she solemn said, And bound the Holly round my head: The polish'd leaves, and berries red,

Did rustling play;

And, like a passing thought she fled
In light away.