Classic Poem

Diffusive checquer'd o'er the dale beneath,
When purple Twilight rested on the heath,
When from the furze the nimble rabbet sprung,
And on each spray unusual lustre hung,
What wayward forms, eccentrically fair,
Have I oft pictur'd on the dappled air,
While, dropt by the fantastic hand of Ev'n,
Small countless specks have pav'd the floor of heav'n,
There mid the silver scenery would I roam,
Nor tho' the church-bell tinkled, think of home.

Oh! when to F RIENDSHIP'S curious ear I told
Heroic feats, and godlike acts of old,
Which (maxims meet for my unpractic'd age,)
Haply I glean'd from the historic page,
How blithe would I the breczy hillock climb,
And in the big narration swell sublime,
Then, when alost Night's pale assembly rose,
What downy slumbers of divine repose,
What gay ideas throng'd the frolic dream,
What mental joys the aëry wing would stream!
No bowl, with palatable poison fill'd,
Fev'rish, and foul, my aching forehead thrill'd,
No malice, wrankling in th' eternal wound,
No fierce desire was in my bosom found,
But round my pillow would undaunted play
Content, still reckless of the coming day.
Soon as cool Z EPHYR woke the virgin MORN ,
And the bright dew-drop trembled on the thorn,
Up the green lane I stray'd; on either side
In thickest notes each vocal bush reply'd,
My tongue was silent, printless was my tread,
The S PRING'S whole C HOIR collected o'er my head!
Entranced I stood, lull'd by pure M ANTUAN lays,
Or, what sage D YER pip'd to later days;
The world forgot me, I the world forgot,
And my E LYSIUM centred in that spot!