Page:The Poems of John Dyer (1903).djvu/83

 While in the clouds his hoary shoulders bend. Next proud Iberia glories in the growth Of high Castile, and mild Segovian glades. And beauteous Albion, since great Edgar chas'd The prowling wolf, with many a lock appears Of silky lustre ; chief, Silurian, thine ; Thine, Vaga, favour'd stream ; from sheep minute On Cambria bred : a pound o'erweighs a Fleece : Gay Epsom's too, and Banstead's, and what gleams On Vecta's isle, that shelters Albion's fleet, With all its thunders ; or Salopian stores, Those which are gather'd in the fields of Clun : High Cotswold also 'mong the shepherd swains Is oft remember'd, tho' the greedy plough Preys on its carpet. He whose rustic Muse O'er heath and craggy holt her wing display'd, And sung the bosky bourns of Alfred's shires, Has favour'd Cotswold with luxuriant praise. Need we the levels green of Lincoln note, Or rich Leicestria's marly plains, for length Of whitest locks and magnitude of Fleece Peculiar? envy of the neighbouring realms ! But why recount our grassy lawns alone, While ev'n the tillage of our cultur'd plains, With bossy turnip and luxuriant cole, Learns thro' the circling year their flocks to feed ? Ingenious Trade, to clothe the naked world Her soft materials not from sheep alone, From various animals, reeds, trees, and stones, Collects sagacious. In Euboa's isle A wondrous rock is found, of which are woven Vests incombustible ; Batavia flax ; Siam's warm marish yields the fissile cane ; Soft Persia's silk ; Balasor's shady hills Tough bark of trees ; Peruvian Pito grass ;