Page:The Poems of John Dyer (1903).djvu/88

 Denoting Labour's happy progress, moves, Procession slow and solemn : first the rout, Then servient youth, and magisterial eld ; Each after each, according to his rank, His sway, and office, in the commonweal ; And to the board of smiling Plenty's stores Assemble, where delicious cates and fruits Of every clime are pil'd ; and with free hand Toil only tastes the feast, by nerveless Ease Unrelish'd. Various mirth and song resound ; And oft they interpose improving talk, Divulging each to other knowledge rare, Sparks from experience that sometimes arise, Till night weighs down the sense, or morning's dawn Rouzes to labour man, to labour born. Then the sleek brightening lock from hand to hand Renews its circling course ; this feels the card ; That in the comb admires its growing length ; This blanch'd, emerges from the oily wave ; And that the amber tint, or ruby, drinks. For it suffices not in flow'ry vales Only to tend the flock, and shear soft wool ; Gums must be stor'd of Guinea's arid coast, Mexican woods, and India's brightening salts; Fruits, herbage, sulphurs, minerals, to stain The Fleece prepar'd, which oil-imbibing earth Of Wooburn blanches, and keen alum-waves Intenerate. With curious eye observe In what variety the tribe of salts, Gums, ores, and liquors, eye-delighting hues Produce, abstersive or restringent ; how Steel casts the sable ; how pale pewter, fus'd In fluid spirituous, the scarlet dye ; And how each tint is made, or mix'd, or chang'd, By mediums colourless ; why is the fume