Page:The Seasons - Thomson (1791).djvu/222

 Of native music, the respondent dance. Thus jocund fleets with them the winter-night.

city swarms intense. The public haunt, Full of each theme, and warm with mixt discourse, Hums indistinct. The sons of riot flow Down the loose stream of false inchanted joy, To swift destruction. On the rankled soul, The gaming fury falls; and in one gulph Of total ruin, honour, virtue, peace, Friends, families, and fortune, headlong sink. Up-springs the dance along the lighted dome, Mix'd, and evolv'd, a thousand sprightly ways. The glittering court effuses every pomp; The circle deepens: beam'd from gaudy robes, Tapers, and sparkling gems, and radiant eyes, A soft effulgence o'er the palace waves: While, a gay insect in his summer-shine, The fop, light-fluttering, spreads his mealy wings.

o'er the scene, the ghost of stalks: rages; poor mourns; And pours her soul in love. Deep-thrilling terror shakes; the comely tear Steals o'er the cheek: or else the Holds to the world a picture of itself, And raises sly the fair impartial laugh. Sometimes she lifts her strain, and paints the scenes Of beauteous life; whate'er can deck mankind, Or charm the heart, in generous shew'd.

, whose wisdom, solid yet refin'd, Whose patriot-virtues, and consummate skill To touch the finer springs that move the world, Join’d