Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/104

82 To hear the drowsy dor come brushing by With buzzing wing, or the shrill cricket cry; To see the feeding bat glance through the wood; To catch the distant falling of the flood; While o'er the cliff th' awaken'd churn-owl hung Through the still gloom protracts his chattering song; While high in air, and poised upon his wings, Unseen, the soft enamour'd woodlark sings: These, works, the curious mind employ, Inspire a soothing melancholy joy: As fancy warms, a pleasing kind of pain Steals o'er the cheek, and thrills the creeping vein!
 * Each rural sight, each sound, each smell, combine;

The tinkling sheep-bell or the breath of kine; The new-mown hay that scents the swelling breeze, Or cottage-chimney smoking through the trees.
 * The chilling night-dews fall:—away, retire!

For see, the glow-worm lights her amorous fire! Thus, ere night's veil had half obscured the sky, Th' impatient damsel hung her lamp on high: True to the signal, by love's meteor led, Leander hasten'd to his Hero's bed. I am, etc.

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