An ubi nunc merulæ cantus ? Felicior illum
Silva tegit, duræ nondum permissa bipenni;
Scilicet exustos colles camposqu.e patentes
Odit, et indignans et non rediturus abivit.
Sed qui succisas doleo succidar et ipse,
Et prius huic parilis quam creverit altera silva
Flebor, et, exsequiis parvis donatus, liabebo
Defixum lapidem tumulique cubantis acervum.
Tam subito periisse videns tam digna manere,
Agnosco humanas sortes et tristia fata-
Sit licet ipse brevis, volucrique simillimus umbra,
Est homini brevior citiusque obitura voluptas.

VOTUM. O MATUTINI rores, auræque salubres, O nemora, et latæ rivis felicibus herbæ, Graminei colles, et amænæ in vallibus umbræ ! Fata modo dederint quas olira in rure paterno Delicias, procul arte, procul formidine novi. Quam vellem ignotus, quod mens mea semper avebat Ante larem proprium placidam expectare senectam, Tum demum, exactis non infeliciter annis, Sortiri tacitum lapidem, aut sub cæspite condi!

CICINDELA.

BY VINCENT BOURNE. Sue sepe exiguum est, nec raro in margine ripæ,

Reptile, quod lucet nocte, dieque latet. Vermis habet speciem, sed habet de lumine nomen;

At prisca a famá non liquet, unde micet. Plerique a caudâ credunt procedere lumen;

Nec desunt, credunt qui rutilare caput. Nam superas stellas quæ nox accendit, et illi

Parcam eadem lucem dat, moduloque parem. Porsitan hoc prudens voluit Natura caveri,

Ne pede quis duro reptile contereret: Exiguam, in tenebris ne gressum offenderet ullus,

Prætendi voluit forsitan illa facem.

Sive usum hunc Natura parens, seu maluit illum,

Haud frustra accensa est lux, radiique dati. Ponito vos fastus, humiles nec spernite, magni;

Quando habet et minimum reptile, quod niteat.

I. THE GLOW-WORM.

TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOINO.

BENEATH the hedge, or near the stream,

A worm is known to stray;
That shews by night a Incid beam,

Which disappears by day.
Disputes have been, and still prevail,

From whence his rays proceed;
Some give that honour to his tail,

And others to his head.
But this is sure the hand of night,

That kindles up the skies,
Gives him a modicum of light

Proportion's to his size.
Perhaps indulgent Nature meant,

By such a lamp bestow'd,
To bid tbe traveller, as he went,

Be careful where he trod :
Nor crush a worm, whose useful light

Might serve, however small,
To shew a stumbling-stone by night,

And save him from a fall.
Whate'er she meant, this truth divine

Is legible and plain,
"Tis power Almighty bids him shine,

Nor bids him shine in vain.
Ye proud and wealthy, let this theme

Teach humbler thoughts to you,
Since such a reptile has its gem,

And boasts its splendour too.

CORNICULA.

BY VINCENT BOURNE

Niekas inter aves avis est, quæ plurima turres,

Antiquas ædes, celsaque fana colit.
Nü-tam sublime est, quod non audace volatu,

Aēriis spernens, inferiora, petit.
Quo nemo ascendat, cui non vertigo cerebrum

Corripiat, certe hunc seligit illa locum. Quo vix a terrâ tu saspicis absque tremore,

Ila metus expers incolumisque sedet.
Lamina delubri supra fastigia, ventus

Quâ coeli spiret de regione, docet;
Hanc ea præ reliquis mavult, secura pericli,

Nec curat, nedum cogitat, unde cadat.
Res inde humanas, sed summa per otia, spectat,

Et nihil ad sese, quas videt, esse videt. Concursus spectat, plateâque negotia in omni,

Omnia pro nugis at sapienter habet. Clamores, quas infra audit, si forsitan audit,

Pro rebus nihtli negligit, et crocitat. We tibi invideat, felix cornicula, pennas,

Qui sic humanis rebus abesse velit.

II. THE JACKDAW.

TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.

THERE is a bird, who, by his coat,
And by the hoarseness of his note,

Might be supposed a crow;
A great frequenter of the church,
Where bishop-like he finds a perch,

And dormitory too.
Above the steeple shines a plate,
That turns and turns to indicato

From what point blows the weather:
Look up your brains begin to swim,
"Tis in the clouds—that pleases him;

He chooses it the rather.

Fond of the speculative height,
Thither he wings his airy flight,

And thence securely sees
The bustle and the raree-show,
That occupy mankind below,

Secure and at his ease.
You think, no doubt, he sits and munes
On future broken bones and bruises,

If he should chance to fall.
No; not a single thought like that
Employs his philosophic pate,

Or troubles it at all.
He sees, that this great roundabout,
The world, with all its motley rout,

Church, army, physic, law,
Its customs, and its businesses,
Is no concern at all of his,

And says-what says he ?-Caw. Thrice happy bird! I too have seen Much of the vanities of men

And, sick of having seen 'em, Would cheerfully these limbs resigna For such a pair of wings as thine,

And such a head between 'em

AD GRILLUM.

Anacreonticum.
BY VINCENT BOURNE.
O Qui meæ culinæ
Argutulus choraules
Et hospes es canorus,
Quâcunque commoreris,
Felicitatis omen;
Jucundiore cantu
Siquando me salutes,
Et ipse te rependan,
Et ipse, quå valebo,
Remunerabo musa.

Dicêris innocensque
Et gratus inquilinus;
Nec victitans rapinis,
Ut sorices voraces,
Muresve curiosi,
Perumque delicatum
Valgus domesticorum ;
Sed tutus in camini
Recessibus, quiete
Contentus et calore.
Beatior Cicada,
Quæ te referre formâ,
Quæ voce te videtur;
Et saltitans per herbas,
Unius, haud secundæ,
Æstatis est chorista;
Tu carmen integratum
Reponis ad Decembrem
Lætus per universum
Incontinentur annum.
Te nulla lux relinquit,
Te nulla nox revisit,

Non musicæ vacanter
...Curisve non solutum :
Quin amplies canendo,

Ætatulam, vel omni,
Quam nos homunciones
Absumimus querendo,
Ætate longiorem.

III. THE CRICKET. TRANSLATED FROM THE FOREGOING. LITTLE inmate, full of mirth, Chirping on my kitchen hearth, Wheresoe'er be thine abode, Always harbinger of good, Pay me for thy warm retreat With a song more soft and sweet; In return thou shalt receive Sach a strain as I can give.