For know, like thine my humble birth;
Like thee, I crawl'd a worm on earth.'

"Ah! mock me not, said I, nor seek
A worthless triumph o'er the weak;
Canst thou, thy form with down o'erspread,
By nature crown'd thy regal head,
Canst thou my reptile shape have worn?
My reptile shape, of all the scorn!
Hast thou! whose gorgeous wings display
Each vary'd tint that drinks the day,
More bright than drops of orient dew,
More gay than flow'rs of gaudiest hue,
With purple edg'd, and fring'd with gold,
Like light, too splendid to behold!
Hast thou, an abject worm like me,
Crawl'd prone on earth! it cannot be.

"Oh! cease the doubts,' the Stranger cry'd, 'To faith thy happiness ally'd—

Not thrice the morn these eyes have view'd,
Since genial spring my life renew'd;
From death-like slumbers wak'd, I found
A guardian shell invest me round;
The circling shield I broke, nor knew
How long my safety hence I drew;
But soon perceiv'd, and knew the spot,
Where once, a worm, I fix'd my lot;
The past with wonder touch'd my breast,
More wonder still the now imprest,
With pleasure mixt-the pleasure grew,
At ev'ry thought, at ev'ry view;
Transform'd, my unknown pow'r I try,
I wave my wings, I rise! I fly!

Enraptur'd with the blissful change,
From field to field I wanton range;
From flow'r to flow'r, from tree to tree,
And see whate'er I wish to see;
Now glide along the daisy'd ground;
Now wheel in wanton circles round;
Now mount aloft, and sport in air,
Transported, when I will, and where,
Still present, to whate'er invites,
Each moment brings me new delights;
Nor fear allays the joys I know,
The dangers scorn'd that lurk below;
No trampling hoof, my former dread,
Can crush me, mangled, to the dead.
Ev'n man himself pursues, in vain,
My sportive circuit o'er the plain.'
He said, and raptur'd with the thought,
New charms his bright'ning plumage caught,
He clapt his wings, his rapid flight

I trac'd with fond desiring sight,
Oh! glorious state-reserv'd to this,
I risk not life for reptile bliss ;

Oh! catch the glowing wish from me,
The same the bliss reserv'd for thee;
Desist from ev'ry rash design,

And beauty, plumes, and wings are thine."
He ceas'd-th' Advent'rer thus reply'd:
"By thee the fancy'd change be try'd,
The now is mine, the now alone,
The future fate 's-a dark unknown!
To nature's voice my ears incline;
All lovely, loving, all divine!

To joy she courts, she points the way,
And chides this cold, this dull delay.
Farewell-let hope thy bliss supply,
And count thy gains with fancy's eye;
Be thine the wings that time shall send,
Believing and obliging friend."—

He said, and sneering sly disdain,
The neighb'ring leaf attempts to gain;
He falls-all bruis'd on earth he lies;
Too late repents, and groans, and dies.
His friendly monitor, with care,
Avoids each pleasure-baited snare,
False pleasure, false, and fatal too!
Superior joys he keeps in view;
They come the genial spring supplies
The wings he hoped, and lo! he flies;
Tastes all that summer suns prepare,
And all the joys of earth and air!

1

Two

In softest bands by love were join'd; 'Til tired of home Columbo grew, And pensive sigh'd for something new; For distant realms prepar'd to part,When spoke the partner of his heart: "Why should my dear Columbo rove, And leave me widow'd in the groveWhat ill can worse than absence prove? Yet let the toils, the perils, cares, Which fate for travellers prepares, Retard thy speed-attend the spring, And wait the zephyr's aiding wing; What haste?-this hour, ill omen'd found! The raven's croak was heard around;

Hawks, nets, and ills of ev'ry kind
Henceforth shall haunt my boding mind;
And what does Heav'n at home deny
That thou canst wish, or Heav'n supply?"

These words in doubt Columbo hold,
Still weakly vain, and rashly bold;
At length his restless wish prevails,
And love, and fear, and prudence fails :
When thus he spoke with cheerful air-
"From Turturella far be care,

No more let tears those eyes distain,
Whate'er I seek three days shall gain;
Returning then, to thee I'll tell
Whate'er I saw, or me befell:
Amusing thus the pensive day,
Who little see, can little say,
Of rich description full, my tale
Shall oft thy listening ear regale ;
The scenes I'll paint so strong, so true,
In fancy thou shalt travel too."

This said, Farewell dissolves his heart, And wet with mutual tears they part.

As Turturella pensive sate, In fancy wand'ring with her mate, Far as her utmost ken she sees A bird approach by slow degrees; Not form'd for flight he seem'd, nor song, But stopp'd by turns, and limp'd along : Her pains who feels can tell alone, The bird for chang'd Columbo known; Her mate, with pearly tears to greet, Down from her nest she flew to meet.