Classic Poem

Spring , gay Season, is no more,
Summer's golden Reign is o'er.
Soon to close the varied Year,
Hoary Winter shall appear.
When the Northern Tempests blow,
When the Hills are hid in Snow,
Where shall drooping Fancy find
Scenes to soothe a rural Mind?

When the busy World resort
To the gay, the festive Court,
Say, within the lonely Cell,
How shall sweet Contentment dwell?
Shall not then the tedious Day
Sad and silent wear away?
Shall not all the darksome Night
Fondly dream of vain Delight?

Shining Scenes shall vex the Mind
To delusive Sleep resign'd,
Chas'd by chirping Birds away,
At the chilly Dawn of Day.
Then to turn the studious Page
Shall the Morning Hours engage;
When the Lamps at Ev'ning burn,
Still the studious Page to turn.

Or intent with Hand and Eye
The laborious Loom to ply,
There a mimic Spring to raise,
Vain Pursuit of trifling Praise.
Hence will Fancy often stray
To the Circles of the Gay.
— Shall she not? — then prithee bind
In thy Chains the veering Mind.

As it lists the Wind may blow,
Fancy shall her Ruler know,
Idle Being, shadowy Queen,
Empress of a fairy Scene.
Summer, Spring, and Autumn past,
Welcome Winter comes at last:
Winter comes, with sober Cheer,
Winding up the varied Year.

When the verdant Scenes are lost,
When the Hills are white with Frost,
Fancy's idle Reign is done,
Reason's Empire is begun.
Happy, gay Ones, may you be
All your Hours from Sorrow free,
To the Happy, to the Gay,
Unreprov'd my Thoughts shall stray.

Pleasant is it to behold
Distant Mountains tipp'd with Gold,
Sunny Landscapes round us spread,
While our Path is in the Shade.
Welcome Morpheus, with thy Train,
Pleasing Phantoms of the Brain:
Welcome Sol's returning Ray,
Chirping Birds and dawning Day.

Welcome then the sacred Lore,
Peaceful Wisdom's endless Store;
Hours inestimably dear,
Welcome happiest of the Year!
Then the Pencil, then the Loom,
Welcome ev'ry mimic Bloom.
Health, and Industry, and Peace,
— Muse enough, thy Labour cease.