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O D

D

E

ON A DISTANT PROSPECT OF

ETON COLLEGE.

YE diftant fpires, ye antique towers,

That crown the wat❜ry glade,

Where grateful Science ftill adores

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And

ye, that from the ftately brow

Of WINDSOR's heights th' expanse below

* King HENRY the Sixth, founder of the College.

Of

Of grove, of lawn, of mead furvey,
Whose turf, whofe fhade, whose flowers among

Wanders the hoary Thames along

His filver-winding way.

Ah happy hills! ah pleafing fhade!

Ah fields belov'd in vain!

Where once my careless childhood stray'd,

A stranger yet to pain!

I feel, the gales that from

ye blow,

A momentary bliss bestow,

As waving fresh their gladsome wing,

My weary foul they seem to footh,

*

And, redolent of joy and youth,

To breath a second spring.

* And bees their honey redolent of spring.
Dryden's Fable on the Pythag. Syftem.

Say,

Say, Father THAMES, for thou hast seen

Full many a sprightly race

Difporting on thy margent green

The paths of pleasure trace;

Who foremost now delight to cleave,
With pliant arms, thy glaffy wave?

The captive linnet, which enthral ?

What idle progeny fucceed

To chase the rolling circle's fpeed, the flying ball?

Or urge

While fome on earnest business bent

Their murm'ring labours ply

'Gainft graver hours, that bring constraint

To sweeten liberty :

Some bold adventurers difdain

The limits of their little reign,

And unknown regions dare defcry:

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Still as they run they look behind,

They hear a voice in every wind,

And snatch a fearful joy.

Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed,
Lefs pleafing when poffeft;

The tear forgot as foon as fhed,

The funfhine of the breaft:

Theirs buxom Health of rofy hue,

Wild wit, Invention ever-new,
And lively Cheer of Vigour born;
The thoughtless day, the eafy night,

The fpirits pure, the flumbers light,

That fly th' approach of morn.

Alas! regardless of their doom,

The little victims play!

No fenfe have they of ills to come,

Nor care beyond to-day :

Yet

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