A

If hindrances obferul thy way, Thy maguauiuity display,

And let thy frength be fees But oh! if Fonus illy With no few y Tave sat by Y

TRANSLATIONS FROM VINCENT BOURNE.

I. THE GLOW-WORM.

I.

BENEATH the hedge, or near the stream,

A worm is known to ftray;

That shows by night a lucid beam,

Which disappears by day.

II.

Disputes have been, and still prevail,
From whence his rays proceed;

Some give that honour to his tail,

And others to his head.

III.

But this is fure-the hand of might,

That kindles up the skies,

Gives him a modicum of light

Proportion'd to his fize.

IV.

Perhaps indulgent nature meant,

By fuch a lamp bestow'd,

To bid the trav'ler, as he went,

Be careful where he trod:

V.

Nor crush a worm, whose useful light
Might ferve, however small,

To fhew a ftumbling stone by night,

And fave him from a fall.

VI.

Whate'er the meant, this truth divine
Is legible and plain,

'Tis pow'r almighty bids him fhine,
Nor bids him fhine in vain.

VII.

Ye proud and wealthy, let this theme
Teach humbler thoughts to you,

Since fuch a reptile has its gem,
And boasts its splendour too.

II. THE JACKDAW.

I.

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

Might be fuppos'd a crow;

A great frequenter of the church,

Where, bishop-like, he finds a perch,
And dormitory too.

II.

Above the steeple shines a plate,
That turns and turns, to indicate

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.

III.

Fond of the fpeculative height,
Thither he wings his airy flight,
And thence fecurely fees

The buftle and the raree-fhow

That occupy mankind below,

Secure and at his ease.

IV.

You think, no doubt, he fits and mufes

On future broken bones and bruises,

If he fhould chance to fall.

No; not a fingle thought like that
Employs his philofophic pate,

Or troubles it at all.

V.

He fees, that this great roundabout-
The world, with all its motley rout,
Church, army, phyfic, law,

Its cuftoms, and its bus'neffes,

Is no concern at all of his,

And fays-what says he?-Caw.

VI.

Thrice happy bird! I too have seen
Much of the vanities of men;

And, fick of having feen 'em,
Would cheerfully these limbs refign
For fuch a pair of wings as thine,
And fuch a head between 'em.

III. THE CRICKET.

I.

LITTLE inmate, full of mirth,
Chirping on my kitchen hearth,
Wherefoe'er be thine abode,
Always harbinger of good,