we see, By one that would not be so rich, though wiser far than he.

VIII.

Nor does this happy place only dispense Such various pleasures to the sense:  Here health itself does live, That salt of life, which does to all a relish give, Its standing pleasure, and intrinsic wealth, The body’s virtue, and the soul’s good fortune, health. The tree life, when it in Eden stood, Did its immortal head to heaven rear; It lasted a tall cedar till the flood; Now a small thorny shrub it does appear; Nor will it thrive too everywhere:  It always here is freshest seen,  ’Tis only here an evergreen. If through the strong and beauteous fence Of temperance and innocence, And wholesome labours and a quiet mind, Any diseases passage find, They must not think here to assail A land unarmèd, or without a guard; They must fight for it, and dispute it hard, Before they can prevail. Scarce any plant is growing here Which against death some weapon does not bear, Let cities boast that they provide For life the ornaments of pride; But ’tis the country and the field That furnish it with staff and shield.

IX.

Where does the wisdom and the power divine In a more bright and sweet reflection shine? Where do we finer strokes and colours see Of the Creator’s real poetry, Than when we with attention look Upon the third day’s volume of the book? If we could open and intend our eye, We all like Moses should espy Even in a bush the radiant Deity. But we despise these his inferior ways Though no less full of miracle and praise; Upon the flowers of heaven we gaze, The stars of earth no wonder in us raise, Though these perhaps do more than they The life of mankind sway. Although no part of mighty Nature be More stored with beauty, power, and mystery, Yet to encourage human industry, God has so ordered that no other part Such space and such dominion leaves for art.

X.

We nowhere art do so triumphant see, As when it grafts or buds the tree; In other things we count it to excel, If it a docile scholar can appear To Nature, and but imitate her well: It over-rules, and is her master here. It imitates her Maker’s power divine, And changes her sometimes, and sometimes does refine: It does, like grace, the fallen-tree restore To its blest state of Paradise before: Who would not joy to see his conquering hand O’er all the vegetable world command, And the wild giants of the wood receive What laws he’s pleased to give? He bids the ill-natured crab produce The gentler apple’s winy juice, The golden fruit that 

 Prev. P 43/73 next