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Show [ 76 ] Hail' d with rude melody the new-born May, As cradled yet in April's lap !he lay. I. " Born in yon blaze of orient lky, " Sweet MAY ! thy radiant form unfold, " Unclofe thy blue voluptuous eye, " And wave thy iliadowy locks of gold. II. " For Thee the fragrant zephyrs blow, " For Thee defcends the funny :£bower ; '' The rills in fofter murmurs flow, '' And brighter bloffoms gem the bower. 310 panded but a few hours, falling off about noon, or foon after, in hot weather. The moll beautiful flowers of the CaClus grandiflorus (fee Cerea) are of equally lhort duration, but have their exifl:ence in the night. And the flowers of the Hibifcus trionum are faicl to continue but a fingle hour. The courtfhip between the males and females in thefe flowers might be eafily watched; the males :1re f:1id to approach and recede from the females alternately. The flowers of the Hibifcus finenfis, mutable rofe, live in the W efl: Indies,. their nat~ve climate, but one day ; but have this remarkable property, they are whtte at thetr firfl: expan!ion, then change to deep red, and become purple as they decay. The gum or refin of this fragrant vegetable is colleCled from exten!ive underwootls of it in the Ea(t by a fingular contrivance. Long leathern thongs are tied to poles and cords, and drawn over the tops of thefe fhrubs about noon; which thus colleCl the dufl: of the anthers, which adheres to the leather~ and is occafionally fcraped off. Thus in fome degre~ is the manner imitated, in ~hi~h the bee collects o.n his thighs and legs the f:1me matenal for the conflruCl:ion of his combs. [ 77 ] III. " ·Light Graces drefs' d in flowery wreaths, " And tiptoe Joys their hands combine ; " And Love his fweet contagion breathes, '' And laughing dances round thy ilirine. IV .. " Warm with new life the glittering throngs " On quivering fin and rufiling wing " Delighted join their votive fongs, " And hail thee, GoDDEss oF THE SPRING." 320 0 'er the green brinks of Severn's oozy bed, 3 2 5 In changeful rings, her fprightly troops She led ; PAN tripp'd before, where Eudnefs fhades the mead, And blew with glowing lip his fevenfold reed ; Emerging Naiads [well' d the jocund firain, And aped with mirnic fiep the dancing train.- 3 30 Sevenfold reed. 1. 328. The fevenfold reed, with which Pan is frequently defcribed, fe.cms to indicate, . that he was the inventor of the mufical gamut. |