• If Nature smiles — the Mother must

    I'm sure, at many a whim

    Of Her eccentric Family —

    Is She so much to blame?

  • Lain in Nature — so suffice us

    The enchantless Pod

    When we advertise existence

    For the missing Seed —


    Maddest Heart that God created

    Cannot move a sod

    Pasted by the simple summer

    On the Longed for Dead

  • Nature affects to be sedate

    Upon occasion, grand

    But let our observation shut

    Her practices extend


    To Necromancy and the Trades

    Remote to understand

    Behold our spacious Citizen

    Unto a Juggler turned —

  • Nature and God — I neither knew

    Yet Both so well knew me

    They startled, like Executors

    Of My identity.


    Yet Neither told — that I could learn —

    My Secret as secure

    As Herschel's private interest

    Or Mercury's affair —

  • Nature assigns the Sun —

    That — is Astronomy —

    Nature cannot enact a Friend —

    That — is Astrology.

  • Nature can do no more

    She has fulfilled her Dyes

    Whatever Flower fail to come

    Of other Summer days

    Her crescent reimburse

    If other Summers be

    Nature's imposing negative

    Nulls opportunity —

  • Nature rarer uses Yellow

    Than another Hue.

    Saves she all of that for Sunsets

    Prodigal of Blue


    Spending Scarlet, like a Woman

    Yellow she affords

    Only scantly and selectly

    Like a Lover's Words.

  • Nature — sometimes sears a Sapling —

    Sometimes — scalps a Tree —

    Her Green People recollect it

    When they do not die —


    Fainter Leaves — to Further Seasons —

    Dumbly testify —

    We — who have the Souls —

    Die oftener — Not so vitally —

  • Nature — the Gentlest Mother is,

    Impatient of no Child —

    The feeblest — or the waywardest —

    Her Admonition mild —


    In Forest — and the Hill —

    By Traveller — be heard —

    Restraining Rampant Squirrel —

    Or too impetuous Bird —


    How fair Her Conversation —

    A...

  •    WHAT is good-nature? Gen'rous Richmond, tell;

    He can declare it best, who best can feel.

    Is it a foolish weakness in the breast,

    As some who know, or have it not, contest?

    Or is it rather not the mighty whole,

    Full composition of a virtuous soul?

    Is it not virtue's self? A flower so fine,...