As well might, insect organs see

Th' harmonious structure rais'd by thee,
As thy imperfect tube explore
This wise and gracious system o'er.

FABLE XCVIII.

THE CATERPILLAR AND THE BUTTERFLY.

THE morning blush'd with vivid red,
And night in sullen silence fled;
Sad Philomel no more complains,
The lark begins his sprightly strains;
Light paints the flowers of various hue,
And sparkles in the pendent dew;
Life moves o'er all the quicken'd green,
And Beauty reigns, unrival'd queen.
Green as the leaf on which he lay,
A Caterpillar wak'd to day :

And look'd around, and chanc'd to 'spy
A leaf of more inviting dye;

From where he lay he crawl'd, and found
The verdant spot's indented bound;
Stretch from the verge, he strove to gain
The neighb'ring leaf, but strove in vain.
In that nice moment, prompt to save,
A brother worm this warning gave:

'O! turn, advent'rous as thou art,

Nor hence, deceiv'd by hope, depart; "What tho' the leaf that tempts thee shews A • More tasteful food, more soft repose,

'What tho', with brighter spangles gay, 'Its dew reflects an earlier

ray,

WO! think what dangers guard the prize; 'O! think what dangers, and be wise!

The pass from leaf to leaf forbear;

'Behold how high they wave in air!

And, should'st thou fall, tremendous thought! • What ruin would avenge thy fault!

Thy mangled carcase, writh'd with pain,

• Shall mark with blood the dusty plain:

'Then death, the dread of all below,

Thy wish-will surely end thy woe; Untimely death, for now to die, 'Is ne'er to rise a butterfly.'

A Butterfly!' th' Advent'rer cried, What's that?' A bird,' his friend replied, To which this reptile form shall rise, 'And gorgeous mount the lofty skies; The joyful season Time shall bring, He bears it on his rapid wing.

An age there is when all our kind

Disdain the ground, and mount the wind:

And should my friend this age attain-'

With haste the worm replied again,

give, and A

Say what assurance can'st thou give, That I with birds a bird shall live?

'For, could I trust thy pleasing tale, 'No wanton wish should e'er prevail; For what, that worms obtain, can vie . With bliss of birds that wing the sky?" Believe my words,' th' Adviser said, Since not of private int'rest bred; Not on thy life or death depend My pleasure, or my pain-attend! Like thee to all the future blind, 'I knew not wings for worms design'd, "Till yon last sun's ascending light 'Remov'd the dusky shades of night. 'Soon as his rays, from heav'n sublime, 'Shone on that leaf you wish to climb; That leaf, which shades, in earliest hours, This less conspicuous spot of ours:

Surpriz'd, a lovely form I saw,

'That touch'd me with delight and awe;
'Twas near, and, while my looks betray'd
My wonder, thus the stranger said:
If view'd by thee with wond'ring eyes
My graceful shape and varied dyes,
New wonder still prepare to feel,
'Amazing truths my words reveal:
'For know, like thine, my humble birth;
Like thee, I crawl'd a worm on earth.'

Ah! mock me not,' said I, 'nor seek

A worthless triumph o'er the weak;

*Can'st thou, thy form with down o'erspread, By nature crown'd thy regal head,

'Can'st thou my reptile shape have worn?
My reptile shape, of all the scorn!
Hast thou! whose gorgeous wings display
Each varied tint that drinks the day,

'More bright than drops of orient dew,
'More gay than flow'rs of gaudiest hue,
'With purple edg'd, and fring'd with gold,
Like light, too splendid to behold!

'Hast thou, an abject worm, like me,

'Crawl'd prone on earth? it cannot be.'

'O! cease these doubts,' the stranger cried, 'To faith thy happiness allied

'Not thrice the morn these eyes have view'd, Since genial spring my life renew'd; 'From death-like slumbers wak'd, I found A guardian shell invest me round; The circling shield I broke, nor knew 'How long my safety hence I drew, 'But soon perceiv'd, and knew the spot, 'Where, once, a worm, I fix'd my lot; The past with wonder touch'd my breast, • More wonder still the now imprest, With pleasure mixt-the pleasure grew, 'At ev'ry thought, at ev'ry view; • Transform'd, my unknown pow'r I try, 'I wave my wings, I rise, I fly!

Enraptur'd with the blissful change,
• From field to field delighted range;
From flow'r to flow'r, from tree to tree,
And see whate'er I wish to see;

'Now glide along the daisied ground,
'Wheel in fantastic circles round;
'Now mount aloft, and sport in air,
Transported, when I will, and where,
'Still present to whate'er invites,

• Each moment brings me new delights;
"Nor fear allays the joys I know,
'The dangers scorn'd that lurk below;
'No trampling hoof, my former dread,
'Can crush me, mangl'd, to the dead.
'E'en man himself pursues, in vain,
'My sportive circuit o'er the plain.'

'He said, and, raptur'd with the thought,

New charms his bright'ning plumage caught,

'He clapp'd his wings, his rapid flight

'I trac'd with fond desiring sight,
'O! glorious state-reserv'd to this,
'I risk not life for reptile bliss;
'O! catch the glowing wish from me,
The same the bliss reserv'd for thee;
'Desist from ev'ry rash design,

And beauty, plumes, and wings are thine.' He ceas'd,―th' Advent'rer thus replied:

By thee the fancied change be tried,

'The now is mine, the now alone,
The future fate's-a dark unknown!
'To nature's voice my ears incline;

All lovely, loving, all divine!

To joy she courts, she points the way, 'And chides this cold this dull delay.