TO THE VANESSA.

LOVELY insect, haste away, Greet once more the sunny day; Leave, oh leave the murky barn, Ere trapping spiders thee discern; Soon as seen, they will beset Thy golden wings with filmy net, Then all in vain to set thee free, Hopes all lost for liberty. Never think that I belie; Never fear a winter sky; Budding oaks may now be seen, Starry daisies deck the green, Primrose groups the woods adorn, Cloudless skies, and blossomed thorn; These all prove that spring is here, Haste away then, never fear. Skim o'er hill and valley free, Perch upon the blossomed tree; Though my garden would be best, Couldst thou but contented rest: There the schoolboy has no power Thee to chase from flower to flower, Nought is there but liberty; Pleasant place for thee and me. Though the dew-bent level dale Rears the lily of the vale, Though the thicket's bushy dell Tempts thee to the foxglove's bell, Come but once within my bounds, View my garden's airy rounds, Soon thou❜lt find the scene complete, And every floweret twice as sweet: Oft I've seen, when warm and dry, 'Mong the bean-fields bosom-high, How thy starry gems and gold To admiration would unfold; Lo! the arching heavenly bow Doth all his dyes on thee bestowCrimson, blue, and watery green, Mixed with azure shade between; These are thine—thou first in place, Queen of all the insect race! And I've often thought, alone, This to thee was not unknown; For amid the sunny hour,

When I've found thee on a flower

-CLARE.

(Searching with minutest gleg),
Oft I've seen thy little leg
Soft as glass o'er velvet glides
Smoothen down thy silken sides;
Then thy wings would ope and shut;
Then thou seemingly wouldst strut:
Was it nature, was it pride?

Let the learned world decide.
Enough for me (though some may deem
This a trifling, silly theme)
Wouldst thou in my garden come,
To join the bee's delightful hum;
These silly themes then, day and night,
Should be thy trifler's whole delight.

THE COACH AND THE FLY.

UPON a sandy, uphill road,

Which naked in the sunshine glowed,
Six lusty horses drew a coach.
Dames, monks, and invalids, its load,
On foot, outside, at leisure trode.
The team, all weary, stopped and blowed:
Whereon there did a fly approach,

And, with a vastly business air,

Cheered up the horses with his buzz-
Now pricked them here, now pricked them there,
As neatly as a jockey does-

And thought the while-he knew 'twas so—

He made the team and carriage go;

On carriage-pole sometimes alighting

Or driver's nose-and biting.

And when the whole did get in motion,
Confirmed and settled in the notion,
He took, himself, the total glory—
Flew back and forth in wondrous hurry,
And as he buzzed about the cattle,
Seemed like a sergeant in a battle,
The files and squadrons leading on
To where the victory is won.

Thus charged with all the commonweal,
This single fly began to feel

Responsibility too great,

And cares, a grievous, crushing weight;
And made complaint that none would aid
The horses up the tedious hill—

The monk his prayers at leisure said—
Fine time to pray!-the dames, at will,

Were singing songs-not greatly needed!
Thus in their ears he sharply sang,
And notes of indignation ran-
Notes, after all, not greatly heeded.
Ere long the coach was on the top:
Now, said the fly, my hearties, stop
And breathe-I've got you up the hill;
And, Messrs Horses, let me say,
I need not ask you if you will
A proper compensation pay.

Thus certain ever-bustling noddies
Are seen in every great affair;
Important, swelling, busy-bodies,
And bores 'tis easier to bear,

Than chase them from their needless care.

-LA FONTAINE.

INSECT EMBLEM.

CHILD of the sun! pursue thy rapturous flight,
Mingling with her thou lov'st in fields of light;
And where the flowers of paradise unfold,
Quaff fragrant nectar from their cups of gold.
There shall thy wings, rich as an evening sky,
Expand and shut with silent ecstacy!

Yet thou wert once a worm, a thing that crept
On the bare earth, then wrought a tomb and slept!
And such is man; soon from his cell of clay
To burst a seraph in the blaze of day!

CHAMBERS'S MISCELLANY.