"When from earth's margin rising, in the morn
"Blushing appears, and blushing seems at eve
"Descending to the main, but at heaven's height
"Shines in white splendor; there th' ethereal air
"Is purest, earth's contagion distant far.
"Nor can nocturnal Phoebe always shew
"Her form the same, nor equal: less to-day,
"If waxing, than to-morrow she'll appear;
"If waning, greater. Note you not the year
"In four succeeding seasons passing on?
"A lively image of our mortal life.
"Tender and milky, like young infancy
"Is the new spring: then gaily shine the plants,
"Tumid with juice, but helpless; and delight
"With hope the planter: blooming all appears,
"And smiles in varied flowers the feeding earth;
"But delicate and pow'rless are the leaves.
"Robuster now the year, to spring succeeds
"The summer, and a sturdy youth becomes:
"No age is stronger, none more fertile yields
"Its stores, and none with heat more fervid glows.
"Next autumn follows, all the fire of youth
"Allay'd, mature in mildness, just between
"Old age and youth a medium temper holds;
"Some silvery tresses o'er his temples strew'd.
"Then aged winter, frightful object! comes
"With tottering step, and bald appears his head;
"Or snowy white the few remaining hairs.
"Our bodies too themselves submit to change
"Without remission. Nor what we have been,
"Nor what we are, to-morrow shall we be.
"The day has been when we were but as seed,
"And in his mother's womb the future man
"Dwelt. Nature with her aiding power appear'd,
"Bade that the embryo bury'd deep within
"The pregnant mother, should not rack her more:
"And from its dwelling to the free drawn air
"Produc'd it. To the day the infant brought,
"Lies sinewless; then quadruped he crawls
"In beast-like guise; then trembling, by degrees
"He stands erect, but with a leg unfirm,
"His knees assisting with some strong support.
"Now is he strong and swift, and youth's brisk stage
"Quick passes; then, the flower of years o'ergone,
"He slides down gradual to descending age:
"This undermines, demolishes the strength
"Of former years. And ancient Milo weeps,
"When he beholds those aged feeble arms
"Hang dangling by his side, once like the limbs
"Of Hercules; so muscular, so large.
"And Helen weeps when in her glass she views
"Her aged wrinkles, wondering to herself
"Why she was ravish'd twice. Consuming time!