The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Parnassian Spring.

The Progress of Life.

J.

I.
How gaily is at first the scene,
While the delightful morning sun,
With which we gladly forward run,
Enlightens all the place!

II.
How smiling the world's prospect lies!
How tempting to look thro'!
Parnassus to the poet's eyes;
Nor beauty, with a sweet surprise,
Does more inviting show.

III.
How promising's the book of fate,
Till truly understood!
While partial hopes such lots create;
That do the youthful fancy cheat,
With all that's great and good!

IV.
Our sighs are then but vernal air,
But April drops our tears,
Which swiftly passing, all grows fair;
While beauty compensates our care,
And youth each vapour clears.

V.
But, Oh! too soon, alas! we climb,
Scarce feeling we ascend
The gently rising hill of time,
From whence with grief we see our prime.
And all its sweetness end.

VI.
How fast the first ideas move
That wander in the mind!
How full the joys! how fair the love!
That does the early seasons move,
Like flowers the western wind!

VII.
The die once cast, our fortune known,
Fond expectation past;
The thorns that former years have sown,
To crops of late repentance grown,
Thro' which we toil at last.

VIII.
Then ev'ry care's a driving storm,
That helps to bear us down,
Which fading smiles no more can charm;
But ev'ry tear's a winter storm,
And ev'ry look a frown.

IX.
Till with succeeding ills opprest,
For joys we hop'd to find;
By age or rustled and undrest,
We gladly sink us down to rest,
And leave the cheat behind.