Kentucky Gazette And General Advertiser

To soar aloft on Fancy's wing.

THE PINE TREE & THE VINE.
FABLE.

WRITTEN BY A CAROLINIAN.

Beneath the Pine's majestic head,
A Vine her humbler branches spread;
The juicy fruit in clusters hung,
The gently quiv'ring leaves among
Whilst tuneful birds were perch'd around
Her stem with luscious berries crown'd.
At length with many a hollow groan,
The Pine tree thus began his moan—
And distant rocks and hills the sound
Sadly disconsolate, rebound,
No songsters hither bend their flight,
Or on my creaking boughs alight;
No herds oppress'd by scorching sand,
Beneath my waving shadow stand;
But here the night-owl horrid screams,
Or as the moon withdraws its beams :
Or boist'rous storms my branches tear
And whirl the scatter'd leaves in air,
When peals on peals of thunders roar,
Far echoing from the distant shore :
When the blue light'nings streak the sky,
How do I dread destruction nigh!
Whilst you mean shrub that creeps along,
Listens to many a warbler's song.

"Cease cried the Vine, nor grieve in vain
For what you never can attain:
Were you like me of humble birth,
Doom'd as it were to sweep the earth;
Nor howling winds, nor beating rain,
Nor flashing skies should give you pain.
So when beneath the pond'rous weight
Of civil discords in a state,
The great bend low with care opprest
In fruitless search of banish'd rest
Sweet peace till glads the rural cell,
Delighted there alone to dwell
Where far from noisy pomp and pride,
Health joy and happiness reside.
T. R. S.