_Ode Iii._

'Twas noon of night, when round the pole The sullen Bear is seen to roll; And mortals, wearied with the day, Are slumbering all their cares away; An infant, at that dreary hour, Came weeping to my silent bower, And waked me with a piteous prayer, To save him from the midnight air! 'And who art thou,' I waking cry, 'That bidd'st my blissful visions fly?' 'O gentle sire!' the infant said, 'In pity take me to thy shed; Nor fear deceit: a lonely child I wander o'er the gloomy wild.

Chill drops the rain, and not a ray Illumes the drear and misty way!' I hear the baby's tale of woe; I hear the bitter night-winds blow; And sighing for his piteous fate, I trimm'd my lamp and oped the gate. 'Twas Love! the little wandering sprite, His pinion sparkled through the night! I knew him by his bow and dart; I knew him by my fluttering heart! I take him in, and fondly raise The dying embers' cheering blaze;

Press from his dank and clinging hair The crystals of the freezing air, And in my hand and bosom hold His little fingers thrilling cold. And now the embers' genial ray Had warm'd his anxious fears away: 'I pray thee,' said the wanton child, (My bosom trembled as he smiled,) 'I pray thee let me try my bow, For through the rain I've wander'd so, That much I fear the ceaseless shower Has injured its elastic power.' The fatal bow the urchin drew; Swift from the string the arrow flew;

Oh! swift it flew as glancing flame And to my very soul it came! 'Fare thee well,' I heard him say, As laughing wild he wing'd away: 'Fare thee well, for now I know The rain has not relax'd my bow; It still can send a maddening dart, As thou shalt own with all thy heart!'