Their sight, and to their earthly mother tend, Man looks aloft, and, with erected eyes, Beholds his own hereditary skies.-- From such rude principles our form began, And earth was metamorphosed into man. THE GOLDEN AGE. The Golden Age was first; when man, yet new, } No rule but uncorrupted reason knew; } And, with a native bent, did good pursue. } Unforced by punishment, unawed by fear, His words were simple, and his soul sincere. Needless was written law, where none opprest; The law of man was written in his breast. No suppliant crowds before the judge appeared; } No court erected yet, nor cause was heard; } But all was safe, for conscience was their guard. } The mountain trees in distant prospect please, Ere yet the pine descended to the seas; Ere sails were spread, new oceans to explore; } And happy mortals, unconcerned for more, } Confined their wishes to their native shore. } No walls were yet, nor fence, nor moat, nor mound; Nor drum was heard, nor trumpet's angry sound; Nor swords were forged; but, void of care and crime, The soft creation slept away their time. The teeming earth, yet guiltless of the plough, And unprovoked, did fruitful stores allow: Content with food, which nature freely bred, On wildings and on strawberries they fed; Cornels and bramble-berries gave the rest, And falling acorns furnished out a feast. The flowers, unsown, in fields and meadows reigned; And western winds immortal spring maintained. In following years the bearded corn ensued From earth unasked, nor was that earth renewed. From veins of vallies milk and nectar broke, And honey sweating through the pores of oak. THE SILVER AGE. But when good Saturn, banished from above, Was driven to hell, the world was under Jove. Succeeding times a silver age behold, Excelling brass, but more excelled by gold. Then Summer, Autumn, Winter did appear, And Spring was but a season of the year. The sun his annual course obliquely made, Good days contracted, and enlarged the bad. Then air with sultry heats began to glow, The wings of winds were clogged with ice and snow; And shivering mortals, into houses driven, Sought shelter from the inclemency of heaven. Those houses, then, were caves, or homely sheds, With twining oziers fenced, and moss their beds. Then ploughs for seed the fruitful furrows broke, And oxen laboured first beneath the yoke. THE BRAZEN AGE. To this next came in course the Brazen Age: A warlike offspring prompt to bloody rage, Not impious yet,---- THE IRON AGE.