THE APPROACH.

The sweet spring is coming, with bud and with flow’r, The snow-drop peeps forth from the ground; And the violet blue, from its odorous bow’r, Wide scatters its fragrance around. Lo! Winter, rude churl, has pass’d sullen away, Return’d to his dreary domain; And the wood-bird again resumes her sweet lay, While verdure enlivens the plain. The hedge-brier puts on its loveliest dress, And hawthorn its sweetest perfume; I marvel indeed, when dull worldlings confess, They observe not Spring and its bloom. I could point to the wing-soaring lark in the sky, As she warbles mellifluous song; Or the insect, that flutters rejoicingly by, A lesson might teach to the throng. Ah! why not adore the Creator Divine, While mountains and streams are made glad: And say, should not man with all Nature combine, When earth blooms an Eden o’erclad? Oh! sweet Spring is coming, with bud and with flow’r, Mild Zephyr breathes soft on the hill; Come, welcome then April’s bright plentiful show’r, And May shall be welcomer still.