At twilight, with’ring on a thorn;

Like the gentle ROSE of spring;

Chill’d by ev’ry Zephyr’s wing;

Ah! how soon its colour flies,

Blushes, trembles, falls, and DIES.

What is YOUTH? in smiling sorrow,

Blithe to-day, and sad to-morrow:

Never fix’d, for ever ranging,

Laughing, weeping, doating, changing;

Wild, capricious, giddy, vain,