Weak man, canst thou in spring restrain,
And bind the influence,
Which with the kindly fertile rain,
The Pleiades dispense?

Canst thou in winter loose the chains,
Or break the frosty bands,
Which with Orion roughly strains,
And binds the passive lands?

Canst thou with constellations clothe
And deck the azure skies,
And, in his turn, make Mazzaroth,
With southern stars arise?

Or, canst thou guide Arcturus' pace,
Around the northern pole
And bid his bright attending race,
His sons in order roll?

Know'st thou the fix'd celestial laws
Of starry pow'rs above?
Canst thou on earth their influence cause
Descend, or thence remove?

Dost thou to ruling stars dispense
What virtue they diffuse,
Such seasons here to influence,
As thou, forsooth, shalt chuse?