Thither, with glad devotion, Damon came, My Delia vow'd to be for ever mine, Long shall my heart preserve thy pleasing fires, " Since Delia now can all its warmth return, “ As fondly languish, and as fiercely burn. *O the dear bloom of last propitious night! " O fhade more charming than the fairest_light! " Then in my arms I clafp'd the melting maid, “ Then all my pains one moment overpaid ; “ Then first the sweet excess of bliss I provod, “ Which none can taste but who like me have lov’d. “ Thou too, bright goddess, once, in Ida's grove, “ Didit not disdain to meet a shepherd's love; “ With him, while frisking lambs around you play'd, “ Conceal'd you fported in the secret shade : “ Scarce could Anchises' raptures equal mine, “ And Delia's beauties only yield to thine. “ What are ye now, my once most valued joys ? * Infipid trifles all, and childish toys “ Friendship itself ne'er knew a charm like this, “ Nor Colin's talk could please like Delia's kiss. · “ Ye Muses, skill'd in every winning art, “ Teach me more deeply-to-engage her heart ; “ Y « Ye nymphs, to her your fresheft roses bring, “ And crown her with the pride of all the spring : «« On all her days let health and peace attend ; “ May she ne'er want, nor ever lose, a friend ! “ May some pew pleasure every hour employ: ** But let her Damon be her highest joy! “ With thec, my love, for ever will I stay, • All night caress thee, and admire all day; " In the same field our mingled flocks we 'll feed, “ To the same spring our thirsty heifers lead, " Together will we share the harvest toils, “Together press the vine's autumnal spoils. “ Delightful state, where Peace and Love combine, “ To bid our tranquil days unclouded fainę! “ Here limpių fountains roll through flowery meads, “ Here rising forests lift their verdant heads; • Here let me wear my careless life away, “ And in thy arms insensibly decay. “ When late old age our heads Thall silver o'er, “ And our Now pulses dance with joy no more; “ When Time no longer will thy beauties {pare, « And only Damon's eye phall think thee fair; " Then may the gentle hand of welcome Death, “ At one soft stroke, deprive us both of breath! « May we beneath one common stone be laid, " And the same cypress both our alhes shade ! “ Perhaps some friendly Mufe, in tender verse, " Shall deign our faithful passion to rehearse, And future ages, with just envy movod, 16 Be told how Damon and his Delia lov’d.” : ' TWAS night; and Flavia to her room retir'd, With evening chat and fober reading tir'd; “ Ah, what avails it to be young and fair; • To move with negligence, to dress with care ? " What worth have all the charms our pride can boast, " If all in envious solitude are loft ? " Where none admire, 'tis useless to excell; " Where none are beaux, 'tis vain to be a belle: “ Beauty, like'wit, to judges Ahould be shown ; “ Both most are valued, where they best are known., “ With every grace of nature or of art, “ We cannot break one stubborn country heart : “ The brutes, insensible, our power defy: “ To love, exceeds a 'fquire's capacity. “ The town, the court, is Beauty's proper sphere ;) " That is our Heaven, and we are angels there ; “ In that gay circle thousand Cupids rove, “ The court of Britain is the court of Love. “ How has my conscious heart with triumph glow'd, “ How have my sparkling eyes their transport shew'd, с 6 At " At each distinguish'd birth-night ball, to fee • The homage, clue to Empire, paid to me! “ When every eye was fix'd on me alone, “ And dreaded mine more than the Monarch's frown; " When rival statemen for my favour ftrove, “ Less jealous in their power than in their love. “ Chang'd the scene ; and all my glories dię, « Like flowers transplanted to a cokder fky: • Loft is the dear delight of giving pain, “ The tyrant joy of hearing llaves complain. « In stụpiđ indolence my life is spent, “ Supinely calm, and dully innocent: « Unbleft I wear my useless time away; “ Sleep (wretched maid!) all night, and dream all iday:; “Go at set hours to dinner and to prayer “(For dullness ever must be regular:) “ Now with mamma at tedious whist I play; • Now without scandal drink infipid tea ; “ Or in the garden breathe the country air, " Secure from meeting any tempter there ; “ From books to work, from work to books, I-rovę, * And am (álas !) at leisure to improve ! life Is this the life a Beauty ought to lead*? “ Were eyes To radiant only made to read ? “ These fingers, at whose touch eỹ'n age would glow, “ Are these of use for nothing but to few? Sure erring Nature never could design .« To form a housewife in a mould like mine! O Venus, so O Venus, queen and guardian of the fair, } B L E N H E IM. Written at the UNIVERSITY of OXFORD, In the Year 1727. PA ARENT of arts, whose kilful hand first tanght The towering pile to rise, and form’d the.plan When Europe freed, confess'd the saving power Chief C2 |