“ And art thou then, fond youth, secure of joy? “ Can no reverse thy flattering bliss destroy ? “ Has treacherous Love no torment yet in Atore ? “ Or haft thou never prov'd his fatal power? “ Whence flow'd those tears that late bedew'd thy

" cheek? Why sigh'd thy heart as if it strove to break ? 66 Why were the desert rocks invok'd to hear “ The plaintive accent of thy fad despair ? “ From Delia's rigour all those pains arose, “ Delia, who now compassionates my woes, “ Who bids me hope; and in that charming word “ Has peace and transport to my soul restor’d.

“ Begin, my pipe, begin the gladsome lay; " A kiss from Delia shall thy music pay; “ A kiss obtain'd 'twixt struggling and consent, “ Given with forc'd anger, and disguis'd content. - No laureat wreaths I ask, to bind my brows, “ Such as the Muse on lofty Bards bestows : “ Let other swains to praise or fame aspire; - I from her lips my recompence require.

“Why stays my Delia in her secret bower ? " Light gales have chac'd the late impending shower; “ Th' emerging fun more bright his beams extends; • Oppos’d, its beauteous arch the rainbow bends ! ". Glad youths and maidens turn the new-made hay: " The birds renew their fongs on every spray! • Come forth, my love, thy shepherd's joys to crown : “ All nature smiles. Will only Delia frown ?

" Hark

“ Hark how the bees with murmurs fill the plain, " While every flower of every sweet they drain : " See, how beneath yon hillock's shady steep, “ The shelted herds on flowery couches sleep : “ Nor bees, nor herds, are half fo bleft as I, “. If with my fond desires my love comply; " From Delia's lips a sweeter honey flows, " And on her bosom dwells more foft repose.

“ Ah how, my dear, shall I deserve thy charms ? 4. What gift can bribe thee to my longing arms? “ A bird for thee in filken bands I hold, " Whose yellow. , lumage shines like polish'd gold; “ From distant isles the lovely stranger came, “ And bears the fortunate Canaries name; " In all our woods none boasts so sweet a note, “ Not ev’n the nightingale's melodious throat. Accept of this; and could I add beside " What wealth the rich Peruvian mountains hide : " If all the gems in Eastern rocks were mine, “ On thee alone their glittering pride should shine. “ But, if thy mind no gifts have power to move, $$ Phoebus himself fhall leave th’ Aonian grove ; " The tuneful Nine, who never fue in vain, “ Shall come sweet suppliants for their favourite fwain. “ For him each blue-ey'd Naiad of the flood, " For him each green-hair’d sister of the wood, " Whom oft beneath fair Cynthia's gentle ray

His music calls to dance the night away.. “ And you, fair nymphs, companions of my love, “ With whom the joys the cowslip nieads to rove,

46 I beg

“ I beg you, recommend my faithful flame,
“ And let her often hear her shepherd's name:
“ Shade all my faults from her enquiring sight,
“ And shew my merits in the faireft light;
“ My pipe your kind assistance shall repay,
“ And every friend shall claim a different lay.

« But see! in yonder glade the heavenly fair
“ Enjoys the fragrance of the breezy air-
" Ah, thither let me fly with eager feet;
“ Adieu,. my pipe; I go my love to meet -
" O, may I find her as we parted last,
“ And may each future hour be like the past!
“ So shall the whitest lamb these pastures feed;
“ Propitious Venus, on thy altars bleed.”

JEALOUSY. ECLOGUE III.

E

To Mr. EDWARD. WALPOL E.

TH

HE gods, 0 Walpole, give no, bliss sincere ;

Wealth is disturb’d by care, and power by feare: Of all the passions that employ the mind, In gentle Love the sweetest joys we find; Yet ev’n those joys dire Jealousy molests, And blackens each fair image in our breasts O

may the warmth of thy too tender heart Ne'er feel the sharpness of his venom'd dart ! For thy own quiet, think thy mistress just, And wisely take thy happiness on trust.

a

Begin, my Muse, and Damon's woes rehearse, In wildest numbers and disorder'd verse.

On a romantic mountain's airy head (While browzing goats at ease around him fed) Anxious he lay, with jealous cares opprest; Distrust and anger labouring in his breast The vale beneath a pleasing prospect yields Of verdant meads and cultivated fields; Through these a river rolls its winding flood, Adorn'd with varions tufts of rising wood; Here half conceal'd in trees a cottage stands, A castle there the opening plain commands; Beyond, a town with glittering spires is crown'd, And distant hills the wide horizon bound: So charming was the scene, a while the fwain Beheld delighted, and forgot his pain; But soon the strings infix'd within his heart With cruel force renew'd their raging smart : His flowery wreath, which long with pride he wore, The gift of Delia, from his brows he tore, Then cried, “ May all thy charms, ungrateful maid, " Like these neglected roses, droop and fade ! “ May angry heaven deform each guilty grace, “ That triumphs now in that deluding face ! • Those alter'd looks may every shepherd fly, “ And ev’n thy Daphnis hate thee worse than I!

“ Say, thou inconftant, what has Damon done, " To lose the heart his tedious pains had won ? 56 Tell me what charms you

rival find, Against whose power no ties have strength to bind ? « Has he, like me, with long obedience strove “. To

conquer your disdain, and merit love? “ Has he with transport every smile ador'd, “ And died with grief at each ungentle word ? " Ah, no! the conquest was obtain’d with ease; “ He pleas’d you, by not studying to please : “ His careless indolence your pride alarm’d; “ And, had he lov'd you more, he less had charm’d.

“ O pain to think! another Mall possess “ Those balmy lips which I was wont to press : " Another on her panting breast íhall lie, “ And catch sweet madness from her swimming eye! “ I saw their friendly flocks together feed, * I saw them hand in hand walk o'er the mead : “ Would my clos’d eye had-funk in endless night, “ Ere I was doom'd to bear that hateful fight! “ Where-e'er they pass’d, be blasted every flower, “ And hungry wolves their helpless flocks devour ! " Ah wretched (wain, could no examples move

Thy heedless heart to fhun the rage of love? “ Hast thou not heard how poor * Menalcas died " A victim to Parthenia's fatal pride? “ Dear was the youth to all the tuneful plain, • Lov'd by the nymphs, by Phæbus lov’d, in vain “ Around his tomb their tears the Muses paid; “ And all things mourn’d, but the relentless maid. “ Would I could die like him, and be at peace? 66 These torments in the quiet grave would cease;

" I here * See Mr. Gay's Dione.

66

*