THE PROGRESS OF LOVE.

IN FOUR ECLOGUES.

I. UNCERTAINTY. To Mr. POPE.
JI. Hope. To the Hon. GEORGE DODDINGTON.
III. JEALOUSY. TO EDWARD WALPOLE, Esq;
IV. Possession. To the Right Hon. the Lord

Viscount COBHAM.

UNCERTAINTY. Eclogue I. To Mr. Pope.

POPE,

to whose reed beneath the beachen ihade, The Nymphs of Thames a pleas'd attention paid; While yet thy Muse, content with humbler praise, Warbled in Windsor's grove her fylvan lays ; Though now, sublimely borne on Horner's wing, Of glorious wars and godlike chiefs the fing : Wilt thou with me revisit once again The crystal fountain, and the flowery plain ? Wilt thou, indulgent, hear my verse relate The various changes of a lover's state; And, while each turn of paffion I pursue, Alk thy own heart if what I tell be true ?

To

Ba

To the green margin of a lonely wood, Whose pendent Mades o’erlook'd a silver flood, Young Damon came, unknowing where he stray'd, Full of the image of his beauteous maid : His fock, far off, unfed, untended, lay, To every savage a defenceless prey ; No sense of intereft could their master move, And every care seem'd trifling now but love. A while in pensive filence he remain’d, But, though his voice was mute, his looks complain'd; At length the thoughts within his bosom pent Forc'd his unwilling tongue to give them vent.

Ye nymphs, he cried, ye Dryads, who so long “ Have favor’d Damon, and inspir'd his song ; “ For whom, retir’d, I mun the

gay

resorts • Of sportful cities, and of pompoiis courts ; " In vain I bid the restless world adieu, “ To seek tranquillity and peace with you.

Though wild Ambition, and destructive Rage, “ No factions here can form, no wars can wage :

Though Envy frowns not on your humble fhades, “ Nor Calumny your innocence invades : " Yet cruel Love, that troubler of the breast, “ Too often violates your boasted reft ; " With inbred storms difturbs your

calm retreat, " And taints with bitterness each rural sweet.

“ Ah luckless day! wlien firft with fond surprize « On Delia's face I fix'd my eager eyes ! “ Then in wild tumults all my foul was toft, " Then reason, liberty, at once were lost :

« And

“ And every wish, and thought, and care, was gone, " But what my heart employ'd on her alone. “ Then too she smild: can finiles our peace destroy,. “ Those lovely children of Content and Joy? " How can soft pleasure and tormenting woe " From the same spring at the fame momen: flow? Unhappy boy! these vain enquiries cease,

Thought could not guard, nor will restore, thy peace: “ Indulge the frenzy that thou must endure, "And sooth the pain thou know'st not how to cure, is

Come, flattering Memory!'and teli my heart “ How kind she was, and with what pleasing art" She strove its fondelt wishes to obtain, “ Confirm her power, and faster bind my chain.. " If on the green we danc'd, a mirthful band; * To me alone she gave her willing hand : “ Her partial taste, if e'er I touch'd the lyre, " Still in my song found something to admire.

By none but her my crook with flowers was crown'd,

By none but her my brows with ivy bound :
“ The world that Damon was her choice believ'd,
" The world, -alas! like Damon, was deceiv'd.
“ When last I saw her, and declar'd my fire:
“ In words as soft as passion could inspire,

Coldly she heard, and full of scorn withdrew,
“ Without one pitying glance, cne sweet adieu.
“ The frighted hind, who sees his ripen'd corn

Up from the roots by fud.len tempeíts torn,
“ Whose faireft hopes deitroy'd and blasted lie,
".Feels not so keen a pang of grief as I. -

1

B. 3.

"Ah, “ Ah, how have I deserv'd, inhuman maid, • To have my faithful service thus repaid ? “ Were all the marks of kindness I receiv'd, “ But dreams of joy, that charm’d me and deceiv'd ? • Or did you only nurse my growing love, " That with more pain I might your hatred prove ? “ Sure guilty treachery no place could find “ In such a gentle, such a generous mind: « A maid brought up the woods and wilds among « Could ne'er have learnt the art of courts so young : “ No; let me rather think her anger feign'd, “ Still let me hope ny Delia may he gain'd; “ 'Twas only modesty that seem'd disdain, " And her heart suffer'd when she gave me pain."

Pleas’d with this flattering thought, the love-fick boy Felt the faint dawning of a doubtful joy ; Back to his flock more chearful he return'd, When now the setting fun more fiercely burn'd, Blue

vapours rose along the mazy rills, And light's last blushes ting’d the distant hills.

HOPE. ECLOGUE II.

To Mr. DODDINGTON.

[Afterwards LORD MELCOMBE Regis.] H

EAR, Doddington, the notes that shepherds fing,

Like those that warbling hail the genial spring. Ner Pan, nor Phæbus, tunes our artless reeds : From Love alone their melody proceeds.

From

From Love, Theocritus, on Enna's plains,
Learnt the wild sweetness of his Doric strains.
Young Maro, touch'd by his inspiring dart,
Could charm each ear, and foften every heart :
Me too his power has reach'd, and bids with thine
My rustic pipe in pleasing concert join

Damon no longer sought the filent shade,
No more in unfrequented paths he stray'd,
But call'd the swains to hear his jocund song,
And told his joy to all the rural throng.

6. Bleft be the hour, he said, that happy hour, 6. When first I own’d my Delia’s gentle power ; “ Then gloomy discontent and pining care “ Forsook my breast, and left soft wishes there ja “ Soft wishes there they left, and gay desires, “ Delightful languors, and transporting fires.. " Where yonder limes combine to form a Thade, " These eyes

first gaz'd upon the charming maid ;, “ There she appear’d, on that auspicious day, " When swains their sportives rites to Bacchus pay: . • She led the dance-heavens! with what grace the

" moy'd! 6 Who could have seen her then, and not have lov’d.? " I strove not to resist so sweet a flame, “ But gloried in a happy captive's name ; " Nor would I now, could Love permit, be free,. “6 But leave to brutes their savage liberty.