Their name, their years, fpelt by th' unletter'd Mufe, The place of fame and elegy fupply:

And many a holy text around she strews,
That teach the ruftic moralift to die.

For who, to dumb forgetfulness a prey, This pleafing anxious being e'er refign'd, Left the warm precincts of the chearful day, Nor caft one longing ling'ring look behind?

On fome fond breast the parting foul relies, Some pious drops the closing eye requires; Ev'n from the tomb the voice of nature cries, Ev'n in our afhes live their wonted fires.

For thee, who, mindful of th' unhonour'd dead, Doft in these lines their artless tale relate; If chance, by lonely contemplation led, Some kindred spirit fhall inquire thy fate,

Haply

Multa etiam facri diffundit commata textûs, Queis meditans difcat vulgus agrefte mori

Heu, quis enim dubiâ hâc dulcique excedere Juffus, et æternas jam fubiturus aquas, Defcendit nigram ad noctem, cupidufque fu

Non faltem occiduam refpicit ore diem?

Decedens alicui faltem mens fidit amico
In cujus blando pectore ponit opem,
Fletum aliquem expofcunt jam deficientia m
Lumina, amicorum qui riget imbre genas
Quin etiam ex tumulo, veteris non infcia fl
Natura exclamat fida, memorque fui.

At tibi, qui tenui hoc deducis carmine fort
Et defunctorum ruftica fata gemis,
Huc olim intentus fi quis veftigia flectat
Et fuerit qualis fors tua forte roget,

( 201 )

Huic aliquis forfan fenior refpondeat ultro,
Cui niveis albent tempora sparsa comis,
Vidimus hunc quam fæpe micantes roribus herbas
Verrentem rapido, mane rubente, gradu.
Ad rofeum folis properabat fæpius ortum,
Summaque tendebat per juga lætus iter.

Sæpe fub hac fago, radices undique circum
Quæ varie antiquas implicat alta fuas,
Stratus humi meditans medio procumberet æftu,
Luftraretque inhians flebile murmur aquæ.

Sæpius hanc fylvam propter viridefque receffus
Urgeret meditans plurima, lentus iter,
Intentam hic multâ oblectaret imagine mentem,
Mufarumque frequens follicitaret opem.

Jam veluti demens, tacitis erraret in agris,
Aut cujus ftimulat corda repulfus amor.

Mane aderat nuper, tamen hunc nec viderat arbos,
Nec juga, nec faliens fons, tacitumve nemus ;
Altera lux oritur; nec apertâ hic valle videtur,
Nec tamen ad fagum, nec prope fontis aquam.

Tertia