Dodsley, Robert

COLLECTION

OF

POEMS

IN SIX VOLUMES.

BY

SEVERAL HAND S.

WITH NOTES.

LOND ON

Printed for J. DODSLEY, in PALL-MALL

MDCCLXXXII.

RURAL ELEGANCE:

An ODE to the Duchefs of SOMERSETa.

a Frances, eldest daughter of the honourable Henry Thynne, only

son of Thomas first Viscount Weymouth. She was married to Algernon

Earl of Hertford afterwards Duke of Somerset, and died at Percy Lodge July

VOL. V.

A

Amid the fprightly fcenes of morn,
"Will aught the Mufe inspire?
Oh! peace to yonder clamorous horn
That drowns the facred lyre!

II.

Ye rural thanes that o'er the moffy down
Some panting, timorous hare pursue;
Does Nature mean your joys alone to crown?
Say, does the finooth her lawns for you?
For you does Echo bid the rocks reply,
And, urg'd by rude constraint, refound the jovial cry?

III.

See from the neighbouring hill, forlorn
The wretched fwain your sport survey;

He finds his faithful fences torn,

He finds his labour'd crops a prey;

He fees his flock-no more in circles feed;
Haply beneath your ravage bleed,

And with no random curfes loads the deed.

July 7, 1754. She was the intimate friend of Mrs. Rowe, on whofe death the wrote fome verses, and likewise was author of the Epiftles figned Cleora, in the Collection of Letters from the Living to the Dead. Mr. Walpole fays, fhe had as much tafte for the writings of others as modefty about her own.

IV. Nor