Beneath yon Dryad's lonely fhade
A ruftic altar fhall be paid,
Of turf with laurel fram'd:
And thou the infcription wilt approve ;
"This for the peace which, loft by love,
"By Friendship was reclaim'd."
TO-NIGHT retir'd the queen of heaven
With young Endymion ftrays:
And now to Hesper is it given
Awhile to rule the vacant sky,
Till the fhall to her lamp fupply
A ftream of lighter rays.
O Hefper, while the ftarry throng
With awe thy path furrounds,
Oh liften to my fuppliant fong,
If haply now the vocal sphere
Can fuffer thy delighted ear
To ftoop to mortal sounds.
So may the bridegroom's genial strain
Thee ftill invoke to shine:
the bride's unmarried train
To Hymen chaunt their flattering vow,
Still that his lucky torch may glow
With luftre pure as thine.
Far other vows must I prefer
To thy indulgent power,
Alas! but now I paid my tear
On fair Olympia's virgin tomb:
And lo, from thence, in queft I roam
Of Philomela's bower.
Propitious fend thy golden ray,
Thou pureft light above :
Let no false flame feduce to ftray
Where gulph or steep lie hid for harm:
But lead where mufic's healing charm
May foothe afflicted love.
To them, by many a grateful fong
In happier feafons vow'd,
Thefe lawns, Olympia's haunt, belong :
Oft by yon filver ftream we walk'd,
Or fix'd, while Philomela talk'd,
Beneath yon copses stood.
Nor feldom, where the beachen boughs
That rooflefs tower invade,
We come while her inchanting Muse
The radiant moon above us held :
Till by a clamorous owl compell'd
She fled the folemn fhade.
But hark; I hear her liquid tone.
Now, Hefper, guide my feet
Down the red marle with mofs o'ergrown,
Through yon wild thicket next the plain,
Whofe hawthorns choke the winding lane
Which leads to her retreat.
See the green space: on either hand
Enlarg'd it spreads around :
See, in the midst she takes her ftand,
Where one old oak his awful shade
Extends o'er half the level mead
Inclos'd in woods profound.
Hark, how through many a melting note
She now prolongs her lays:
How fweetly down the void they float!
The breeze their magic path attends :
The ftars fhine out: the foreft bends:
The wakeful heifers
Whoe'er thou art whom chance may bring
To this fequefter'd spot,
If then the plaintive Syren fing,
Oh foftly tread beneath her bower,
And think of heaven's difpofing power,
Of man's uncertain lot.
Oh think, o'er all this mortal stage,
What mournful fcenes arife:
What ruin waits on kingly rage:
How often virtue dwells with woe:
How many griefs from knowledge flow:
How fwiftly pleasure flies.
WITH fordid floods the wintery * Urn
Hath ftain'd fair Richmond's level green:
Her naked hill the Dryads mourn,
No longer a poetic fcene.
No longer there thy raptur'd eye
The beauteous forms of earth or sky
Surveys as in their Author's mind :
And London fhelters from the year
Those whom thy focial hours to share
The Attic Mufe defign'd..
From Hampstead's airy fummit me
Her gueft the city fhaii behold,
What day the people's ftern decree
To unbelieving kings is told,
When common men (the dread of fame)
Adjudg'd as one of evil name,
Before the fun, the anointed head.
Then feek thou too the pious town,
With no unworthy cares to crown
That evening's awful shade.
Deem not I call thee to deplore
The facred martyr of the day,
By faft and penitential lore
To purge our ancient guilt away.
For this, on humble faith I reft
That ftill our advocate, the priest,
From heavenly wrath will fave the land:
Nor afk what rites our pardon gain,
Nor how his potent founds reftrain
'The thunderer's lifted hand.
No, Hardinge: peace to church and state!
That evening, let the Muse give law:
While I anew the theme relate
Which my firft youth enamour'd faw.
Then will I oft explore thy thought,
What to reject which Locke hath taught,
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