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Of graces mild, far be the Stoic boast,
The Cynic's fnarl, and churlish pedantry.
Bright vifitant, if not too high my wish,
Come in the lovely drefs you wore, a guest

At Plato's table, or at Tufculum,

The Roman feafting his felected friends.

Tamer of pride! at thy ferene rebuke
See crouching infolence, fpleen, and revenge
Before thy fhining taper disappear.

Tutor of human life, aufpicious guide,

Whose faithful clue unravels every Muse,

Whose conduct smooths the roughest paths; whofe voice Controuls each storm, and bids the roar be still:

O condefcend to gild my darksome roof:

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HENCE fage, myfterious Law,

That fitt'ft with rugged brow, and crabbed look O'er thy black-letter'd book,

And the night-watching student strik'st with awe;

Away

Away with thy dull train,

Slow-pac'd Advice, Surmife, and fquint-ey'd Doubt;

Dwell with the noisy rout

Of bufy men, 'mid cities and throng'd halls,
Where Clamour ceafelefs bawls,

And enmity and ftrife thy ftate fuftain.
But on me thy bleffings pour,

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Sweet Vacation. Thee, of yore,
In all her youth and beauty's prime,
Summer bore to aged Time,

As he one funny morn beheld her
Tending a field of corn: the elder
There 'mid poppies red and blue,
Unfufpected nearer drew,

And, with softly-sliding pace
Haft'ning to a ftol'n embrace,

Fill'd her with thee; and joy and mirth

Hung on thy aufpicious birth.

Come, fweet goddess; full of play,

Ever unconfin'd and gay,

Bring the leifure-hours with thee

Leading on the Graces three
Dancing; nor let aught detain

The Holidays, a smiling train:

Whofe

Whofe fair brows let Peace ferene
Crown with olive-branches green.

Bring too Health with ruddy cheek,
Lively air, and count'nance fleek,
Attended, as fhe's wont to be,
With all her jolly company

Of exercises, chace, and flight,
Active ftrength, and cunning fleight,

Nimble feats, and playful bouts,
Leaps of joy, and cheerful fhouts,
Tricks and pranks and sports and games
Such as youthful Fancy frames.
And, O kind goddess, add to these
Cheerful Content, and placid Eafe;

Not her who fondly fitteth near,

- Dull Indolence in elbow'd chair ;

But Eafe who aids th' harmonious Nine,

Tuning their inftruments divine,

And without whom, in lofty ftrain,

Phoebus' client tries in vain

To raise his feeble voice above

The crowd, and catch the ear of Jove.

And do thou, Vacation, deign

To let me pass among thy train;

So

So may I thy vot❜ry true,
All thy flow'ry paths pursue,
Pleafed ftill with thee to meet

In some friendly rural feat;

Where I gladfome oft' furvey
Nature in her beft array,

Woods and lawns and lakes between,
Fields of corn and hedges green,

Fallow grounds of tawny hue,
Distant hills, and mountains blue;
On whofe ridge far off appears
A wood (the growth of many years)
Of aweful oak, or gloomy pine,
Above th' horizon's level line

Rifing black: fuch thofe of old

Where British druids wont to hold
Solemn affemblies, and to keep
Their rites, unfolding myft'ries deep,
Such that fam'd Dodona's grove,
Sacred to prophetic Jove.

Oft' I admire the verdant steep,
Spotted white with many a fheep,
While, in pastures rich below.

Among the grazing cattle, flow

VOL. VI.

M

Moves

Moves the bull with heavy tread
Hanging down his lumpish head,
And the proud steed neigheth oft
Shaking his wanton mane aloft.
Or, traverfing the wood about,
The jingling packhorse-bells remote
I hear, amid the noontide stillness,
Sing through the air with braffy fhrillness;
What time the waggon's cumbrous load
Grates along the grav❜lly road:

There onward, drefs'd in homely guise,

Some unregarded maiden hies,
Unless by chance a trav'lling 'fquire,
Of base intent and foul defire,

Stops to infnare, with speech beguiling,
Sweet innocence and beauty smiling.
Nor fail I joyful to partake

The lively sports of country wake,
Where many a lad and many a lass
Foot it on the close-trod grafs.
There nimble Marian of the green
Matchlefs in the jig is seen,
Allow'd beyond compare by all,
The beauty of the ruftic ball:

I

While,

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