SPRING. THE FIRST PASTORAL, OR D A M O N. TO SIR WILLIAM TRUMBAL. IRST in these fields I try the sylvan strains, FIRST Nor blush to sport on Windfor's blissful plains: You that, too wife for pride, too good for power, And, carrying with you all the world can boast, O let my Muse her flender reed inspire, Soon as the flocks fhook off the nightly dews, Two Swains, whom Love kept wakeful, and the Muse, Pour'd Pour'd o'er the whitening vale their fleecy care, The dawn now blushing on the mountain's fide, DAPHNI S. Hear how the birds, on every bloomy fpray, With joyous music wake the dawning day! Why fit we mute, when early linnets fing, When warbling Philomel falutes the fpring? Why fit we fad, when Phosphor fhines fo clear, And lavish Nature paints the purple year? STREPHON. Sing then, and Damon fhall attend the ftrain, DAPHNIS. And I this bowl, where wanton ivy twines, And what is that, which binds the radiant sky, 20 25 30 35 40 VARIATIONS. DA Ver. 34. The first reading was, And his own image from the bank furveys. Ver. 36. And clusters lurk beneath the curling vines. DAMON. Then fing by turns, by turns the Mufes fing, STREP HON. Inspire me, Phœbus, in my Delia's praise, DAPHNIS. 45 O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, And make my tongue victorious as her eyes; 5. No lambs or sheep for victims I'll impart, Thy victim, Love, shall be the fhepherd's heart. STREPHON. Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain, Then, hid in shades, eludes her eager fwain; But feigns a laugh, to fee me fearch around, And by that laugh the willing fair is found. DAPHNI S. The fprightly Sylvia trips along the green, VARIATIONS. Ver. 49. Originally thus in the MS. Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays, 55 60 STRE STREPHON. O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow, DAPHNIS. Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves; If Windfor shades delight the matchless maid, STREPHON. 65 All nature mourns, the fkies relent in showers, Hush'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flowers; If Delia fmile, the flowers begin to spring, The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing. 71 VARIATIONS. DAPH Ver. 61. It stood thus at first : Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boaft, Ver. 61. Originally thus in the MS. Go, flowery wreath, and let my Sylvia know, DAPHNIS. Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods fo long, To Heav'n arifing then her notes convey, |