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Grants fish to swim, and birds to fly,
And on their skill bids men rely.

Women alone defencelefs live,
To women what does Nature give?
Beauty fhe gives inftead of darts,
Beauty, instead of shields, imparts;
Nor can the fword, nor fire, oppose
The fair, victorious where he goes.

THE

THIRD

O D E.

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O

ON LO V E.

NE midnight when the bear did stand
A-level with Böotes' hand,

And, with their labour fore opprefs'd, "The race of men were laid to reft,

Then to my doors, at unawares,
Came Love, and tried to force the bars.
Who thus affails my doors, I'cry'd?
Who breaks my flumbers? Love reply'd,
Open a child alone is here!

A little child! you need not fear:
Here through the moonlefs night I stray,
And, drench'd in rain, have lost my way.
Then mov'd to pity by his plight,
Too much in hafte my lamp I light,
And open when a child I fee,

A little child, he feem'd to me;

Who bore a quiver, and a bow;

And wings did to his fhoulders grow.

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Within the earth I bid him ftand,

Then chafe and cherish either hand
Between my palms, and wring, with care,
The trickling water from his hair.

Now come, faid he, no longer chill,
We'll bend this bow, and try our skill,
And prove the ftring, how far its power
Remains unflacken'd by the shower.

He bends his bow, and culls his quiver,
And pierces, like a breeze, my liver:
Then leaping, laughing, as he fled,
Rejoice with me, my hoft, he said:
My bow is found in every part,

And you shall rue it at your heart.

AN HYMN TO VENUS,

From the GREEK of SAP PHO.

I.

VENUS, beauty of the skies,

To whom a thousand temples rise,

Gayly falfe in gentle smiles,

Full of love-perplexing wiles,

O, goddess! from my heart remove
The wafting cares and pains of love,

II.

If ever thou haft kindly heard
A fong in foft distress prefer'd,
Propitious to my tuneful vow,
O, gentle goddess! hear me now.

Defcend,

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Defcend, thou bright, immortal guest,
In all thy radiant charms confefs'd.
III.

Thou once didft leave almighty Jove,
And all the golden roofs above:
The car thy wanton sparrows drew;
Hovering in air they lightly flew ;
As to my bower they wing'd their way,
I faw their quivering pinions play.

IV.

The birds difmifs'd (while you remain)
Bore back their empty car again :

Then you, with looks divinely mild,
In every heavenly feature fmil'd,

And afk'd, what new complaints I made,
And why I call'd you to my aid?

V.

What frenzy in my
bofom rag'd,
And by what care to be affuag'd?
What gentle youth I would allure,
Whom in my artful toils fecure?
Who does thy tender heart fubdue,
Tell me, my Sappho, tell me who?

VI.

Though now he shuns thy longing arms,
He foon fhall court thy flighted charms;
Though now thy offerings he despise,
He foon to thee fhall facrifice;

Though now he freeze, he foon shall burn,
And be thy victim in his turn.

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VII. Celef

VII.

Celestial vifitant, once more

Thy needful prefence I implore!
In pity come and ease my grief,
Bring my diftemper'd soul relief:
Favour thy fuppliant's hidden fires,
And give me all my heart defires.

A FRAGMENT OF SAPPH O.

I.

BLESS'D as the immortal gods is he,

The youth who fondly fits by thee,

And hears and fees thee all the while
Softly speak, and fweetly fmile.

II.

'Twas this depriv'd my foul of rest,
And rais'd fuch tumults in my breast;
For while I gaz'd, in transport toss'd,
My breath was gone, my voice was loft.
III.

My bofom glow'd; the fubtle flame
Ran quickly through all my vital frame;
O'er my dim eyes a darkness hung,
My ears with hollow murmurs rung.

IV.

In dewy damps my limbs were chill'd,
My blood with gentle horrors thrill'd;
My feeble pulse forgot to play,
I fainted, funk, and dy'd away.

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