THE PROGRESS OF LOVE.

IN FOUR ECLOGUE S.

I. UNCERTAINTY. To Mr. POPE. II. HOPE. To the Hon. GEORGE DODDINGTON. III. JEALOUSY. TO EDWARD WALPOLE, Efq; IV. POSSESSION. To the Right Hon. the Lord Vifcount СОВНАМ.

UNCERTAINTY. ECLOGUE I. To Mr. POPE.

POPE,

to whofe reed beneath the beachen fhade, The Nymphs of Thames a pleas'd attention paid ; While yet thy Muse, content with humbler praise, Warbled in Windfor's grove her fylvan lays; Though now, fublimely borne on Homer's wing, Of glorious wars and godlike chiefs she fing : Wilt thou with me revifit once again The crystal fountain, and the flowery plain? Wilt thou, indulgent, hear my verse relate The various changes of a lover's ftate; And, while each turn of paffion I purfue, Afk thy own heart if what I tell be true?

To the green margin of a lonely wood,
Whose pendent shades o'erlook'd a silver flood,
Young Damon came, unknowing where he stray'd
Full of the image of his beauteous maid :
His flock, far off, unfed, untended, lay,
To every favage a defencelefs prey;

No fenfe of intereft could their mafter move,
And every care seem'd trifling now but love.
A while in penfive filence he remain`d,

But, though his voice was mute, his looks complain'd;
At length the thoughts within his bofom pent
Forc'd his unwilling tongue to give them vent.
"Ye nymphs, he cried, ye Dryads, who so long
"Have favor'd Damon, and inspir'd his fong;
"For whom, retir'd, I fhun the gay reforts
"Of fportful cities, and of pompous courts;
"In vain I bid the restless world adieu,
"To feek tranquillity and peace with you.

66

Though wild Ambition, and destructive Rage, "No factions here can form, no wars can wage: "Though Envy frowns not on your humble fhades, "Nor Calumny your innocence invades :

"Yet cruel Love, that troubler of the breaft,

"Too often violates your boafted rest;

"With inbred ftorms difturbs your calm retreat,

"And taints with bitterness each rural fweet.

"Ah luckless day! when.first with fond surprize "On Delia's face I fix'd my eager eyes! "Then in wild tumults all my foul was toft, "Then reafon, liberty, at once were loft :

"And

« And every wish, and thought, and care, was gone, "But what my heart employ'd on her alone.

"Then too fhe fmil'd: can fimiles our peace deftroy, "Those lovely children of Content and Joy? "How can foft pleasure and tormenting woe "From the fame fpring at the fame moment flow? "Unhappy boy! thefe vain enquiries ceafe,

"Thought could not guard, nor will restore. thy peace: "Indulge the frenzy that thou must endure,

chain.

"And footh the pain thou know'st not how to cure, "Come, flattering Memory! and tell my heart "How kind fhe was, and with what pleasing art "She ftrove its fondeft wishes to obtain, "Confirm her power, and fafter bind my "If on the green we danc'd, a mirthful band; "To me alone she gave her willing hand: "Her partial tafte, if e'er I touch'd the lyre, "Still in my fong found fomething to admire.

66 By none but her my crook with flowers was crown'd,

By none but her my brows with ivy bound:

"The world that Damon was her choice believ'd,
"The world, alas! like Damon, was deceiv'd.
"When laft I faw her, and declar'd my fire
"In words as foft as paffion could inspire,
"Coldly fhe heard, and full of scorn withdrew,
"Without one pitying glance, one sweet adieu.
"The frighted hind, who fees his ripen'd corn
"Up from the roots by fudden tempests torn,
"Whofe faireft hopes destroy'd and blasted lie,
"Feels not fo keen a pang of grief as I.'

"Ah, how have I deferv'd, inhuman maid,
"To have my faithful fervice thus repaid?
"Were all the marks of kindness I receiv'd,

"But dreams of joy, that charm'd me and deceiv'd?
"Or did you only nurse my growing love,
"That with more pain I might your hatred prove?
"Sure guilty treachery no place could find
"In fuch a gentle, fuch a generous mind:
"A maid brought up the woods and wilds among
"Could ne'er have learnt the art of courts fo young =
"No; let me rather think her anger feign'd,
"Still let me hope my Delia may be gain'd;

"'Twas only modesty that seem'd disdain,
"And her heart fuffer'd when he gave me pain.”
Pleas'd with this flattering thought, the love-fick boy
Felt the faint dawning of a doubtful joy;
Back to his flock more chearful he return'd,
When now the setting fun more fiercely burn'd,
Blue vapours rofe along the mazy rills,
And light's last blushes ting'd the distant hills.

HOPE. ECLOGUE II.

To Mr. DODDINGTON.

[Afterwards LORD MELCOMBE REGIS.]

HEAR, Doddington, the notes that shepherds fing,

Like thofe that warbling hail the genial spring.

Nor Pan, nor Phoebus, tunes our artless reeds:
From Love alone their melody proceeds.

From

From Love, Theocritus, on Enna's plains,
Learnt the wild fweetness of his Doric ftrains.
Young Maro, touch'd by his infpiring dart,
Could charm each ear, and foften every heart :
Me too his power has reach'd, and bids with thine
My ruftic pipe in pleasing concert join *.

Damon no longer fought the filent shade,
No more in unfrequented paths he stray'd,
But call'd the fwains to hear his jocund fong,›
And told his joy to all the rural throng.

"Bleft be the hour, he said, that happy hour, "When first I own'd my Delia's gentle power; "Then gloomy difcontent and pining care "Forfook my breast, and left soft wishes there "Soft wishes there they left, and gay defires, "Delightful languors, and transporting fires. "Where yonder limes combine to form a shade, "Thefe eyes: first gaz'd upon the charming maid "There the appear'd, on that aufpicious day, "When swains their sportives rites to Bacchus pay: "She led the dance-heavens with what grace the "mov'd!

"Who could have seen her then, and not have lov'd? "I ftrove not to refift so sweet a flame,

"But gloried in a happy captive's name ;

"Nor would I now, could Love permit, be free, "But leave to brutes their favage liberty.

* Mr. Doddington had written fome very pretty loveverfes, which have never been published. LYTTELT.