Amid her kindred stars familiar roam,
Survey the region, and confess her home!
Such was the life great Scipio once admir'd, 255
Thus Atticus, and TRUMBAL thus retir'd.

Ye facred Nine! that all my foul poffefs,
Whofe raptures fire me, and whofe vifions blefs,
Bear me, oh bear me to fequefter'd scenes,
The bow'ry mazes, and furrounding greens: 260
To Thames's banks with fragrant breezes fill,
Or where ye Mufes fport on CooPER'S HILL.
(On COOPER'S HILL eternal wreaths fhall grow,
While lafts the mountain, or while Thames shall
flow)

I feem thro' confecrated walks to rove,

I hear foft mufic die along the grove :

265

Led by the found, I roam from shade to fhade, By god-like Poets venerable made :

VER. 265. It flood thus in the MS.

Methinks around your holy fcenes I rove,
And hear your mufic echoing thro' the grave;
With tranfport vifit each infpiring fhade
By God-like Poets venerable made.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 259. O qui me gelidis, etc.

Virg.

Here his first lays majestic DENHAM fung; There the laft numbers flow'd from CowLEY'S

tongue.

270

O early loft! what tears the river shed,
When the fad pomp along his banks was led?
His drooping fwans on ev'ry note expire,
And on his willows hung each Muse's lyre.

Since fate relentless stop'd their heav'nly voice, No more the forefts ring, or groves rejoice; 276 Who now shall charm the shades, where CowLEY

ftrung

His living harp, and lofty DENHAM fung?
But hark! the groves rejoice, the forest rings!
Are these reviv'd? or is it GRANVILLE fings! 280
'Tis yours, my Lord, to blefs our foft retreats,
And call the Muses to their ancient feats;
To paint anew the flow'ry fylvan scenes,
To crown the forefts with immortal greens,
Make Windfor-hills in lofty numbers rife, 285
And lift her turrets nearer to the skies

VER. 273.

VARIATIONS.

What fighs, what murmurs, fill'd the vocal fhore!
His tuneful fwans were heard to fing no more. P.

NOTES.

VER. 270. There the laft numbers flow'd from Cowley's tongue.] Mr. Cowley died at Chertfey on the borders of the Foreft, and was from thence convey'd to Westminster. P.

To fing those honours you deserve to wear,
And add new luftre to her filver ftar.

295

Here noble SURREY felt the facred rage, SURREY, the GRANVILLE of a former age: 290 Matchless his pen, victorious was his lance, Bold in the lifts, and graceful in the dance: In the fame shades the Cupids tun'd his lyre, To the fame notes, of love, and foft defire: Fair Geraldine, bright object of his vow, Then fill'd the groves, as heav'nly Mira now. Oh would'ft thou fing what heroes Windsor bore, What kings first breath'd upon her winding fhore, Or raife old warriours, whose ador'd remains In weeping vaults her hallow'd earth contains! 300 With Edward's acts adorn the fhining page, Stretch his long triumphs down thro' ev'ry age, Draw monarchs chain'd, and Creffi's glorious field, The lilies blazing on the regal shield :

VARIATIONS.

VER. 288. her filver ftar.] All the lines that follow were not added to the poem till the year 1710. What immediately followed this, and made the conclufion, were thefe,

My humble Mufe in unambitious strains
Paints the green forefts and the flow'ry plains;

Where I obfcurely pass my careless days,

Pleas'd in the filent fhade with empty praife,

Enough for me that to the lift'ning fwains

First in these fields I fung the fylvan ftrains. P.

NOTES.

VER. 289. Here noble Surrey] Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, one of the first refiners of the English poetry; who flourish'd in the time of Henry VIII. P.

VER. 301. Edward's acts] Edward III. born here. P.

Then, from her roofs when Verrio's colours fall, And leave inanimate the naked wall,

306

Still in thy song should vanquish'd France appear,

And bleed for ever under Britain's spear.

Let fofter strains ill-fated Henry mourn,

310

And palms eternal flourish round his urn.
Here o'er the Martyr-King the marble weeps,
And, fast beside him, once-fear'd Edward fleeps:
Whom not th' extended Albion could contain,
From old Belerium to the northern main,

The grave
unites; where ev'n the Great find reft,
And blended lie th' oppreffor and th' oppreft! 316

Make facred Charles's tomb for ever known, (Obscure the place, and un-inscrib'd the stone) Oh fact accurft! what tears has Albion shed, Heav'ns, what new wounds! and how her old

have bled!

VARIATIONS.

VER. 305. Originally thus in the MS.

320

When Brafs decays, when Trophies lie o'er-thrown,
And mould'ring into duft drops the proud stone.

VER. 319. Originally thus in the MS.

Oh fact accurft! oh facrilegious brood,

Sworn to Rebellion, principled in blood!

Since that dire morn what tears has Albion shed,
Gods! what new wounds, &c.

NOTES.

VER. 309. Henry mourn] Henry VI. P.

VER. 312. once-fear'd Edward fleeps :] Edward IV. P.

1

324

She faw her fons with purple death expire,
Her facred domes involv'd in rolling fire,
A dreadful feries of inteftine wars,
Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars.
At length great ANNA faid--" Let difcord cease!"
She faid, the world obey'd, and all was Peace!
In that bleft moment from his
oozy bed
Old father Thames advanc'd his rev'rend head;
His treffes drop'd with dews, and o'er the stream
His fhining horns diffus'd a golden gleam; 330
Grav'd on his urn appear'd the moon, that guides
His fwelling waters, and alternate tides;
The figur'd ftreams in waves of filver roll'd,
And on her banks Augufta rose in gold.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 325. Thus in the MS.

Till Anna rofe and bade the Furies ceafe;

Let there be peace-fhe faid, and all was Peace.

Between Verfe 328 and 329, originally ftood thefe lines,

From shore to fhore exulting fhouts he heard,
O'er all his banks a lambent light appear'd,
With sparkling flames heav'ns glowing concave fhone,
Fictitious stars, and glories not her own.
He faw, and gently rofe above the stream ;
His fhining horns diffufe a golden gleam :
With pearl and gold his tow'ry front was dreft,
The tributes of the diftant Eaft and Weft. P.