ODES

DESCRIPTIVE AND ALLEGORICAL.

ODE TO PITY.

Thou, the friend of man affign'd,

With balmy hands his wounds to bind,

And charm his frantic woe:

When firft Diftrefs, with dagger keen,

Broke forth to waste his deftin'd scene,
His wild unfated foe!

By Pella's Bard, a magic name,

By all the griefs his thought could frame,

Receive my humble rite:

Long, Pity, let the nations view

Thy fky-worn robes of tendereft blue,

And eyes of dewy light!

But wherefore need I wander wide

To old Iliffus' distant fide,

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Deferted ftream, and mute?

Wild Arun* too has heard thy ftrains,

And Echo, 'midft my native plains,
Been footh'd by Pity's lute.

There first the wren thy myrtles fhcd
On gentleft Otway's infant head,
To him thy cell was shewn ;

And while he fung the female heart,

With youth's foft notes unspoil'd by art,

Thy turtles mix'd their own.

Come, Pity, come, by fancy's aid,
Ev'n now my thoughts, relenting maid,
Thy temple's pride design:

Its fouthern fite, its truth complete
Shall raise a wild enthusiast heat,
In all who view the fhrine,

There Picture's toil shall well relate,
How chance, or hard involving fatø

* A river in Suffex:

O'er