Ill fare my peace, but every idle toy,

If to my mind my Delia's form it brings, Has truer worth, imparts fincerer joy,

Than all that bears the radiant stamp of kings. O my foul weeps, my breast with anguish bleeds, When love deplores the tyrant power of gain! Difdaining riches as the futile weeds,

Irife fuperior, and the rich disdain.

Oft from the stream, flow wandering down the glade,
Penfive I hear the nuptial peal rebound;
"Some mifer weds, I cry, the captive maid,
"And fome fond lover fickens at the found."

Not Somervile, the Mufe's friend of old,
Though now exalted to yon ambient sky,
So fhun'd a foul diftain'd with earth and gold,
So lov'd the pure, the generous breast, as I.
Scorn'd be the wretch that quits his genial bowl,
His loves, his friendships, ev'n his self, resigns;
Perverts the facred instinct of his foul,

And to a ducate's dirty fphere confines.

But come, my friend, with taste, with fcience blest, Ere age impair me, and ere gold allure;

Reftore thy dear idea to my breast,

The rich depofit fhall the fhrine fecure.

Let others toil to gain the fordid ore,
The charms of independence let us fing;
Bleft with thy friendship, can I wish for more ?.
I'll fpurn the boasted wealth of Lydia's king.

ELEGY

ELE GY X.

To FORTUNE; fuggefting his motive for repining at her difpenfations.

A

SK not the cause, why this rebellious tongue

Loads with fresh curfes thy detested sway!

Ask not, thus branded in my softest song,

Why ftands the flatter'd name, which all obey Tis not, that in my shed I lurk forlorn,

Nor fee my roof on Parian columns rife ; That, on this breast, no mimic star is borne, Rever'd, ah! more than those that light the skies.

'Tis not, that on the turf fupinely laid,

I fing or pipe, but to the flocks that graze; And, all inglorious, in the lonesome shade, My finger ftiffens, and my voice decays. Not, that my fancy mourns thy ftern command, When many an embryo dome is loft in air; While guardian prudence checks my eager hand, And, cre the turf is broken, cries, " Forbear. Forbear, vain youth! be cautious, weigh thy gold, "Nor let yon rifing column more aspire; "Ah! better dwell in ruins, than behold "Thy fortunes mouldering, and thy domes entire. "Honorio built, but dar'd my laws defy; "He planted, fcornful of my fage commands; "The peach's vernal bud regal'd his eye; "The fruitage ripen'd for more frugal hands.”

See

See the small stream that pours its murmuring tide O'er fome rough rock that would its wealth display,. Displays it aught but penury and pride ?

Ah! conftrue wifely what fuch murmurs fay. "How would fome flood, with ampler treasures bleft, Difdainful view the fcantling drops diftil!

How must * Velino shake his reedy crest !
How every cygnet mock the boastive rill
Fortune, I yield! and fee, I give the fign;

At noon the poor mechanic wanders home;
Collects the fquare, the level, and the line,
And, with retorted eye, forfakes the dome,
Yes, I can patient view the fhadeless plains;
Can unrepining leave the rising wall :
Check the fond love of art that fir'd my veins,
"And my warm hopes, in full purfuit, recall.
Defcend, ye ftorms! destroy my rifing pile;
Loos'd be the whirlwind's unremitting fway;
Contented I, although the gazer smile

To fee it scarce furvive a winter's day.

Let fome dull dotard bask in thy gay fhrine,
As in the fun regales his wanton herd;
Guiltless of envy, why fhould I repine,

That his rude voice, his grating reed, 's, prefer'd?
Let him exult, with boundless wealth supply'd,
Mine and the fwain's reluctant homage fhare;
But ah! his tawdry fhepherdefs's pride,
Gods! mut my Delia, muft my Delia bear?

* A river in Italy.

Let

Must Delia's softness, elegance, and ease,

Submit to Marian's dress? to Marian's gold?
Muft Marian's robe from diftant India please?
The fimple fleece my. Delia's-limbs enfold?
"Yet fure on Delia feems the ruffet fair;

"Ye glittering daughters of difguife, adieu!" So talk the wife, who judge of fhape and air, But will the rural thane decide so true?

Ah! what is native worth efteem'd of clowns?
'Tis thy false glare, O fortune! thine they fee
'Tis for my Delia's fake I dread thy frowns,
And my last gasp shall curfes breath on thee.

ELEG Y XI.

He complains how foon the pleasing novelty of life is over. To Mr. JAGO.

AH me, my friend! it will not, will not laft!
This fairy-fcene, that cheats our youthful eyes!

The charm diffolves; th' aerial mufic's past;
The banquet ceafes, and the vifion flies.
Where are the fplendid forms, the rich perfumes,
Where the gay tapers, where the spacious dome?
Vanish'd the coftly pearls, the crimson plumes,

And we, delightless, left to wander home!
Vain now are books, the fage's wisdom vain!
What has the world to bribe our steps aftray,
Ere reafon learns by study'd laws to reign,
The weaken'd paffions, felf-fubdued, obey.

Scarce has the fun feven annual courfes roll'd,

Scarce fhewn the whole that fortune can supply; Since, not the mifer fo carefs'd his gold,

As I, for what it gave, was heard to figh. On the world's ftage I wifh'd fome sprightly part; To deck my native fleece with tawdry lace! 'Twas life, 'twas taste, and-oh my foolish heart; Subftantial joy was fix'd in power and place. And you, ye works of art! allur'd mine eye,

The breathing picture, and the living stone : "Though gold, though fplendour, heaven and fate ❝ deny,

"Yet might I call one Titian stroke my own!"* Smit with the charms of fame, whofe lovely fpoil, The wreath, the garland, fire the poet's pride,' I trim'd my lamp, confum'd the midnight oil

But foon the paths of health and fame divide !'
Oft too I pray'd, 'twas nature form'd the prayer,
To grace my native scenes, my rural home;
To fee my trees exprefs their planter's care,

And gay, on Attic models, raise my dome,
But now 'tis o'er, the dear delufion 's o'er!
A ftagnant breezelefs air becalms
A fond afpiring candidate no more,

my

foul:

I fcorn the palm, before I reach the goal.
O youth! enchanting state, profufely bleft!
Blifs ev'n obtrufive courts the frolic mind;
Of health neglectful, yet by health careft;
Careless of favour, yet fecure to find.
D

Then