O'er her bare shoulder flow'd her auburne hair,

And, fan'd by Zephyrs, floated on the air:

Green were her buskins, green the veft fhe wore,
And in her hand a knotty crook she bore.

*The voice of Daphne might all pains disarm,
Yet, heard too long, its fweetnefs ceas'd to charm:
But none were tir'd, when artless Hyla fung,

Though fomething ruftick warbled from her tongue.

Thus both in beauty grew, and both in fame, Their manners diff'rent, yet their charms the fame.

IMITATIONS.

* She had a voice that was exceedingly fweet, yet had a rufticity in her tone, which however to most who heard her feemed an additional charm. Though in her conversation in general fhe was very engaging, yet to her lovers, who were numerous, he was fo coy, that many left her in disgust after a tedious courtship, and matched themfelves where they were better received.

The

The

young Arcadians, tuneful from their birth,

To love devoted, and to rural mirth,

Beheld, and fondly lov'd the royal maids,

And fung their praise in valleys, lawns, and glades;
From morn to latest eve they wept, and figh'd,

And fome for Daphne, fome for Hyla died :

Each day new presents to the nymphs they bore,
And in gay order fpread the fhining ftore;

Some beechen bowls, and polifh'd fheephooks brought
With ebon knots, and ftuds of filver, wrought;
Some led in flow'ry bands the playful fawn,

Or bounding roe, that spurn'd the graffy lawn;
The reft on nature's blooming gifts relied,

And rais'd their flender hopes on beauty's pride;
But the coy maids, regardless of their pain,

Their vows derided, and their plaintive strain :

Hence fome, whom love with lighter flames had fir'd,
Broke their foft flutes, and in defpair retir'd,

To milder damfels told their am'rous tale,

And found a kinder Daphne in the vale.

e

It

It happen'd on a cheerful morn of May,
When ev'ry meadow fmil'd in fresh array,

The shepherds, rifing at an early hour,
In crouds affembled round the regal bow'r,
There hail'd in sprightly notes the peerless maids;
And tender accents trembled through the glades.
Menalcas, whom the larks with many a lay
Had call'd from flumber at the dawn of day,
By chance was roving through a bord'ring dale,
And heard the swains their youthful woes bewail :
He knew the caufe; for long his prudent mind
To footh their cares indulgently defign'd:

Slow he approach'd; then wav'd his awful hand,

And, leaning on his crook, address'd the lift'ning band.

Arcadian fhepherds, to my words attend!

In filence hear your monarch, and your friend.

Your fruitless pains, which none can disapprove,

Excite my yity, not my anger move.

Two

Two gentle maids, the folace of my age,

Fill all my foul, and all my care engage;

When death fhall join me to the pale-ey'd throng,

To them my fylvan empire will belong;

But left with them the royal line fhould fail,
And civil difcord fill this happy vale,

Two chofen youths the beauteous nymphs must wed,
To share their pow'r, and grace the genial bed:

*So may the swains our ancient laws obey,

And all Arcadia own their potent sway.

IMITATIONS.

* For Menalcas had not only refolved to take a fon-in-law, who should inviolably maintain the customs of his family; but had received one evening, as he walked in the fields, a pipe of an antique form from a Faun, or, as fome fay, from Oberon the Fairy, with a particular charge, not to bestow his daughter on any one, who could not play the fame tune upon it, as at that time he entertained him with.

But what fage counsel can their choice direct?
Whom can the nymphs prefer, or whom reject?

So like your paffion, and fo like your strain,
That all deserve, yet cannot all obtain.

Hear then my tale: as late, by fancy led
To steep Cyllene's ever-vocal head,

With winding steps I wander'd through the wood,
And pour'd wild notes, a Faun before me stood;
A flute he held, which as he foftly blew,

The feather'd warblers to the found he drew,
Then to my hand the precious gift confign'd,
And said, "Menalcas, ease thy wond'ring mind:
"This pipe, on which the god of shepherds play'd,
"When love inflam'd him, and the * viewless maid,
"Receive; ev'n Pan thy tuneful skill confefs'd,
"And after Pan thy lips will grace it beft.
"Thy daughters' beauty ev'ry breast inspires,

"And all thy kingdom glows with equal fires:
"But let those favour'd youths alone succeed,

"Who blow with matchless art this heav'nly reed,”