*Soon to the bow'r a modeft ftripling came,

Fairest of swains; and ‡ Tityrus his name:

Mild was his look, an easy grace he show'd,

And o'er his beauteous limbs a decent mantle flow'd;

As through the croud he prefs'd, the fylvan quire

His mien applauded, and his neat attire;

And Daphne, yet untaught in am'rous ore,
Felt strange defires, and pains unknown before.

He now begins; the dancing hills attend,

And knotty oaks from mountain-tops defcend :

་

IMITATIONS.

*The fourth that ftepped forward was young Amyntas, the most beautiful of all the Arcadian fwains, and fecretly beloved by Amaryllis. He wore that day the fame colours as the maid

for whom he fighed. He moved towards her with an easy, but

unaffured, air: fhe blushed as he came near her, and when she

gave him the fatal prefent, they both trembled, but neither

NOTE.

The name fuppofed to be taken by Virgil in his first paftoral.

could

He fings of fwains beneath the beechen shade,
When lovely Amaryllis fill'd the glade;

Next in a sympathizing lay complains,
Of love unpitied, and the lover's pains:
But when with art the hallow'd pipe he blew,
What deep attention hush'd the rival crew!
He play'd fo fweetly, and fo fweetly fung,

That on each note th' enraptur'd audience hung;
Ev'n blue-hair'd nymphs, from Ladon's limpid stream,
Rais'd their bright heads, and liften'd to the theme,

IMITATIONS.

could fpeak. Having fecretly breathed his vows to the gods, he poured forth fuch melodious notes, that, though they were a little wild, and irregular, they filled every heart with delight. The fwains immediately mingled in the dance, and the old fhepherds affirmed that they had often heard fuch mufick by night, which they imagined to be played by fome of the rural deities.

NOTE.

Formofam refenare deces Amaryllida fylvam. Virg.

Then

Then through the yielding waves in transport glanc'd;

Whilft on the banks the joyful shepherds danc'd :

"We oft, faid they, at close of ev'ning flow'rs,

"Have heard fuch mufick in the vocal bow'rs:

"We wonder'd; for we thought some am'rous god, "That on a filver moonbeam fwiftly rode,

"Had fan'd with starry plumes the floating air,

"And touch'd his harp to charm fome mortal fair.”

He ended; and, as rolling billows loud,
His praise refounded from the circling croud:
The clam'rous tumult foftly to compofe,

High in the midst the plaintive ‡ Colin rose,
Born on the lilied banks of royal Thame,

Which oft had rung with Rofalinda's name;

Fair, yet neglected; neat, yet unadorn'd;

The pride of dress, and flow'rs of art he scorn'd:

NOTE.

Colin is the name that Spenser takes in his pastorals, and Rosalinda is that under which he celebrates his mistress.

And, like the nymph who fir'd his youthful breaft,

Green were his bufkins, green his fimple veft:

With careless ease his ruftick lays he sung,
And melody flow'd smoothly from his tongue :

Of June's gay fruits, and Auguft's corn he told,
The bloom of April, and December's cold,

* The loves of fhepherds, and their harmless cheer
In ev'ry month that decks the varied year.
Now on the flute with equal grace he play'd,
And his foft numbers died along the shade;

The fkilful dancers to his accents mov'd,
And ev'ry voice his easy tune approv'd;
Ev'n Hyla, blooming maid, admir'd the ftrain,
While through her bosom shot a pleasing pain.

Now all were hush'd: no rival durft arise;
Pale were their cheeks, and full of tears their eyes.

Menalcas, rifing from his flow'ry feat,

Thus, with a voice majestically sweet,

* See the Shepherd's Kalendar.

Addrefs'd

Addrefs'd th' attentive throng: "Arcadians, hear!

"The sky grows dark, and beamy stars appear: "Hafte to the vale; the bridal bow'rs prepare;

“And hail with joy Menalcas' tuneful heir.
"Thou, Tityrus, of fwains the pride and grace,
"Shalt clasp soft Daphne in thy fond embrace :
"And thou, young Colin, in thy willing arms,
"Shalt fold my Hyla, fair in native charms :
"O'er these sweet plains divided empire hold,

"And to your latest race tranfmit an age

of gold.

"What splendid vifions rife before my fight, "And fill my aged bofom with delight!

*" Henceforth of wars and conquest shall you fing, "ARMS AND THE MAN in ev'ry clime shall ring:

"Thy mufe, bold Maro, Tityrus no more,

"Shall tell of chiefs that left the Phrygian shore,

NOTE.

* This prophecy of Menalcas alludes to the Eneid of Virgil, and the Fairy

Queen of Spenfer,

S 2

"Sad