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In courts and glitt'ring tow'rs she wish'd to dwell,
And scorn'd her lab'ring parents lowly cell:
And now, as gazing o'er the glaffy stream,

She faw her blooming cheek's reflected beam,
Her treffes brighter than the morning sky,
And the mild radiance of her sparkling eye,
Low fighs and trickling tears by turns she stole,
And thus discharg'd the anguish of her foul:
"Why glow those cheeks, if unadmir'd they glow?
"Why flow those treffes, if unprais'd they flow?
"Why dart those eyes their liquid ray ferene,
"Unfelt their influence, and their light unseen?
"Ye heav'ns! was that love-breathing bosom made
"To warm dull groves, and cheer the lonely glade?
"Ah, no: thofe blushes, that enchanting face'
"Some tap'ftried hall or gilded bow'r might grace,

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Might deck the scenes, where love and pleasure reign, "And fire with am'rous flames the youthful train."

While

While thus fhe spoke, a sudden blaze of light

Shot through the clouds, and ftruck her dazzled fight:

She rais'd her head, aftonish'd, to the skies,

And veil'd with trembling hands her aching eyes;

When through the yielding air she saw from far

A goddess gliding in a golden car,

That foon defcended on the flow'ry lawn,

By two fair yokes of starry peacocks drawn:
A thousand nymphs with many a sprightly glance
Form'd round the radiant wheels an airy dance,
Celestial shapes, in fluid light array'd;

Like twinkling stars their beamy sandals play'd :
Their lucid mantles glitter'd in the sun,

(Webs half fo bright the filkworm never spun)
Transparent robes, that bore the rainbow's hue,
And finer than the nets of pearly dew

That morning spreads o'er ev'ry op'ning flow'r,
When sportive fummer decks his bridal bow'r.

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The queen herself, too fair for mortal fight

Sat in the centre of encircling light,

Soon with foft touch the rais'd the trembling maid,

And by her fide in filent flumber laid :

Straight the gay birds difplay'd their spangled train,
And flew refulgent through th' aerial plain;

The fairy band their fhining pinions fpread,

And as they rose fresh gales of fweetness shed
Fan'd with their flowing fkirts the sky was mild,
And heav'n's blue fields with brighter radiance smil'd,

Now in a garden deck'd with verdant bow'rs The glitt'ring car defcends on bending flow'rs;

The goddess still with looks divinely fair

Surveys the fleeping object of her care;

Then o'er her cheek her magick finger lays,

Soft as the gale that o'er a vi'let plays,

And thus in founds, that favour'd mortals hear,

She gently whispers in her ravish'd ear;

" Awake

"Awake, fweet maid, and view this charming fcene

"For ever beauteous, and for ever green;

"Here living rills of pureft nectar flow

"O'er meads that with unfading flow'rets glow;

"Here am'rous gales their fcented wings display,
"Mov'd by the breath of ever-blooming May;

"Here in the lap of pleasure fhalt thou reft,
"Our lov❜d companion, and our honour'd gueft,"

The damfel hears the heav'nly notes diftil,
Like melting fnow, or like a vernal rill ;
She lifts her head, and, on her arm reclin❜d,
Drinks the sweet accents in her grateful mind:
On all around fhe turns her roving eyes,

And views the fplendid scene with glad furprize;

Fresh lawns, and funny banks, and roseate bow'rs,

Hills white with flocks, and meadows gem'd with flow'rs;

Cool fhades, a fure defence from fummer's ray,

And filver brooks where wanton damfels play,

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That

That with foft notes their dimpled crystal roll'd
O'er colour'd fhells and fands of native gold:

A rifing fountain play'd from ev'ry stream,

Smil'd as it rofe, and caft a tranfient gleam,
Then gently falling in a vocal fhow'r

Bath'd ev'ry fhrub, and fprinkled ev'ry flow'r,
That on the banks, like many a lovely bride,
View'd in the liquid glafs their blushing pride;
Whilft on each branch with purple bloffoms hung
The fportful birds their joyous ditty sung.

While Maia thus entranc'd in fweet delight
With each gay object fed her eager fight,
The goddess mildly caught her willing hand,
And led her trembling o'er the flow'ry land:
Soon fhe beheld where through an op'ning glade
A fpacious lake its clear expanse display'd;

In mazy curls the flowing jafper wav'd

O'er its fmooth bed with polish'd agate pav'd;

And

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