"The smiling blossoms drink the pearly dew;
"And rip'ning fruit the feather'd race pursue;
"The fcaly fhoals devour the filken weeds;
"Love on our fighs, and on our forrow feeds.
"Then weep no more; but ere thou canft obtain
"Balm to thy wounds, and solace to thy pain,
"With gentle art thy martial look beguile;
"Be mild; and teach thy rugged brow to smile.
"Canft thou no play, no foothing game devise
"To make thee lovely in the damfel's eyes?

"So may thy pray'rs affuage the scornful dame,
"And ev❜n Caïfla own a mutual flame.”

"Kind nymph, faid Mars, thy counsel I approve;
Art, only art, her ruthless breast can move.
"But when? or how? Thy dark discourse explain :
"So may thy ftream ne'er fwell with gushing rain;

"So may thy waves in one pure current flow,
"And flow'rs eternal on thy border blow!"

To

To whom the maid replied with smiling mien : "Above the palace of the Paphian queen

« * Love's brother dwells, a boy of graceful port, "By gods nam'd Euphron, and by mortals, Sport: "Seek him; to faithful ears unfold thy grief,

“And hope, ere morn return, a sweet relief.

"His temple hangs below the azure skies;
"Seeft thou yon argent cloud? 'Tis there it lies."
This faid, she funk beneath the liquid plain,

And fought the manfion of her blue-hair'd train.

Meantime the god, elate with heart-felt joy, Had reach'd the temple of the sportful boy;

IMITATIONS.

* Ecco d'aftuto ingegno, e pronta mano

Garzon, che sempre scherza, e vola ratto,

Giore s'appella, ed è d'amor germano.

He told Caïffa's charms, his kindled fire,

The Naiad's counsel, and his warm defire.

"Be fwift, he added, give my paffion aid;

"A god requests.'

100

He fpake, and Sport obey❜d.

He fram'd a tablet of celeftial mold,

Inlay'd with squares of filver and of gold;

Then of two metals form'd the warlike band,
That here compact in fhow of battle ftand;

He taught the rules that guide the penfive game,
And call'd it Caffa from the Dryad's name:

(Whence Albion's fons, who most its praise confess,
Approv'd the play, and nam'd it thoughtful Chefs.)
The god delighted thank'd indulgent Sport,

Then grafp'd the board, and left his airy court.
With radiant feet he pierc'd the clouds; nor ftay'd,
Till in the woods he faw the beauteous maid:
Tir'd with the chafe the damfel fat reclin'd,

Her girdle loose, her bofom unconfin'd.

He took the figure of a wanton Faun,
And ftood before her on the flow'ry lawn,

Then

Then show'd his tablet: pleas'd the nymph furvey'd

The lifeless troops in glitt'ring ranks display'd;

She ask'd the wily fylvan to explain

The various motions of the fplendid train;

With eager heart fhe caught the winning lore,
And thought ev'n Mars less hateful than before:
"What spell, faid fhe, deceiv'd my careless mind?
"The god was fair, and I was most unkind.”
She spoke, and faw. the changing Faun affume
A milder afpect, and a fairer bloom;

His wreathing horns, that from his temples grew,
Flow'd down in curls of bright celestial hue;
The dappled hairs, that veil'd his loveless face,
Blaz'd into beams, and show'd a heav'nly grace;
The fhaggy hide, that mantled o'er his breast,
Was foften'd to a smooth transparent vest,
That through its folds his vig'rous bofom show'd,
And nervous limbs, where youthful ardour glow'd:
(Had Venus view'd him in those blooming charms,
Not Vulcan's net had forc'd her from his arms.)

With goatlike feet no more he mark'd the ground,
But braided flow'rs his filken fandals bound.

The Dryad blush'd; and, as he prefs'd her, fmil'd,
Whilst all his cares one tender glance beguil❜d.

He ends: To arms, the maids and ftriplings cry,
To arms the groves, and founding vales reply.
Sirena led to war the swarthy crew,

And Delia those, that bore the lily's hue.
Who first, O muse, began the bold attack,

The white refulgent, or the mournful black?
Fair Delia firft, as fav'ring lots ordain,

Moves her pale legions tow'rd the fable train;
From thought to thought her lively fancy flies,
Whilst o'er the board fhe darts her sparkling eyes,

At length the warriour moves with haughty ftrides,

Who from the plain the snowy king divides:

T

With equal hafte his swarthy rival bounds;

His quiver rattles, and his buckler founds:

Ah!