On which reclin'd a youth of graceful mien,
His fandals purple, and his mantle green;
His locks in ringlets o'er his shoulders roll❜d,
And on his cheek appear'd the downy gold.
Around him stood a train of smiling boys,

Sporting with idle cheer and mirthful toys;
*Ten comely ftriplings, girt with spangled wings,
Blew piercing flutes, or touch'd the quiv'ring ftrings;
Ten more, in cadence to the sprightly strain,

Wak'd with their golden oars the flumb'ring main :

The waters yielded to their guiltlefs blows,

And the green billows sparkled as they rose.

Long time the barge had danc'd along the deep, And on its glaffy bofom feem'd to sleep;

And now a pleafant ifle arofe in view,

Bounded with hillocks of a verdant hue:

Fresh groves, and rofeate bow'rs appear'd above,

(Fit haunts, be fure, of pleasure and of love)

* The follies of youth.

The world.

And

And higher still a thousand blazing spires

Seem'd with gilt tops to threat the heav'nly fires.
Now each fair ftripling plied his lab'ring oar,

And straight the pinnace ftruck the fandy fhore.
The youth arose, and, leaping on the ftrand,
Took his lone way along the filver fand;
While the light bark, and all the airy crew,

Sunk like a mist beneath the briny dew.

With eager fteps the young advent'rer stray'd
Through many a grove, and many a winding glade :
At length he heard the chime of tuneful strings,
* That sweetly floated on the Zephyr's wings;
And foon a band of damfels blithe and fair,
With flowing mantles and dishevel'd hair,
Came with quick pace along the folemn wood,
Where wrap'd in wonder and delight he stood :
In loose transparent robes they were array'd,
Which half their beauties hid, and half display'd.

The follies and vanities of the world.

A lovely nymph approach'd him with a smile, And faid, "O, welcome to this blissful ifle! "For thou art he, whom ancient bards foretold, "Doom'd in our clime to bring an age of gold: "Hail, facred king, and from thy fubject's hand, "Accept the robes and fceptre of the land."

"Sweet maid, faid he, fair learning's heav'nly beam "O'er my young mind ne'er fhed her favʼring gleam; "Nor has my arm e'er hurl'd the fatal lance,

"While defp'rate legions o'er the plain advance: "How fhould a fimple youth, unfit to bear

"The steely mail, that splendid mantle wear!”
"Ah! faid the damfel, from this happy shore

"We banish wisdom, and her idle lore;
"No clarions here the ftrains of battle fing,

"With notes of mirth our joyful valleys ring.
"Peace to the brave! o'er us the beauteous reign,
"And ever-charming pleasures form our train.”

This faid, a diadem, inlay'd with pearls,

She plac'd respectful on his golden curls;

Another o'er his graceful fhoulder threw

A filken mantle of the rofe's hue,

Which, clasp'd with ftuds of gold, behind him flow'd,
And through the folds his glowing bofom show'd.
Then in a car, by fnowwhite courfers drawn,
They led him o'er the dew-besprinkled lawn,
Through groves of joy and arbours of delight,
With all that could allure his ravish'd fight;
Green hillocks, meads, and rofy grots he view'd,

And verd❜rous plains with winding streams bedew'd.
On ev'ry bank, and under ev'ry fhade,

A thousand youths, a thousand damfels play'd'

Some wantonly were tripping in a ring

On the foft border of a gushing spring,

While fome reclining in the fhady vales,

Told to their smiling loves their am'rous tales:

But when the sportful train beheld from far

The nymphs returning with the stately car,
O'er the smooth plain with hafty steps they came,
And hail'd their youthful king with loud acclaim;
With flow'rs of ev'ry tint the paths they ftrow'd,
And caft their chaplets on the hallow'd road.

At last they reach'd the bofom of a wood,
Where on a hill a radiant palace ftood,

A fumptuous dome, by hands immortal made,
Which on its walls and on its gates difplay'd
The gems that in the rocks of Tibet glow,
The pearls that in the fhells of Ormus grow..
And now a num'rous train advance to meet
The youth defcending from his regal feat;

Whom to a rich and spacious hall they led,

With filken carpets delicately spread :

There on a throne, with gems unnumber'd grac'd,

Their lovely king fix blooming damsels plac'd, *

* The pleafures of the fenfes,

And