Not Neptune's felf from all her streams receives Nor Po fo fwells the fabling Poet's lays, To grace Like the bright Beauties on thy banks below; Happy the man whom this bright Court approves, 225 230 Whom Nature charms, and whom the Muse inspires; He gathers health from herbs the forest yields, 240 VARIATIONS. Ver. 233. It ftood thus in the MS. And force great Jove, if Jove's a lover ftill, Ver. 235. Happy the man, who to the fhades retires, But doubly happy, if the Muse infpires! Bleft whom the fweets of home-felt quiet please; Now Now marks the course of rolling orbs on high; 245 250 To follow nature, and regard his end; Or looks on heaven with more than mortal eyes, Amid her kindred stars familiar roam, 255 Such was the life great Scipio once admir'd, Thus Atticus, and Trumbal thus retir'd. Ye facred Nine! that all my foul poffefs, Whose raptures fire me, and whose visions bless, 260 To Thames's banks which fragrant breezes fill, I hear foft mufic die along the grove : 265 VARIATION. Ver. 267. It ftood thus in the MS. Methinks around your holy fcenes I rove, grove : Led Led by the found, I roam from shade to shade, By god-like poets venerable made : Here his first lays majestic Denham sung; 270 There the last numbers flow'd from Cowley's tongue. O early loft! what tears the river shed, When the fad pomp along his banks was led! His drooping (wans on every note expire, 275 Since fate relentless stopp'd their heavenly voice, No more the forefts ring, or groves rejoice; Who now shall charm the shades, where Cowley ftrung His living harp, and lofty Denham fung? 280 But hark! the groves rejoice, the forest rings! 285 To crown the forests with immortal greens, Make Windfor hills in lofty numbers rise, And lift her turrets nearer to the skies; VARIATIONS. 290 Here Ver. 275 What fighs, what murmurs, fill'd the vocal shore! Ver. 290. her filver ftar.] All the lines that follow were not added to the poem till the year 1710. What immediately followed this, and made the conclufion, were thefe, My humble Mufe, in unambitious ftrains, Where Here noble Surrey felt the facred rage, 295 Oh would'st thou fing what heroes Windfor bore, What kings firft breath'd upon her winding fhore, 300 Or raise old warriors, whofe ador'd remains In weeping vaults her hallow'd earth contains! Stretch his long triumphs down through every age, The lilies blazing on the regal shield: Then, from her roofs when Verrio's colours fall, Where I obfcurely pafs my careless days, Pleas'd in the filent fhade with empty praise, Enough for me that to the liftening fwains First in these fields I fung the fylvan strains. Ver. 307. Originally thus in the MS. Here When Brafs decays, when Trophies lie o'erthrown, And mouldering into duft drops the proud ftone. Here o'er the Martyr-King the marble weeps, 315 320 Make facred Charles's tomb for ever known At length great Anna faid,-" Let Difcord ceafe!" In that bleft moment from his oozy bed Old father Thames advanc'd his reverend head. VARIATIONS. Ver. 321. Originally thus in the MS. Oh fact accurs'd! oh facrilegious brood, Since that dire morn what tears has Albion fhed! Ver. 327. Thus in the MS. Till Anna rofe, and bade the Furies ceafe; Let there be peace-she said, and all was Peace. 325 330 His Between verfe 330 and 331, originally stood these lines: With fparkling flames heaven's glowing concave fhone, He |