STREP HON.

Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain,
Then hid in fhades, eludes her eager fwain ;
But feigns a laugh, to see me search around,
And by that laugh the willing fair is found.
DAPHNI S.

The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green,
She runs, but hopes fhe does not run unseen ;
While a kind glance at her pursuer flies,
How much at variance are her feet and eyes!

STREP HON.

O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow,
And trees weep amber on the banks of Po;
Bleft Thames's fhores the brightesft beauties yield,
Feed here my lambs, I'll feek no diftant field.

DAPHNI S.

Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves;
Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves;

If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windfor-shade.

VER. 61. It flood thus at first,

Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boaft,

Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coast,
Bleft Thames's fhores, &c.

55

60

65

VER. 58. She runs, but hopes.] Imitation of Virgil, Malo me Galatea petit, lafciva puella,

Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videri.

STRE

STRE PHO N.

All nature mourns, the skies relent in show'rs, Hufh'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs ; If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring, The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing.

DAPHNI S.

All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair,
The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air;

If Sylvia fmiles, new glories gild the fhore,
And vanquish'd nature seems to charm no more.
STREP HON.

In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love,
At morn the plains, at noon the fhady grove,
But Delia always; absent from her fight,
Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight.

DAPHNI S.

Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as May, More bright than noon, yet fresh as early day;!

·VER. 69. All nature mourns.]

Virg. Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, &c.
Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit
VER. 69, &c. These verses were thus at first;
All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Not wafted brooks the thirty flow'rs Supply;
If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to fpring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing.
: VOL. I.
C

71

75

80

Ev'n

Ev'n fpring displeases, when she shines not here;
But bleft with her, 'tis fpring throughout the year.

STREP HON.

Say, fhepherd, fay, in what glad foil appears, A wond'rous Tree that facred Monarchs bears? Tell me but this, and I'll difclaim the prize, And give the conquest to thy Sylvia's eyes.

DAPHNI S.

Nay tell me firft, in what more happy fields The Thistle springs, to which the Lilly yields? And then a nobler prize I will refign;

For Sylvia, charming Sylvia, fhall be thine.

DAMON.

Ceafe to contend, for (Daphnis) I decrée The bowl to Strephon, and the lamb to thee:

85

90

VER. 86. A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears. An allufion to the Royal Oak, in which Charles the fecond had been hid from the pursuit after the battle of Worcester.

VER. 90. The Thistle fprings, to which the Lilly yields,] alludes to the Device of the Scots Monarchs, the Thistle, worn by Queen Anne; and to the Arms of France, the Fleur de Lys. The two Riddles are in imitation of those in Virg. Ecl. 3.

Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum
Nafcuntur Flores, & Phyllida folus habebis.

Bleft

Bleft Swains, whofe nymphs in ev'ry grace excel, 95
Bleft Nymphs, whofe fwains thofe graces fing fo well!
Now rife and hafte to yonder woodbine bow'rs,
A foft retreat from fudden vernal show'rs;
The turf with rural dainties fhall be crown'd,
While opening blooms diffuse their sweets around.
For fee! the gath'ring flocks to fhelter tend,
And from the Pleiads fruitful show'rs descend.

VER. 99. was originally,

102

The turf with country dainties shall be spread,
And trees with twining branches fhade your head.

SUMMER.

THE

SECOND PASTORAL.

To Dr. GARTH.

Shepherd's Boy (he feeks no better name) Led forth his flocks along the filver Thame, Where dancing fun-beams on the waters play'd, And verdant alders form'd a quivʼring shade.

VER. 3. The Scene of this Paftoral by the River's fide; fuitable to the heat of the season; the Time, Noon.

VER. 1, 2, 3, 4. were thus printed in the firft edition;

A faithful fwain, whom Love bad taught to fing,
Bewail'd his fate befide a filver fpring ;
Where gentle Thames his winding waters leads,
Thro' verdant forefts, and thro' flow'ry meads.

There