So beauteous Helen fhines among the rest,
Tall, slender, straight, with all the Graces blest.
As pines the mountains, or as fields the corn,
Or as Theffalian fteeds the race adorn;
So rofy-colour'd Helen is the pride
Of Lacedæmon, and of Greece befide.
Like her no nymph can willing ofiers bend
In basket-works, which painted streaks commend:
With Pallas in the loom fhe may contend.
But none, ah! none can animate the lyre,
And the mute ftrings with vocal fouls infpire;
Whether the learn'd Minerva be her theme,
Or chafte Diana bathing in the stream:

None can record their heavenly praise so well
As Helen, in whofe eyes ten thoufand Cupids dwell,
O fair, O graceful! yet with maids inroll'd,
But whom to-morrow's fun a matron fhall behold!
Yet ere to-morrow's fun fhall fhew his head,
The dewy paths of meadows we will tread,
For crowns and chaplets to adorn thy head.
Where all shall weep, and wish for thy return,
As bleating lambs their absent mother mourn.
Our nobleft maids fhall to thy name bequeath
The boughs of Lotos, form'd into a wreath.
This monument, thy maiden beauty's due,
High on a plane-tree shall be hung to view:
On the smooth rind the passenger shall fee
Thy name engrav'd, and worship Helen's tree :
Balm, from a filver-box diftill'd around,

Shall all bedew the roots, and scent the facred ground.

}

}

The

fires:

The balm, 'tis true, can aged plants prolong,
But Helen's name will keep it ever young.
Hail bride, hail bridegroom, fon-in-law to Jove!
With fruitful joys Latona blefs your love;
Let Venus furnish you with full defires,
Add vigour to your wills, and fuel to your
Almighty Jove augment your wealthy ftore,
Give much to you, and to his grandfons more.
From generous loins a generous race will fpring,
Each girl, like her, a queen; each boy, like you, a king.
Now fleep, if fleep you can; but while you reft,
Sleep clofe, with folded arms, and breast to breast:
Rife in the morn; but oh! before you rise,
Forget not to pefrorm your morning facrifice.

We will be with you ere the crowing cock

Salutes the light, and ftruts before his feather'd flock. Hymen, oh Hymen, to thy triumphs run,

And view the mighty spoils thou hast in battle won.

THE

DESPAIRING

LOVE R.

From the 23d Idyllium of THEOCRITUS.

WITH mauspicious love, a wretched fwair

Purfued the fairest nymph of all the plain;
Fairest indeed, but prouder far than fair,
She plung'd him hopeless in a deep despair :
Her heavenly form too haughtily she priz'd,
His perfon hated, and his gifts defpis'd;
Nor knew the force of Cupid's cruel darts,
Nor fear'd his awful power on human hearts;
But either from her hopeless lover fled,
Or with difdainful glances shot him dead.
No kifs, no look, to cheer the drooping boy;
No word the spoke, she scorn'd ev'n to deny.
But, as a hunted panther cafts about

Her glaring eyes, and pricks her listening ears to scout,
So fhe, to fhun his toils, her cares employ'd,

And fiercely in her favage freedom joy'd.

Her mouth fhe writh'd, her forehead taught to frown,

Her eyes to sparkle fires to love unknown :

Her fallow cheeks her envious mind did fhew,

And every feature spoke aloud the curstness of a shrew. Yet could not he his obvious fate escape:

His love ftill drefs'd her in a pleasing shape;

3

And

And every fullen frown, and bitter fcorn,
But fann'd the fuel that too faft did burn.
Long time, unequal to his mighty pain,
He ftrove to curb it, but he ftrove in vain :
At last his woes broke out, and begg'd relief
With tears, the dumb petitioners of grief:
With tears fo tender as adorn'd his love,

And any heart, but only hers, would move.
Trembling before her bolted doors he stood,
And there pour'd out th' unprofitable flood:
Staring his eyes, and haggard was his look;
Then, kissing first the threshold, thus he spoke:
Ah nymph, more cruel than of human race!
Thy tigrefs heart belies thy angel face :
Too well thou fhew'ft thy pedigree from stone:
Thy granddame's was the first by Pyrrha thrown :
Unworthy thou to be fo long defir'd;

But fo my love, and fo my fate requir'd.
I beg not now (for 'tis in vain) to live;
But take this gift, the laft that I can give.
This friendly cord fhall foon decide the ftrife
Betwixt my lingering love and loathfome life:
This moment puts an end to all my pain;
I fhall no more defpair, nor thou difdain.
Farewell, ungrateful and unkind! I go
Condemn'd by thee to thofe fad fhades below.
I go th`extremeft remedy to prove,

To drink oblivion, and to drench my love:
There happily to lofe my long defires :

But ah! what draught fo deep to quench my fires?

Farewell, ye never-opening gates, ye ftones,
And threshold guilty of my midnight moans.
What I have fuffer'd here, ye know too well;
What I fhall do, the Gods and I can tell.
The rofe is fragrant, but it fades in time;
The violet sweet, but quickly past the prime ;
White lilies hang their heads, and foon decay,
And whiter fnow in minutes melts away:
Such is your blooming youth, and withering fo :
The time will come, it will, when you shall know
The rage of love; your haughty heart fhall burn
In flames like mine, and meet a like return.
Obdurate as you are, oh! hear at least
My dying prayers, and grant my last request.
When first you ope your doors, and paffing by
The fad ill-omen'd object meets your eye,
Think it not loft, a moment if you ftay;
The breathlefs wretch, fo made by you, furvey:
Some cruel pleasure will from thence arise,
To view the mighty ravage of your eyes.
I wish (but oh! my wifh is vain, I fear)
The kind oblation of a falling tear :

Then loofe the knot, and take me from the place,
And fpread your mantle o'er my grizly face;
Upon my livid lips beftow a kifs :

O envy not the dead; they feel not blifs!
Nor fear your kiffes can restore my breath;
Ev'n you are not more pityless than death.
Then for my corpfe a homely grave provide,
Which love and me from public fcorn may hide.

3

Thrice