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

A faithful fwain, whom love had taught to fing,

Soft as he mourn'd, the streams forgot to flow, The flocks around a dumb compaffion fhew,

VARIATIONS.

Where gentle Thames his winding waters leads Through verdant forests, and through flowery

meads.

Ver. 3. Originally thus in the MS. There to the winds he plain'd his hapless love,

30

Where ftray ye, muses, in what lawn or grove, While your Alexis pines in hopeless love? In thofe fair fields where facred Ifis glides, Or elfe where Cam his winding vales divides? As in the crystal spring I view my face, Fresh rifing blushes paint theatery glass; But fince those graces please thy eyes no more, I fhun the fountains which I fought before. Once I was fkill'd in every herb that grew, And every plant that drinks the morning dew; Ah, wretched thepherd, what avails thy art, To cure thy lambs, but not to heal thy heart! Let other fwains attend the rural care, Feed fairer flocks, or richer fleeces fheer : Brt nigh yon' mountain let me tune my lays, E brace my love, and bind my brows with bays. That flute is mine which Colin's tuneful breath Infpir'd when living, and bequeath'd in death: 40 He faid; Alexis, take this pipe, the fame That taught the groves my Rofalinda's name : But now the reeds shall hang on yonder tree, For ever filent, fince defpis'd by thee.

O! were I made by fome transforming power The captive bird that fings within thy bower! Then might my voice thy liftening ears employ, And I thofe kiffes he receives enjoy.

And yet my numbers please the rural throng, Rough Satyrs dance, and Pan applauds the fong 50 The nymphs, forfaking every cave and fpring, Their early fruit and milk-white turtles bring!

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 27.

Oft in the crystal spring I caft a view,
And equail'd Hylas, if the glafs be true;
But fince thofe graces meet my eyes no more,
fhun, &c.

Each amorous nymph prefers her gifts in *ain,
On you their gifts are all beftow'd again,
For you the fwains the faireft flowers defign,
And in one garland all their beauties join ;
Accept the wreath which you deserve alone,
In whom all beauties are compria'd in one.

60

See what delights in fylvan fcenes appear! Defcending Gods have found Elysium here. In woods bright Venus with Adonis stray'd, And chafte Diana haunts the forest shade. Come, lovely nymph, and bless the silent hours, When fwains from theering feek their nightly bowers;

70

When weary reapers quit the fultry field,
And crown'd with corn their thanks to Ceres yield.
This harmless grove no lurking viper hides,
But in my breast the ferpent Love abides.
Here bees from bloffoms fip the rofy dew,
But your Alexis knows no fweets but you.
Oh deign to vifit our forfaken feats,
The moffy fountains, and the green retreats!
Where'er you walk, cool gales fhall fan the glade;
Trees, where you fit, fhall crowd into a fhade:
Where'er you tread, the blushing flowers shall rise,
And all things flourish where you turn your eyes.
Oh! how i long with you to pass my days,
Invoke the mufes, and refound your praise!
Your praise the birds shall chart in every grove,
And winds fhall waft it to the powers above. 8
But would you fing, and rival Orpheus' strain,
The wondering forests soon should dance again,
The moving mountains hear the powerful call,
And headlong ftreanis hang listening in their fall!

But fee, the shepherds fhun the noon-day heat,
The lowing herds to murm'ring brooks retreat,
To clofer fhades the panting flocks remove;
Ye gods and is there no relief for love!
But foon the fun with milder rays defcends
To the cool ocean, where his journey ends:
On me love's fiercer flames for ever prey,
By night he scorches, as he burns by day.

VARIATIONS. Ver. 79 80.

90

Your praise the tuneful birds to heaven shall bear, And liftening wolves grow milder as they hear.

So the verses were originally written; but the author, young as he was, so n found the abfurdity, which Spenfer himself overlooked, of introducing wolves into England.

Ver. 91. Me love inflames, nor will his fires allay.

groan.

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away!
To Delia's ear the tender notes convey,
As fome fad turtle his loft love deplores,
And with deep murmurs fills the foundingfhores; 20
Thus, far from Delia, to the winds I mourn,
Alike unheard, unpity'd, and forlorn.
Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs along!
For her, the feather'd quires neglect their fong;
For her, the limes their pleafing fhades deny;
For her, the lilies hang their heads and die.
Ye Bowers that droop, forfaken by the spring,
Ye birds that, left by fummer, cease to fing,
Ye trees that fade when autumn heats remove,
Say, is not abfence death to those who love?

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away!
Curs'd be the fields that cause my Delia's stay;
Fade every bloffom, wither ever tree,
Die every flower, and perifh all, but the.
What have I faid? where'er my Delia flies,
Let fpring attend, and fudden flowers arife!
Let opening roses knotted oaks adorn,
And liquid amber drop from every thorn.

Not fhowers to larks, or funfhine to the bec, Are half fo charming as thy fight to me.

50

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away! Come, Delia, come; ah, why this long delay? Through rocks and caves the name of Delia founds, Delia, each cave and echoing rock rebounds. Ye powers, what pleafing frenzy foothes my mind! Do lovers dream, or is my Delia kind? She comes, my Delia comes!--Now cease my lay, And ceafe, ye gales, to bear my fighs away! [mir'd;

Next Ægon fung, while Windfor groves adRehearse, ye muses, what yourselves inspir'd.

60

Refound, ye hills, refound my mournful strain ! Of perjur❜d Doris, dying I complain; Here where the mountains, leffening as they rife, Lofe the low vales, and fteal into the fkies; While labouring oxen, fpent with toil and heat, In their loofe traces from the field retreat; While curling finokes from village tops are feen,` And the fleet fhades glide o'er the dusky green.

Refound, ye hills, refound my mournful lay! Beneath yon' poplar oft we pais'd the day : Oft on the rind I carv'd her amorous vows, While the with garlands hung the bending boughs: The garlands fade, the vows are worn away; So dies her love, and fo my hopes decay.

70

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs along! The birds shall ceafe to tune their evening fong, 40 The winds to breathe, the waving woods to move, And streams to murmur, ere I ceafe to love. Not bubbling fountains to the thirsty swain, Not balmy fleep to labourers faint with pain,

VARIATION.

Ver. 48. Originally thus in the MS. With him through Libya's burning plains I'll go, On Alpine mountains tread th' eternal fnow; Yet feel no heat but what our loves impart, And dread no coldness but in Thirfis' heart.

30

Where ftray ye, muses, in what lawn or grove, While y ur Alexis pines in hopeless love? In thofe fair fields where facred Ifis glides, Or elfe where Cam his winding vales divides? As in the crystal spring I view my face, Fresh rifing blufhes paint the watery glass; But fince thofe graces please thy eyes no more, I fhun the fountains which I fought before. Once I was fkill'd in every herb that grew, And every plant that drinks the morning dew; Ah, wretched fhepherd, what avails thy art, To cure thy lambs, but not to heal thy heart! Let other fwains attend the rural care, Feed fairer flocks, or richer fleeces fheer: But nigh yon' mountain let me tune my lays, E brace my love, and bind my brows with bays. That flute is mine whieh Colin's tuneful breath Infpir'd when living, and bequeath'd in death: 40 He faid; Alexis, take this pipe, the fame That taught the groves my Rofalinda's name : But now the reeds fhall hang on yonder tree, For ever filent, fince defpis'd by thee.

O! were I made by fome transforming power The captive bird that fings within thy bower! Then might my voice thy listening ears employ, And I thofe kiffes he receives enjoy.

And yet my numbers please the rural throng, Rough Satyrs dance, and Pan applauds the fong: 50 The nymphs, forfaking every cave and spring, Their early fruit and milk-white turtles bring!

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 27.

Oft in the crystal spring I cast a view,
And equail'd Hylas, if the glafs be true;
But fince those graces meet my eyes no more,
☀ shun, &c.

Each amorous nymph prefers her gifts in
On you their gifts are all bestow'd again,
For you the fwains the faireft flowers design,
And in one garland all their beauties join;
Accept the wreath which you deserve alone,
In whom all beauties are compris'd in one.

60

See what delights in fylvan fcenes appear! Defcending Gods have found Elyfium here. In woods bright Venus with Adonis stray'd, And chafte Diana haunts the forest shade. Come, lovely nymph, and bless the silent hours, When fwains from theering feek their nightly bowers;

70

When weary reapers quit the fultry field,
And crown'd with corn their thanks to Ceres yield.
This harmless grove no lurking viper hides,
But in my breast the serpent Love abides.
Here bees from bloffoms fip the rofy dew,
But your Alexis knows no sweets but you.
Oh deign to vifit our forfaken feats,
The moffy fountains, and the green retreats!
Where'er you walk, cool gales fhall fan the glade;
Trees, where you fit, fhall crowd into a fhade:
Where'er you tread, the blushing flowers fhall rise,
And all things flourish where you turn your eyes.
Oh! how I long with you to pass my days,
Invoke the mufes, and refound your praise !
Your praise the birds fhall chant in every grove,
And winds fhall waft it to the powers above. 8
But would you fing, and rival Orpheus' ftrain,
The wondering forests soon should dance again,
The moving mountains hear the powerful call,
And headlong streams hang liftening in their fall!

But fee, the fhepherds fhun the noon-day heat,
The lowing herds to murm'ring brooks retreat,
To closer shades the panting flocks remove;
Ye gods and is there no relief for love!
But foon the fun with milder rays defcends
To the cool ocean, where his journey ends:
On me love's fiercer flames for ever prey,
By night he fcorches, as he burns by day.

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 79 80.

90

Your praise the tuneful birds to heaven shall bear, And listening wolves grow milder as they hear.

So the verses were originally written; but the author, young as he was, fo n found the abfurdity, which Spenfer himself overlooked, of introducing wolves into England.

Ver. 91. Me love inflames, nor will his fires allay.

groan.

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away! To Delia's ear the tender notes convey, As fome fad turtle his loft love deplores, And with deep murmurs fills the foundingfhores; 20 Thus, far from Delia, to the winds I mourn, Alike unheard, unpity'd, and forlorn. Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs along!For her, the feather'd quires neglect their fong; For her, the limes their pleafing fhades deny; For her, the lilies hang their heads and die. Ye flowers that droop, forfaken by the spring, Ye birds that, left by fummer, cease to fing, Ye trees that fade when autumn heats remove, Say, is not abfence death to those who love? Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away! Curs'd be the fields that cause my Delia's stay; Fade every bloffom, wither ever tree, Die every flower, and perish all, but the. What have I faid? where'er my Delia flies, Let fpring attend, and fudden flowers arise! Let opening roles knotted oaks adorn, And liquid amber drop from every thorn.

30

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs along! The birds fhall ceafe to tune their evening fong, 40 The winds to breathe, the waving woods to move, And ftreams to murmur, ere I ceafe to love. Not bubbling fountains to the thirsty swain, Not balmy fleep to labourers faint with pain,

Not fhowers to larks, or funfhine to the bee, Are half fo charming as thy fight to me.

50

Go, gentle gales, and bear my fighs away! Come, Delia, come; ah, why this long delay? Through rocks and caves the name of Delia founds, Delia, each cave and echoing rock rebounds. Ye powers, what pleafing frenzy foothes my mind! Do lovers dream, or is my Delia kind? She comes, my Delia comes!--Now ceafe my lay, And ceafe, ye gales, to bear my fighs away! [mir'd;

Next Egon fung, while Windfor groves adRehearse, ye mufes, what yourselves infpir'd.

60

Refound, ye hills, refound my mournful strain ! Of perjur'd Doris, dying I complain; Here where the mountains, leffening as they rise, Lose the low vales, and steal into the fkies; While labouring oxen, fpent with toil and heat, In their loofe traces from the field retreat; While curling finokes from village tops are feen," And the fleet fhades glide o'er the dufky green.

Refound, ye hills, refound my mournful lay! Beneath yon' poplar oft we pais'd the day: Oft on the rind I carv'd her amorous vows, While fhe with garlands hung the bending boughs: The garlands fade, the vows are worn away; So dies her love, and fo my hopes decay.

70

Refound, ye hill, refound my mournful strain ! Now bright Arcturus glads the teeming grain; Now golden fruits on loaded branches fhine, And grateful clusters fwell with floods of wine; Now blufhing berries paint the yellow grove; Juft gods! fhall all things yield returns but love!

Refound, ye hills, refound my mournful lay! The shepherds cry," Thy flocks are left a prey." Ah what avails it me, the flocks to keep, Who loft my heart while I preferv'd my sheep? 8 Pan came, and afk'd, what magic caus'd my imart, Or what ill eyes malignant glances dart?

VARIATION.

Ver. 48. Originally thus in the MS. With him through Libya's burning plains I'll gó, On Alpine mountains tread th' eternal fnow; Yet feel no heat but what our loves impart, And dread no coldness but in Thirfis' heart.