But heaven its hero can no longer spare, To mix in our tumultuons broils below; Yet fuffer'd his forefceing care, Those bolts of vengeance to prepare, Which other hands fhall throw; That glory to a mighty queen remains, To triumph o'er the extinguish'd foe ;
She fhall fupply the thunderer's place; As Pallas, from th' ethereal plains, Warr'd on the giants impious race, And laid their huge demolish'd works in fmoky ruins low.
Then Anne's fhall rival great Eliza's reign; And William's genius, with a grateful smile, Look down, and bless this happy isle; And peace, reftor'd, fhall wear her olive crown again.
Ar dead of night, when mortals lose Their various cares in foft repose, I heard a knocking at my door : Who's that, faid I, at this late hour Disturbs my reft ?—It sobb'd and cry'd, And thus in mournful tone reply'd. "A poor unhappy child am I,
"That's come to beg your charitÿ; "Pray let me in-You need not fear; "I mean no harm, I vow and swear; "But, wet and cold, crave fhelter here; "Betray'd by night, and led aftray, "I've loft-alas! I've loft my way."
Mov'd with this little tale of fate, I took a lamp, and op'd the gate! When fee! a naked boy before The threshold; at his back he wore A pair of wings, and by his fide A crooked bow and quiver ty'd. "My pretty angel! come, faid I, "Come to the fire, and do not cry!' I ftrok'd his neck and shoulders bare, And fqueez'd the water from his hair; Then chaf'd his little hands in mine, And cheer'd him with a draught of wine. Recover'd thus fays he, "I'd know, "Whether the rain has fpoil'd my bow; "Let's try"-then fhot me with a dart. The venom throbb'd, did ache and smart, As if a bee had ftung my heart. "Are these your thanks, ungrateful child, "Are thefe your thanks? Th' impoftor fmil'd; Farewell, my loving hoft, fays he; "All's well; my bow's unhurt, 1 fee; "But what a wretch I've made of thee!
STORY OF PYRAMUS AND THISBE. From the Fourth Book of Ovid's Metamorphofes, WHERE Babylon's proud walls, erected high By fam'd Semiramis, afcend the fky, Dwelt youthful Pyramus, and Thisbe fair;. Adjoining houfes held the lovely pair.
His perfect form all other youths surpass'd; Charms fuch as her's no eaftern beauty grac'd. Near neighbourhood the first acquaintance drew, An early promife of the love t' enfue. [kind, Time nurs'd the growing flame; had fate been The nuptial rites their faithful hands had join'd; But, with vain threats, forbidding parents ftrove To check the joy; they could not check the love. Each captive heart confumes is like defire; The more conceal'd, the fiercer rag'd the fire. Soft looks, the filent eloquence of eyes, And fecret figns, fecure trom household spies, Exchange their thoughts; the common wall, be-
Each parted house, retain'd a chink, unseen For ages paft. The lovers foon espy'd This Imall defect, for love is eagle-ey'd, And in foft whispers foon the paffage try'd. Safe went the murmur'd founds, and every day A thousand amorous blandishments convey; And often, as they stood on either fide, To catch by turns the flitting voice, they cry'd, Why, envious wall, ah! why dost thou destroy The lovers hopes, and why forbid the joy? How fhould we blefs thee, would't thou yield to charms,
And, opening, let us rush into each other's arms? At leaft, if that's too much, afford a space To meeting lips, nor fhall we flight the grace; We owe to thee this freedom to complain, And breathe our vows, but vows, alas! in vain. Thus having faid, when evening call'd to reft, The faithful pair on either fide imprest An intercepted kifs, then bade good-night; But when th' enfuing dawn had put to flight The ftars, and Phoebus, rifing from his bed, Drank up the dews, and dry'd the flowery mead, Again they meet, in fighs again difclofe Their grief, and laft this bold defign propofc; That, in the dead of night, both would deceive Their keepers, and the house and city leave; And left, efcap'd, without the walls they ftray In pathlefs fields, and wander from the way, At Ninus' tomb their meeting they agree, Beneath the fhady covert of the tree; The tree well known near a cool fountain grew, And bore fair mulberries of fnowy hue. The project pleas'd; the fun's unwelcome light (That flowly feem'd to move, and flack his flight) [fable night;
Sunk in the feas; from the fame feas arofe the When, ftealing through the dark, the crafty fair Unlock'd the door, and gain'd the open air; Love gave her courage; unperceiv'd she went, Wrapp'd in a veil, and reach'd the monument. Then fat beneath th' appointed tree alone; But, by the glimmering of the fhining moon, She fat not long, before from far the spy'd A lionefs approach the fountain-fide; Fierce was her glare, her foamy paws in bloed Of slaughter'd bulls befmear'd, and foul with food; For reeking from the prey, the favage came, To drown her thirft within the neighbouring Affrighted Thisbe, trembling at the fight, [ftream. Fled to a daikfome den, but in her flight
Her veil dropp'd off behind. Deep of the flood The monfter drank, and, fatiate, to the wood Returning, found the garment as it lay, And, torn with bloody feet, difpers'd it in her
Belated Pyramus arriv'd, and found The mark of favage feet along the fandy ground; All pale he turn'd; but foon as he beheld The crimfen'd vefture scatter'd o'er the field, One night, he cry'd, two lovers fhall deftroy! She worthy to have liv'd long years of joy, But mine's the forfeit life; unhappy maid! 'Twas I that flew thee, I th' appointment made; To places full of death thy innocence betray'd, And came not first myself-O hither halte, Ye lions all, that roam this rocky wafte! Tear my devoted entrails, gnaw, divide, And gorge your famine in my open'd fide! But cowards call for death!-Thus having spoke, The fatal garment from the ground he took, And bore it to the tree; ardent he kifs'd, And bath'd in flowing tears the-well-known veft; Now take a second stain, the lover faid, While from his side he snatch'd his sharpen'd blade, And drove it in his groin; then from the wound Withdrew the steel, and staggering fell to ground: As when, a conduit broke, the ftreams fhoot high, Starting in fudden fountains through the sky, So fpouts the living ftream, and fprinkled o'er The tree's fair berries with a crimfan gore, While, fapp'd in purple floods, the confcious root Tranfmits the ftain of murder to the fruit.
The fair, who fear'd to disappoint her love, Yet trembling with the fright, forfuck the grove, And fought the youth, impatient to relate Her new adventure, and th' avoided fate. She faw the vary'd tree had luft its white, And doubting stood if that could be the right, Nor doubted long; for now her eyes beheld A dying perfen fpurn the fanguine field. Aghaft fhe fiarted back, and shook with pain, As rifing breezes curl the trembling main. She gaz'd awhile entranc'd; but when the found It was her lover weltering on the ground, She heat her lovely breast, and tore her hair, Clafp'd the dear corpfe, and, frantic in despair, Kifs'd his cold face, fupply'd a briny flood To the wide wound, and mingled tears with blood. Say, Pyramus, oh fay, what chance fevere Has fuatch'd thee from my arms?-- 'Tis thy own Thisbe calls, look up and hear! At Thibe's name he lifts his dying eyes, And, having feen her, clos'd them up, and dies. But when he knew the bloody veil, and ipy'd The ivory fcabbard empty by his fide, Ah! wretched youth, faid fhe, by love betray'd! Thy haplefs hand guided the fatal blade. Weak as I am, I boaft as ftrong a love; For fuch a deed, this hand as bold fhail prove. I'll follow thee to death; the world fhall call Thisbe the caufe, and partner of thy fall;} And ev'n in death, which could alone disjoin Our perfons, yet in death thou shalt be mine. But hear, in both our names, this dying prayer, Ye wretched parents of a wretched pair!
Let in one urn our afhes be confin'd, Whom mutual love and the fame fate have join'd. And thou, fair tree, beneath whose friendly fhade, One lifeless lover is already laid,
And foon fhall cover two; for ever wear Death's fable hue, and purple berries bear! She faid, and plunges in her breaft the fword, Yet warm, and reeking from its flaughter'd lord. Relenting heaven allows her last request, And pity touch'd their mournful parents breast. The fruit, when ripe, a purple dye retains; And in one urn are plac'd their dear remains.
IN IMITATION OF OVID, AMORUM, LIB, I. ELEG. 2.
TELL me, fome god, whence does this change arife;
Why gentle fleep forfakes my weary eyes? Why, turning often, all the tedious night In pain I lie, and watch the springing light ?— What cruel dæmon haunts my tortur'd mind? Sure, if 'twere love, I fhould th' invader find; Unless difguis'd he lurks, the crafty boy, With filent arts ingenious to destroy. Alas! 'tis fo-'tis fix'd the fecret dart; i feel the tyrant ravaging my heart. Then, fhall I yield; or th' infant flame oppofe? I yield-Resistance would increase my woes: For ftruggling flaves a fharper doom fuftain, Than fuch as ftoop obedient to the chain. I own thy power, almighty love! I'm thine With pinion'd hands behold me here refign! Let this fubmiffion then my life obtain; Small praise 'twill be, if thus unarm'd I'm flain. Go, join thy mother's doves; with myrtle braid thy hair;
The god of war himself a chariot shall prepare; Then thou triumphant through the fhouting throng [along;
Shalt ride, and move with art the willing birds. While captive youths and maids, in folemn state, Adorn the scene, and on thy triumph wait. There I, a later conqueft of thy bow, In chains will follow too; and as I go, To pitying eyes the new-made wound will fhow, Next, all that dare love's fovereign power defy, In fetters bound, inglorious fhall pass by; All fhall fubmit to thee-Th' applauding crowd Shall lift their hands, and fing thy praise aloud. Soft looks fhall in thy equipage appear, With amorous play, mistake, and jealous fear. Be this thy guard, great love! be this thy train; Since thefe extend o'er men and gods thy reign; But robb'd of these, thy power is weak and vain. From heaven thy mother shall thy pomp furvey, And, smiling, scatter fragrant fhowers of rofes in
Whilt thou, array'd in thy unrival'd pride, On golden wheels, all gold thyfelf, fhalt ride: Thy spreading wings fhall richest diamonds
And gems fhall fparkle in thy lovely hair.
Thus paffing by, thy arm fhall hurl around Ten thousand fires, ten thoufand hearts shall wound.
This is thy practice, love, and this thy gain; From this thou canst not, if thou would'st, refrain ; Since ev'n thy prefence, with prolific heat, Does reach the heart, and active flames create. From conquer'd India, fo the * jovial god, Drawn o'er the plains by harnefs'd tigers, rode. Then fince, great love, I take a willing place Amidst thy fpoils, the facred fhow to grace; O cease to wound, and let thy fatal ftore Of piercing shafts be spent on me no more. No more, too powerful in my charmer's eyes, Torment a flave, that for her beauty dies; Or look in fmiles from thence, and I fhall be A flave no longer, but a god, like thee.
COME, my mufe, a Venus draw; Not the fame the Grecians faw, By the fam'd Apelles wrought, Beauteous offspring of his thought. No fantastic goddefs mine, Fiction far she does outshine. Queen of fancy hither bring On thy gaudy-feather'd wing All the beauties of the fpring. Like the bee's induftrious pains To colled his golden gains, So from every flower and plant Gather first th' immortal paint. Fetch me lilies, fetch me rofes, Daifies, violets, cowflip-pofies, Amaranthus, parrot pride, Woodhines, pinks, and what befide Does th' embroider'd meads adorn; Where the fawns and fatyrs play In the merry month of May. Steal the blush of opening morn; Borrow Cynthia's filver white, When the fhines at noon of night, Free from clouds to veil her light. Juno's bird his tail fhall spread, Iris' bow its colour fhed, All to deck this charming piece, Far furpaffing ancient Greece.
Firft her graceful stature show, Not too tall, nor yet too low.
Fat fhe must not be, nor lean; Let her shape be straight and clean; Small her waist, and, thence increas'd, Gently fwells her rifing breast.
Next, in comely order trace All the glories of her face. Paint her neck of ivory, Smiling checks and forehead high, Ruby lips, and sparkling eyes, Whence refiftlels lightning flies.
Foolish mufe! what haft thou done? Scarce th' outlines are yet begun,
Ere thy pencil's thrown afide! 'Tis no matter, love reply'd ; (Love's unlucky god stood by) At one ftruke behold how I Will th' unfinish'd draught supply. Smiling then he took his dart, And drew her picture in my heart,
LET Phœbus his late happiness rehearse, And grace Barn- Elms with never-dying verse ! Smooth was the Thames, his waters fleeping lay, Unwak'd by winds that o'er the furface play; When th' early god, arifing from the east, Difclos'd the golden dawn, with blushes dreft. First in the stream his own bright form he fees, But brighter forms fhine through the neighbour- ing trees.
He speeds the rising day, and sheds his light Redoubled on the grove, to gain a nearer fight. Not with more fpeed his Daphne he purfu'd, Nor fair Leucothoe with fuch pleasure view'd; Five dazzling nymphs in graceful pomp appear: He thinks his Daphne and Leucothoe here, Join'd with that heavenly three, who on mount Ide Descending once the prize of beaty try'd.
Ye verdant elms, that towering grace this grove, Be facred still to beauty and to love! No thunder break, nor lightning glare between Your twisted boughs, but fuch as then was feen. 'The grateful fun will every morning rise Propitious here, faluting from the skies Your lofty tops, indulg'd with sweetest air, And every fpring your loffes he'll repair; Nor his own laurels more fhall be his care.
THE SICKNESS OF THE FORMER.
AN altar raife to friendship's holy flame, Infcrib'd with Phoebe's and Afteria's name! Around it mingled in a folemn band, Let Phœbe's lovers, and Afteria's stand, With fervent vows t'attend the facrifice; While rich perfumes from melted gums arife, To bribe for Phoebe's health the partial skies.
Forbid it, love, that fickly blafts confume The flower of beauty in its tender bloom! Shall fhe fo foon to her own heaven retire, Who gave fo oft, yet never felt thy fire? Who late at fplendid feasts so graceful fhone, By pleasing smiles and numerous conquefts known; Where, 'midst the brightest nymphs, the bore the prize
From all-from all but her Afteria's eyes. Behold the maid, who then fecure repell'd
The fhafts of love, by fainting fickness quell'd!
(As beauty's goddess once a wound fuftain'd, Not from her fon, but from a + mortal's hand) Afteria too forgets her fprightly charms, And drooping lies within her Phoebe's arms.
Thus in romantic hiftories we read
Of tournaments by fome great prince decreed, Where two companion knights their lances wield With matchlefs force, and win, from all, the field; Till one, o'erheated in the course, retires, And feels within his veins a fever's fires; His grieving friend his laurels throws away, And mourns the dear-bought triumphs of the day. So ftrict's the union of this tender pair, What heaven decrees for one, they both must share. Like meeting rivers, in one stream they flow, And no divided joys or forrows know. Not the bright || twins, preferr'd in heaven to shine,
Fair Leda's fons, in fuch a league could join. One foul, as fables tell, by turns fupply'd That heavenly pair, by turns they liv'd and dy'd : But these have fworn a matchlefs fympathy, They'll live together, or together die.
When Heaven did at Afteria's birth bestow Thofe lavish chaims, with which the wounds us fo, To form her glorious mind, it did inspire A double portion of th' æthereal fire, That half might afterward be thence convey'd, To animate that other lovely maid. Thus native instinct does their hearts combine, It knots too clofe for fortune to untwine.
So India boasts a tree, that spreads around Its amorous boughs, which bending reach the ground,
Where taking root again, the branches raise A fecond tree to meet its fond embrace; Then fide by fide the friendly neighbours thrive, Fed by one fap, and in each other live.
Of Phoebe's health we need not fend to know How nature ftrives with her invading foe, What symptoms good or ill each day arise; We read thofe changes in Afteria's eyes. Thus in fome crystal fountain you may spy The face of heaven, and the reflected fky, See what black clouds arife, when tempefts lower And gathering mists portend a falling shower, And when the fun breaks out, with conquering
Around your couch whilft fighing lovers view Wit, beauty, goodness, suffering all in you; So mournful is the fcene, 'tis hard to tell Which face betrays the fick, or who is well. They feel not their own pains, while your's they share,
Worfe tortur'd now, than lately by despair. For bleeding veins a like relief is found, When iron red hot by burning ftops the wound. Grant, Heaven, they cry, this moment our defire, To fee her well, though we the next expire.
YE (wains, whom radiant beauty moves, O mufic's art with sounds divine, Think how the rapturous charm improves, Where two fuch gifts celeftial join;
Where Cupid's bow, and Phœbus' lyre,
In the fame powerful hand are found;
Where lovely eyes inflame desire,
While trembling notes are taught to wound.
Inquire not who's the matchless fair, That can this double death beftow: If young Harmonia's ftrains you hear, Or view her eyes, too well you'll know.
CUPID, furvey thy fbining train around
The lovely warriors that in bright array Thy power fupport, and propagate thy fway. Then fay, what beauteous general wilt thou choose, To lead the fair brigade against thy rebel foes? Behold the god advance in comely pride, Arm'd with his bow, his quiver by his fide; Inferior Cupids on their mafter wait; He fimiles well pleas'd, and waves his wings in His little hands imperial trophies bear, And laurel wreaths to grace th' elected fair.
Hyde-park the scene for the review he nam'd, Hyde-park for pleasure and for beauty fam'd, Where, oft from western skies the god of light Sees new-arifing funs, than his more bright; Then sets in blushes, and conveys his fire To diftant lands, that more his beams require. And now the charming candidates appear Behold Britannia's victor graces there, Who vindicate their country's ancient claim To Love's pre-eminence, and beauty's fame. Some, who, at Anna's court, in honour rais'd, Adorn birth -nights, by crowding nations prais'd; Preserv'd in Kneller's pictures ever young, In ftrains immortal by the mufes fung.
Around the ring th' illuftrious rivals move, And teach to love himself the power of love. Scarce, though a god, he can with safety gaze On glory fo profufe, fuch mingled rays; For love had eyes on this important day, And Venus from his forehead took the blinding cloth away.
Here Mira pafs'd, and fix'd his wandering vi w, Her perfect shape diftinguifhed praifes drew; Tall, beauteous, and majeflic to the fight, She led the train, and sparkled in the light. [eyes, There Stella claims the wreath, and pleads her By which each day fome new adorer dies.
Screna, by good-humour doubly fair, With native (weetness charms, and fmiling air. While Flora's youthful years and looks display The bloom of ripening fruits, the innocence of May,
The opening fweets that months of pleasure bring, The dawn of love, and life's indulgent spring.
'Iwere endless to describe the various darts, With which the fair are arm'd to conquer hearts. Whatever can the ravish'd foul infpire With tender thoughts, and animate desire, All arts and virtues mingled in the train; And long the lovely rivals ftrove in vain,
While Cupid unrefolv'd still search'd around the plain.
could I find, faid love, the phoenix fhe, In whom at once the feveral charms agree; That phoenix the the laurel crown should have, And love himseif with pride become her flave,
He scarce had fpoke, when fee-Harmonia
Chance brought her there, and not defire of fame; Unknowing of the choice, till fhe beheld The god approach to crown her in the field. Th' unwilling maid, with wondrous modesty, Disclaim'd her right, and put the laurel by : Warm blushes on her tender cheeks arise,
Of favourite nymphs, for conqueft most renown'd; | And double softness beautify'd her eyes.
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