65

DAPHNIS.
Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves į
Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves ;
If Windsor-shades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windsor-shade.

STREPHON.
All nature mourns, the skies relent in showr's,
Hush’darethe birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rşi
If Delia smile, the flow'rs begin to spring, 71
The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing,

DAPHNIS.
All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair,
The Sun's mild lustre warms the vital air ;
If Sylvia smiles, new glories gild the shore,
And vanquish'd nature seems to charm no more.

STREPHON.
In spring the fields, in autumn hills I love,
At morn the plains, at noon the shady grove,

/

75

VARIATIONS.
VER. 69. etc. These verses were thus at first :

All nature mourns, the birds their songs deny,
Nor wasted brooks the thirsty flow'rs fupply;
If Delia smile, the flow'rs begin to spring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing. P.

IMITATIONS.
VER. 69. All nature mourns,]
Virg. Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc.

Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit. P.

But Delia always; absent from her sight,
Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80

DAPHNIS.
Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet

mild

as may, More bright than noon, yet fresh as early day; Ev’n spring displeases, when she shines not here; But bleft with her, 'tis spring throughout the year.

STREPHON. Say, Daphnis, say, in what glad soil appears, A wond'rous Tree that sacred Monarchs bears : Tell me but this, and I'll disclaim the prize, And give the conquest to thy Sylvia's eyes. .

88 DAPHNIS. Nay tell me first, in what more happy fields The Thistle springs, to which the Lily yields: And then a nobler prize I will resign;

91 For Sylvia, charming Sylvia shall be thine.

REMARKS. Ver. 86. A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears.] An allusion to the Royal Oak, in which Charles II, had been hid from the pursuit after the battle of Worcester. P.

IMITATIONS. Ver. 90. The Thistle springs to which the Lily 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. iii.

Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum
Nascantur Flores, & Phyllida solus habeto. P.

D4

excel ;

DAMON. Cease to contend, for, Daphnis, I decree, The bowl to Strephon, and the lamb to thee: Blest Swains, whose Nymphs in ev'ry grace Blest Nymphs, whose Swains those graces sing fo well!

96 Now rise, and haste to yonder woodbine bow'rs, A soft retreat from sudden vernal show'rs; The turf with rural dainties shall be crown'd, While op’ning blooms diffuse their sweets around. For fee! the gath’ring flocks to shelter tend, 101 And from the Pleiads fruitful Show'rs descend,

VARIATIONS
VIR. 99. was originally,

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

Shepherd's Boy (he seeks no better name)

Led forth his flocks along the silver Thame, Where dancing sun-beams on the waters play'd, And verdant alders form’d a quiv'ring shade.

VARIATIONS.
Ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. were thus printed in the first edition :

A faithful Twain, whom Love had taught to fing,
Bewail'd his fate beside a silver spring;
Where gentle Thames his winding waters leads

Thro' verdant forests, and thro’ flow'ry meads. P.
VER. 3. Originally thus in the MS.

There to the winds he plain'd his hapless love,
And Amaryllis fills the vocal grove.

REMARKS. VER. 3. The Scene of this Pastoral by the river's side ; suitable to the heat of the season; the time noon. P.

IO

Soft as he mourn'd, the streams forgot to flow, 5
The flocks around a dumb compassion show,
The Naïds wept in ev'ry wat’ry bow'r,
And Jove consented in a silent show'r.

Accept, O GARTH, the Muse's early lays,
That adds this wreath of ivy to thy bays;
Hear what from Love unpractis'd hearts endure,
From Love, the sole disease thou canst not cure.

Ye shady beeches, and ye cooling streams, Defence from Phæbus', not from Cupid's beams, To you I mourn, nor to the deaf I sing,

15 The woods shall answer, and their echo ring. The hills and rocks attend

my Why art thou prouder and more hard than they? The bleating sheep with my complaints agree, They parch'd with heat, and I inflam'd by thee. 20

doleful lay,

REMARK Ş. Ver. 9.) Dr. Samuel Garth, Author of the Dispensary, was one of the first friends of the Author, whose acquaintance with him began at fourteen or fifteen. Their friendship continued from the year 1703 to 1718, which was that of his death. P.

Ver. 16. The woods jhall answer, and their echo ring,] Is a line out of Spenser's Epithalamion. P.

IMITATIONS. Ver. 8. And Fove consented]

Jupiter et læto defcendet plurimus imbri. Virg. P.. VER. 15. nor to the deaf I fing,]

Non canimus furdis, refpondent omnia fylvä. Virg. P.