« And every wifh, and thought, and care, was gone,. "But what my heart employ'd on her alone.

"Then too fhe fmil'd: can finiles our peace destroy, "Thofe lovely children of Content and Joy? "How can foft pleasure and tormenting woe "From the fame fpring at the fame moment flow? "Unhappy boy! these vain enquiries ceafe, "Thought could not guard, nor will reftore. thy peace :: "Indulge the frenzy that thou must endure,

And footh the pain thou know'it not how to cure, "Come, flattering Memory! and tell my heart "How kind.fhe was, and with what pleafing art "She ftrove its fondeft wishes to obtain, "Confirm her power, and fafter bind my chain.

If on the green we danc'd, a mirthful band; "To me alone the gave her willing hand: "Her partial taste, if e'er I touch'd the lyre, "Still in my fong found fomething to admire.

❝ By none but her my crook with flowers was crown'd, "By none but her my brows with ivy bound: "The world that Damon was her choice believ'd, "The world, alas! like Damon, was deceiv'd. "When laft I faw her, and declar'd my fire "In words as foft as paffion could inspire, "Coldly fhe heard, and full of fcorn withdrew, "Without one pitying glance, one sweet adieu. "The frighted hind, who fees his ripen'd corn "Up from the roots by fudden tempests torn, "Whose faireft hopes destroy'd and blasted lie, Feels not fo keen a pang of grief as I. B 3

6. Ahy

"Ah, how have I deferv'd, inhuman maid, "To have my faithful service thus repaid? "Were all the marks of kindness I receiv'd, "But dreams of joy, that charm'd me and deceiv'd? "Or did you only nurse my growing love,

"That with more pain I might your hatred prove?
"Sure guilty treachery no place could find
"In fuch a gentle, fuch a generous mind:
"A maid brought up the woods and wilds among
"Could ne'er have learnt the art of courts fo young:
"No; let me rather think her anger feign'd,
"Still let me hope my Delia may be gain'd;
"'Twas only modefty that seem'd difdain,
"And her heart suffer'd when she gave me pain.”
Pleas'd with this flattering thought, the love-fick boy

Felt the faint dawning of a doubtful joy ;
Back to his flock more chearful he return'd,
When now the setting fun more fiercely burn'd,
Blue vapours rofe along the mazy rills,

And light's laft blushes ting'd the distant hills.

HOPE. ECLOGUE II.

To Mr. DODDINGTON.

[Afterwards LORD MELCOMBE REGIS.]

HEAR, Doddington, the notes that shepherds fing,

Like thofe that warbling hail the genial fpring. Nor Pan, nor Phoebus, tunes our artless reeds : From Love alone their melody proceeds.

From

From Love, Theocritus, on Enna's plains,
Learnt the wild fweetnefs of his Doric ftrains.
Young Maro, touch'd by his inspiring dart,
Could charm each ear, and foften every heart :
Me too his power has reach'd, and bids with thine:
My ruftic pipe in pleasing concert join *.

Damon no longer fought the silent shade,
No more in unfrequented paths he ftray'd,.
But call'd the fwains to hear his jocund fong,
And told his joy to all the rural throng.

"Bleft be the hour, he faid, that happy hour, "When first I own'd my Delia's gentle power; "Then gloomy difcontent and pining care "Forfook my breast, and left soft wishes there;. "Soft wishes there they left, and gay defires, "Delightful languors, and transporting fires. "Where yonder limes combine to form a fhade, "These eyes first gaz'd upon the charming maid; "There the appear'd, on that aufpicious day,

"When fwains their fportives rites to Bacchus pay :: "She led the dance-heavens! with what grace fhe "mov'd!

"Who could have seen her then, and not have lov'd? I ftrove not to refift so sweet a flame,

"But gloried in a happy captive's name;

"Nor would I now, could Love permit, be free,, "But leave to brutes their favage liberty.

"And art thou then, fond youth, fecure of joy ? "Can no reverse thy flattering bliss destroy?

"Has treacherous Love no torment yet in store ? "Or haft thou never prov'd his fatal power?

"Whence flow'd those tears that late bedew'd thy "cheek?

"Why figh'd thy heart as if it strove to break?
"Why were the defert rocks invok'd to hear
"The plaintive accent of thy fad despair?
"From Delia's rigour all thofe pains arose,
"Delia, who now compaffionates my woes,
"Who bids me hope; and in that charming word
"Has peace and tranfport to my foul restor'd.

Begin, my pipe, begin the gladsome lay;
"A kits from Delia fhall thy music pay;
"A kifs obtain'd 'twixt ftruggling and confent,
"Given with forc'd anger, and difguis'd content.
"No laureat wreaths I afk, to bind my brows,
"Such as the Mufe on lofty Bards bestows :
"Let other fwains to praise or fame aspire;
"I from her lips my recompence require.

"Why ftays my Delia in her fecret bower? "Light gales have chac'd the late impending shower; "Th' emerging fun more bright his beams extends; Oppos'd, its beauteous arch the rainbow bends! "Glad youths and maidens turn the new-made hay: "The birds renew their fongs on every spray! "Come forth, my love, thy fhepherd's joys to crown: «All nature smiles.-Will only Delia frown?

"Hark

"Hark how the bees with murmurs fill the plain, "While every flower of every sweet they drain: "See, how beneath yon hillock's fhady steep, "The fhelter'd herds on flowery couches fleep : "Nor bees, nor herds, are half fo bleft as I, "If with my fond defires my love comply; "From Delia's lips a sweeter honey flows, "And on her bofom dwells more soft repose.

"Ah how, my dear, fhall I deserve thy charms? "What gift can bribe thee to my longing arms? "A bird for thee in filken bands I hold, "Whofe yellow plumage fhines like polifh'd gold; "From diftant ifles the lovely ftranger came, "And bears the fortunate Canaries name;

In all our woods none boafts fo fweet a note, "Not ev❜n the nightingale's melodious throat. "Accept of this; and could I add befide "What wealth the rich Peruvian mountains hide: "If all the gems in Eastern rocks were mine, "On thee alone their glittering pride should shine. But, if thy mind no gifts have power to move, Phœbus himself shall leave th' Aonian grove; "The tuneful Nine, who never fue in vain, "Shall come fweet fuppliants for their favourite fwains “For him each blue-ey'd Naiad of the flood, "For him each green-hair'd fifter of the wood, "Whom oft beneath fair Cynthia's gentle ray "His mufic calls to dance the night away. “And you, fair nymphs, companions of my love, With whom the joys the cowflip meads to rove,