One favour'd fon engag'd his tenderest care; Such charms difplay'd, fuch sweets diffus'd around. But whilft gay tranfport in his face appears, O'er the pale corfe we faw him gently bend; Snatch'd in thy prime! alas the stroke were mild, Five fleepless nights he ftem'd this tide of woes; From yonder dome the mournful bier was borne. 'Twas on those * downs, by Roman hosts annoy'd, Fought our bold fathers; ruftic, unrefin'd! Freedom's plain fons, in martial cares employ'd! They ting'd their bodies, but unmafk'd their mind. "Twas HARBOROUGH Downs. 'Twas there, in happier times, this virtuous race, Of milder merit, fix'd their calm retreat; War's deadly crimson had forfook the place, And freedom fondly lov'd the chosen seat. No wild ambition fir'd their tranquil breast, To fwell with empty founds a spotless name; If foft'ring skies, the fun, the show'r were bleft, Their bounty spread; their field's extent the fame. Those fields, profuse of raiment, food, and fire, None, to a virgin's mind, prefer'd her dow'r; They spoke of fortune, as fome doubtful dame, Here youth's free fpirit, innocently gay, Enjoy'd the most that innocence can give Those wholesome sweets, that border virtue's way; Those cooling fruits, that we may taste and live. Their board no ftrange ambiguous viand bore; The fole deceit their artless bofom knew! Sincere themselves, ah too fecure to find Sketch'd on the lattice of th' adjacent fane, And let frail mortals claim your guardian care. For fure, to blissful realms the fouls are flown, The journeying peafant, thro' the fecret shade, Heard their foft lyres engage his lift'ning ear; And haply deem'd fome courteous angel play'd; No angel play'd-but might with transport hear. For these the founds that chafe unholy ftrife! Farewel, Farewel, pure fpirits! vain the praise we give, The praise you fought from lips angelic flows; Farewel! the virtues which deferve to live, Deferve an ampler bliss than life bestows. Laft of his race, PALEMON, now no more He fuggefts the advantages of birth to a perfon of merit, and the folly of a fupercilioufness that is built upon that fole foundation. ́HEN genius grac'd with lineal splendor glows, WH When title fhines, with ambient virtues crown'd, Like fome fair almond's flow'ry pomp it fhews; The pride, the perfume of the regions round. Then learn, ye fair! to foften fplendor's ray; Pity the fandal'd fwain, the fhepherd's boy; He mourns his lot; he wifhes, merits fame. In vain to groves and pathlefs vales we fly; But gleam still lovely thro' the checquer'd fhades. Vainly, to guard from love's unequal chain, Has fortune rear'd us in the rural grove; Shou'd ****'s eyes illume the defart plain, Nor |