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

Damon no longer fought the filent shade,
No more in unfrequented paths he stray'd,
But call'd the swains to hear his jocund song,
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 discontent and pining care "Forfook my breast, and left soft wishes there; "Soft wishes there they left, and gay defires,

Delightful languors, and tranfporting fires. "Where yonder limes combine to form a fhade, "These eyes firft gaz'd upon the charming maid; "There she appear'd, on that aufpicious day, "When swains their sportive rites to Bacchus pay: "She led the dance-heavens! with what grace the "mov'd!

"Who could have seen her then, and not have lov❜d-? "I ftrove not to refift fo fweet 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.

*Mr. Doddington had written some very pretty love verses, which have never been published. LYTTELT.

"And

"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 ftrove to break!
Why were the defert rocks invok'd to hear
"The plaintive accent of thy fad despair?
"From Delia's rigour all those pains arose,
"Delia, who now compaffionates my woes,
"Who bids me hope; and in that charming word
"Has peace and transport to my foul restor'd.
"Begin my pipe, begin the gladfome lay;
"A kifs from Delia fhall thy mufic pay;
"A kifs obtain'd 'twixt ftruggling and confent,
"Given with forc'd anger, and disguis'd content.
"No laureat wreaths I ask, to bind my brows,
"Such as the Mufe on lofty Bards bestows:
"Let other swains to praise or fame aspire;
"I from her lips my recompence require.

66

66

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 fweet they drain: "See, how beneath yon hillock's fhady steep, "The shelter'd herds on flowery couches fleep: "Nor bees, nor herds, are half so 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 foft repose.

"Ah how, my dear, fhall I deferve 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 polish'd gold; "From diftant ifles the lovely stranger 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, "Phoebus himself shall leave th' Aonian grove: "The tuneful Nine, who never sue in vain, "Shall come fweet fuppliants for their favourite swain. "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, VOL. LXIV.

S

66

I beg

"I beg you, recommend my faithful flame,
"And let her often hear her fhepherd's name:
"Shade all my faults from her enquiring fight,
"And fhew my merits in the fairest light;

My pipe your kind affistance shall repay, "And every friend shall claim a different lay.

"But fee! in yonder glade the heavenly fair "Enjoys the fragrance of the breezy air"Ah, thither let me fly with eager feet; "Adieu, my pipe; I go my love to meet― O, may I find her as we parted last,

"And may each future hour be like the past! "So fhall the whiteft lamb these pastures feed, "Propitious Venus, on thy altars bleed."

JEALOUSY. ECLOGUE III.

To Mr. EDWARD WALPOLE.

HE gods, O Walpole, given no blifs fincere ;
Wealth is disturb'd by care, and power by fear:

Of all the paffions that employ the mind,
In gentle love the sweetest joys we find :
Yet ev❜n thofe joys dire Jealousy molefts,
· And blackens each fair image in our breasts.
may the warmth of thy too tender heart
Ne'er feel the sharpness of his venom'd dart!
For thy own quiet, think thy mistress just,
And wifely take thy happiness on trust.

O

Begin, my Mufe, and Damon's woes rehearse,
In wildest numbers and diforder'd verse.

On a romantic mountain's airy head
(While browzing goats at eafe around him fed)
Anxious he lay, with jealous cares oppreft;
Diftruft and anger labouring in his breast-
The vale beneath a pleafing prospect yields
Of verdant meads and cultivated fields ;

Through these a river rolls its winding flood,
Adorn'd with various tufts of rifing wood;
Here half conceal'd in trees a cottage ftands,
A castle there the opening plain commands;
Beyond, a town with glittering fpires is crown'd,
And diftant hills the wide horizon bound:
So charming was the scene, a while the swain
Beheld delighted, and forgot his pain:

But foon the ftings infix'd within his heart
With cruel force renew'd their raging smart :
His flowery wreath, which long with pride he wore,
The gift of Delia, from his brows he tore,

Then cried, "May all thy charms, ungrateful maid, "Like thefe neglected rofes, droop and fade!

May angry heaven deform each guilty grace, "That triumphs now in that deluding face! "Thofe alter'd looks may every fhepherd fly, "And ev'n thy Daphnis hate thee worse than I! 66 Say, thou inconftant, what has Damon done, "To lose the heart his tedious pains had won? "Tell me what charms you in my rival find,

Against whofe power no ties have ftrength to bind ?