Then fame, her clarion pendent at her fide, Shall feek forgiveness of OPHELIA's fhade; "Why has fuch worth, without distinction, dy'd, Why, like the defert's lilly, bloom'd to fade?" Then young fimplicity, averse to feign, Then elegance with coy judicious hand, And fancy then with wild ungovern'd woe, And ask fweet folace of the mufe in vain! Ah gentle forms expect no fond relief; Too much the facred nine their lofs deplore: Well may ye grieve, nor find an end of griefYour beft, your brightest fav'rite is no more. ELEGY ELE GY V. Ic compares the turbulence of love with the tranquillity of friendship. To MELISSA his friend. F ROM love, from angry love's inclement reign I pass awhile to friendship's equal skies; Thou, gen'rous maid, reliev'ft my partial pain, And chear'ft the victim of another's eyes. 'Tis thou, MELISSA, thou deferv'ft my care: Ah dear MELISSA! pleas'd with thee to rove, Love is a pleasing, but a various clime! So fmiles immortal MARO's fav'rite fhore, Oh blisful regions! oh unrival'd plains! So fmiles the furface of the treacherous main, As o'er its waves the peaceful halcyons play; When foon rude winds their wonted rule regain, And sky and ocean mingle in the fray, But let or air contend, or ocean rave; ELEGY C ELEGY VI. To a lady on the language of birds. OME then, DIONE, let us range the grove, The science of the feather'd choirs explore; Hear linnets argue, larks defcant of love, And blame the gloom of folitude no more. My doubt fubfides-'tis no Italian fong, Nor fenfelefs ditty, chears the vernal tree: And come, my mufe! that lov'ft the filvan fhade; Penfive beneath the twilight shades I fate, The flave of hopeless vows, and cold difdain! When PHILOMEL addrefs'd his mournful mate, And thus I conftru'd the mellifluent ftrain. "Sing on, my bird-the liquid notes prolong, At ev'ry note a lover fheds his tear; Sing on, my bird-'tis DAMON hears thy fong; Nor doubt to gain applaufe, when lovers hear. He He the fad fource of our complaining knows; A foe to TEREUS, and to lawless, love! Yon' plains are govern'd by a peerless maid; Sing on, my bird, and hear thy mate's reply, Ere while no fhepherd to these woods retir'd; Chear'd by the fun, the vaffals of his pow'r, ELEGY |