Not all the force of manhood's active might, Adieu foft raptures! transports void of care! Tedious again to curfe the drizling day! O life! how foon of ev'ry blifs forlorn! We start falfe joys, and urge the devious race : A tender prey; that chears our youthful morn, Then finks untimely, and defrauds the chace. ELEGY N° ELE G Y XII. His recantation. O more the muse obtrudes her thin difguife; Ere the chill winter of our days arrive, No more the paints the breast from paffion free; I feel, I feel one loitering wish survive Ah need I, FLORIO, name that wish to thee? The star of VENUS ufhers in the day, The firft, the lovelieft of the train that shine! The ftar of VENUS lends her brightest ray, When other stars their friendly beams refign. Still in my breast one soft defire remains, Pure as that star, from guilt, from int'reft free, Has gentle DELIA trip'd across the plains, And need I, FLORIO, name that wish to thee? While, cloy'd to find the scenes of life the same, 3 I slept I slept not long beneath yon rural bow'rs; And lo! my crook with flow'rs adorn'd I fee: Has gentle DELIA bound my crook with flow'rs, And need I, FLORIO, name my hopes to thee? ELEGY E LE GY XIII. To a friend, on fome flight occafion eftranged from him. HEALTH to my friend, and many a chearful day Around his feat may peaceful fhades abide ! Smooth flow the minutes, fraught with fmiles, away, And, 'till they crown our union, gently glide. Ah me! too swiftly fleets our vernal bloom! Loft to our wonted friendship, loft to joy! Soon may thy breast the cordial wish refume, Ere wintry doubt its tender warmth destroy. Say, were it ours, by fortune's wild command, Life is that stranger land, that alien clime : Shall kindred fouls forego their focial claim? Launch'd in the vaft abyss of space and time, Shall dark fufpicion quench the gen'rous flame? Myriads of fouls, that knew one parent mold, But But we have met-where ills of every form, Where paffions rage, and hurricanes descend : Say, fhall we nurse the rage, assist the storm? And guide them to the bofom-of a friend? Yes, we have met-thro' rapine, fraud, and wrong: For oh! pale fickness warns thy friend away! And point the wither'd regions of the tomb. Then the keen anguifh from thine eye shall start, Sad as thou follow'ft my untimely bier "Fool that I was-if friends fo foon muft "To let fufpicion intermix a fear." part, ELEGY |