"TWAS in a cool Aonian glade,
The wanton CUPID, 'fpent with toil,
Had fought refreshment from the shade
And ftretch'd him on the moffy foil.
A vagrant mufe drew nigh, and found
The fubtle traitor fast asleep;
And is it thine to fnore profound,
She faid, yet leave the world to weep?
But hufh-from this aufpicious hour,
The world, I ween, may rest in peace;
And robb'd of darts, and ftript of pow'r,
Thy peevish petulance decrease.
Sleep on, poor child! whilst I withdraw,
And this thy vile artillery hide-
When the Caftalian fount she saw,
And plung'd his arrows in the tide.
That magic fount-ill-judging maid!
Shall caufe you foon to curfe the day
You dar'd the fhafts of love invade;
And gave his arms redoubled fway.
For in a ftream fo wonderous clear,
When angry CUPID fearches round,
Will not the radiant points appear?
Will not the furtive spoils be found?
Too foon they were; and every dart,
Dipt in the mufe's myftic spring,
Acquir'd new force to wound the heart;
And taught at once to love and fing.
Then farewel ye Pierian quire;
For who will now your altars throng?
From love we learn to fwell the lyre;
And echo asks no sweeter fong.
OD E. Written 1739.
Urit fpes animi credula mutui.
IMITATION.
Fond hope of a reciprocal defire
Inflames the breaft.
WAS not by beauty's aid alone,
That love ufurp'd his airy throne,
His boafted pow'r display'd:
'Tis kindness that fecures his aim,
"Tis hope that feeds the kindling flame,
Which beauty first convey'd.
In CLARA's eyes, the lightnings view;
Her lips with all the rofe's hue
Have all its fweets combin'd;
Yet vain the blufh, and faint the fire,
'Till lips at once, and eyes confpire
To prove the charmer kind--
Tho' wit might gild the tempting snare,
With fofteft accent, fweeteft air,
By envy's felf admir'd;
If LESBIA'S wit betray'd her fcorn,
In vain might every grace adorn
What every mufe infpir'd.
Thus airy STREPHON tun'd his lyre-
He fcorn'd the pangs of wild defire,
Which love-fick fwains endure:
Refolv'd to brave the keeneft dart;
Since frowns could never wound his heart,
And fmiles-muft ever cure.
But ah! how falfe thefe maxims prove,
How frail fecurity from love,
Experience hourly fhows!
Love can imagin'd fmiles fupply,
On every charming lip and eye
Eternal fweets bestows.
In vain we truft the fair-one's eyes;
In vain the fage explores the fkies,
To learn from ftars his fate:
'Till led by fancy wide aftray,
He finds no planet mark his way;
Convinc'd and wife-too late.
As partial to their words we prove;
Then boldly join the lifts of love,
With towering hopes fupply'd:
So heroes, taught by doubtful fhrines,
Mistook their deity's defigns;
Then took the field-and dy'd.
The DYING KID.
Optima quæque dies miferis mortalibus ævi
Ah! wretched mortals we!-our brightest days
To think yon playful kid muft die;
From crystal fpring, and flow'ry mead,
Muft, in his prime of life, recede!
Erewhile, in fportive circles round
She faw him wheel, and frisk, and bound
From rock to rock purfue his way,
And, on the fearful margin, play.
Pleas'd on his various freaks to dwell,
She faw him climb my ruftic cell;
Thence eye my lawns with verdure bright,
And feem all ravish'd at the fight.
She tells, with what delight he flood,
To trace his features in the flood:
Then skip'd aloof with quaint amaze;
And then drew near again to gaze.
She tells me how with eager fpeed
He flew, to hear my vocal reed;
And how, with critic face profound,
And ftedfaft ear, devour'd the found.
His every frolic, light as air,
Deferves the gentle DELIA's care
And tears bedew her tender eye,
To think the playful kid muft die.-
But knows my DELIA, timely wife,
How foon this blameless æra flies?
While violence and craft fucceed;
Unfair defign, and ruthless deed!
Soon would the vine his wounds deplore,
And yield her purple gifts no more;
Ah foon, eras'd from every grove
Were DELIA's name, and STREPHON'S love.
No more those bow'rs might STREPHON fee,
Where first he fondly gaz'd on thee;
No more those beds of flow'rets find,
Which for thy charming brows he twin'd.
|