But come, my friend, with tafte, with fcience bleft,

Ere age impair me, and.ere gold allure; Restore thy dear idea to my breast,

The rich deposit shall the shrine secure.

Let others toil to gain the fordid ore,

The charms of independence let us fing; Bleft with thy friendship, can I wish for more? I'll spurn the boasted wealth of * LYDIA's king,

* Crœfus.

ELEGY

ELEGY X.

To fortune, fuggefting his motive for repining at her

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difpenfations.

SK not the cause, why this rebellious tongue

Loads with fresh curses thy detested sway;

Ask not, thus branded in my softeft song,

Why stands the flatter'd name, which all obey?

'Tis not, that in my shed I lurk forlorn,

Nor fee my roof on Parian columns rise; That, on this breast, no mimic star is borne, Rever'd, ah! more than those that light the skies.

'Tis not, that on the turf fupinely laid,

I fing or pipe, but to the flocks that graze ; And, all inglorious, in the lonesome shade, My finger stiffens, and my voice decays.

Not, that my fancy mourns thy ftern command,
When many an embrio dome is loft in air;
While guardian prudence checks my eager hand,
And, ere the turf is broken, cries, "Forbear.

"Forbear, vain youth! be cautious, weigh thy gold; "Nor let yon rifing column more afpire;

"Ah! better dwell in ruins, than behold

"Thy fortunes mould'ring, and thy domes entire.

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"HONORIO built, but dar'd my laws defy;
"He planted, fcornful of my fage commands
"The peach's vernal bud regal'd his eye;

"The fruitage ripen'd for more frugal hands."

See the small stream that pours its murm'ring tide O'er fome rough rock that wou'd its wealth display, Displays it aught but penury and pride?

Ah! conftrue wifely what fuch murmurs fay.

How wou'd fome flood, with ampler treasures bleft,
Difdainful view the fcantling drops diftil!

How muft * VELINO shake his reedy crest!
How ev'ry cygnet mock the boastive rill!

Fortune, I yield! and fee, I give the sign;

At noon the poor mechanic wanders home; Collects the fquare, the level, and the line,

And, with retorted eye, forfakes the dome.

Yes, I can patient view the shadeless plains;
Can unrepining leave the rifing wall;
Check the fond love of art that fir'd my veins,
And my warm hopes, in full pursuit, recall.

* A river in ITALY, that falls an hundred yards perpendicular.

Defcend,

Defcend, ye ftorms! deftroy my rifing pile;
Loos'd be the whirlwind's unremitting fway;
Contented I, altho' the gazer fmile

To fee it scarce furvive a winter's day.

Let fome dull dotard bask in thy gay fhrine,
As in the fun regales his wanton herd;
Guiltless of envy, why fhou'd I repine,
That his rude voice, his grating reed's prefer'd?

Let him exult, with boundlefs wealth supply'd,
Mine and the fwain's reluctant homage fhare;
But ah! his tawdry fhepherdefs's pride,

Gods! muft my DELIA, muft my DELIA bear?

Muft DELIA's foftnefs, elegance, and ease

Submit to MARIAN's drefs? to MARIAN'S gold? Muft MARIAN's robe from diftant INDIA please? The fimple fleece my DELIA's limbs enfold?

"Yet fure on DELIA feems the ruffet fair;
"Ye glitt❜ring daughters of disguise adieu!"
So talk the wife, who judge of fhape and air,
But will the rural thane decide fo true?

Ah! what is native worth esteem'd of clowns ? 'Tis thy falfe glare, O fortune! thine they fee: 'Tis for my DELIA's fake I dread thy frowns, And my laft gafp fhall curfes breathe on thee.

EL EGY XI.

He complains how foon the pleafing novelty of life is

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H me, my friend! it will not, will not laft!

This fairy-fcene, that cheats our youthful eyes! The charm diffolves; th' aerial mufic's paft; The banquet ceases, and the vifion flies.

Where are the fplendid forms, the rich perfumes,
Where the gay tapers, where the spacious dome?
Vanish'd the costly pearls, the crimson plumes,
And we, delightless, left to wander home!

Vain now are books, the fage's wisdom vain!
What has the world to bribe our steps aftray?
Ere reason learns by study'd laws to reign,

The weaken'd paffions, felf-fubdued, obey.

Scarce has the fun fev'n annual courfes roll'd,
Scarce fhewn the whole that fortune can fupply;

Since, not the miser fo carefs'd his gold,

As I, for what it gave, was heard to figh.

On the world's ftage I wish'd fome sprightly part;
To deck my native fleece with tawdry lace;
'Twas life, 'twas tafte, and-oh my foolish heart!
Substantial joy was fix'd in pow'r and place.

And