Defcend, ye ftorms! deftroy my rifing pile; To fee it scarce furvive a winter's day. Let fome dull dotard bafk in thy gay fhrine, That his. rude voice, his grating reed's prefer'd? Let him exult, with boundlefs wealth fupply'd, 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; Ah! what is native worth efteem'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. ELEGY D 4 #Jago. EL EGY XI. He complains how foon the pleafing novelty of life is over. To Mr.*J—— A H me, my friend! it will not, will not last! This fairy-fcene, that cheats our youthful eyes! Where are the fplendid forms, the rich perfumes, Vain now are books, the fage's wisdom vain! The weaken'd paffions, felf-fubdued, obey. Scarce has the fun fev'n annual courfes roll'd, Since, not the mifer 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; And And you, ye works of art! allur'd mine eye, The breathing picture, and the living stone : "Tho' gold, tho' fplendour, heav'n and fate deny, "Yet might I call one Titian stroke my own!" Smit with the charms of fame, whofe lovely spoil, Oft too I pray'd, 'twas nature form'd the pray'r, But now 'tis o'er, the dear delufion's o'er! A fond afpiring candidate no more, foul: I fcorn the palm, before I reach the goal. O youth! enchanting ftage, profufely bleft! Then glows the breast, as op'ning roses fair ; Not Not all the force of manhood's active might, Adieu foft raptures! tranfports void of care! Tedious again to curfe the drizling day! The self-fame hawthorns bud, and cowflips blow! 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 GY XII. His recantation. O more the mufe obtrudes her thin difguife; No more with aukward fallacy complains, How ev'ry fervour from my bofom flies, And reason in her lonesome palace reigns. Ere the chill winter of our days arrive, No more fhe paints the breast from paffion free; I feel, I feel one loitering wifh furvive Ah need I, FLORIO, name that wish to thee? The ftar of VENUS ufhers in the day, The first, the lovelieft of the train that fhine! The star of VENUS lends her brightest ray, When other stars their friendly beams refign. Still in my breast one foft defire remains, Pure as that star, from guilt, from intʼrest 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 fame, 3 I flept |