'Twas good PALEMON-near a fhaded pool,
A groupe of ancient elms umbrageous rofe;
The flocking rooks, by inftinct's native rule,
This peaceful scene, for their afylum, chose.

A few small spires, to Gothic fancy fair,

Amid the fhades emerging, ftruck the view; 'Twas here his youth refpir'd its earliest air;

'Twas here his age breath'd out its last adieu.

One favour'd fon eng ag'd his tenderest care;
One pious youth his whole affection crown'd:
In his young breaft the virtues fprung fo fair,
Such charms difplay'd, fuch fweets diffus'd around.

But whilft gay tranfport in his face appears,
A noxious vapour clogs the poifon'd sky;
Blafts the fair crop-the fire is drown'd in tears,
And, fcarce furviving, fees his CYNTHIO die!

O'er the pale corfe we faw him gently bend;
Heart-chill'd with grief--my thread, he cry'd, is fpun!
"If heav'n had meant I fhou'd my life extend,
Heav'n had preferv'd my life's fupport, my fon.

Snatch'd in thy prime! alas the ftroke were mild,
Had my frail form obey'd the fates' decree!
Bleft were my lot, O CYNTHIO! O my child!
Had heav'n fo pleas'd, and I had dy'd for thee."

Five fleepless nights he ftem'd this tide of woes;
Five irksome funs he faw, thro' tears, forlorn!
On his pale corse the sixth fad morning rose;
From yonder dome the mournful bier was borne.

'Twas on thofe downs, by Roman hofts annoy'd, Fought our bold fathers; ruftic, unrefin'd! Freedom's plain fons, in martial cares employ'd!

They ting'd their bodies, but unmask'd their mind.

'Twas there, in happier times, this virtuous race,
Of milder merit, fix'd their calm retreat;
War's deadly crimson had forfook the place,
And freedom fondly lov'd the chosen feat.

No wild ambition fir'd their tranquil breaft,
To fwell with empty founds a spotless name;
If foft'ring skies, the fun, the fhow'r were bleft,
Their bounty spread; their field's extent the fame.

Thofe fields, profufe of raiment, food, and fire,
They fcorn'd to leffen, careless to extend;
Bade luxury, to lavish courts aspire,
And avarice, to city-breafts defcend.

None, to a virgin's mind, prefer'd her dow'r ;
To fire with vicious hopes a modeft heir :
The fire, in place of titles, wealth, or pow's,
Affign'd him virtue; and his lot was fair.

* HARBOROUGH Downs.

They

They spoke of fortune, as fome doubtful dame,
That fway'd the natives of a diftant sphere;
From lucre's vagrant fons had learnt her fame,
But never wish'd to place her banners here.

Here youth's free fpirit, innocently gay,

Enjoy'd the most that innocence can give ;

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Those wholesome sweets, that border virtue's way; ini Thofe cooling fruits, that we may tafte and live.

Their board no ftrange ambiguous viand bore ;
From their own ftreams their choicer fare they drew,

To lure the fcaly glutton to the shore,

The fole deceit their artlefs bofom knew!

Sincere themselves, ah too fecure to find

The common bofom, like their own, fincere ! 'Tis its own guilt alarms the jealous mind; "Tis her own poison bids the viper fear.

Sketch'd on the lattice of th' adjacent fane,
Their fuppliant bufts implore the reader's pray'r;
Ah gentle fouls! enjoy your blifsful reign,
And let frail mortals claim your guardian care.

For fure, to blissful realms the fouls are flown,
That never flatter'd, injur'd, cenfur'd, ftrove;
The friends of science! mufic, all their own;

Mufic, the voice of virtue and of love!

VOL. I.

E

The

The journeying peafant, thro' the fecret fhade,
Heard their foft lyres engage his lift'ning ear;
And haply deem'd fome courteous angel play'd;
No angel play'd--but might with transport hear.

For these the founds that chase unholy strife!
Solve envy's charm, ambition's wretch release!
Raife him to fpurn the radiant ills of life;

To pity pomp, to be content with peace.

Farewel, pure fpirits! vain the praise we give,

The praise you fought from lips angelic flows; Farewel! the virtues which deferve to live,

Deserve an ampler blifs than life bestows.

Laft of his race, PALEMON, now no more
The modeft merit of his line difplay'd;
Then pious HOUGH VIGORNIA's mitre wore
Soft fleep the duft of each deferving shade.

ELEGY

ELE G Y XVI.

He fuggests the advantages of birth to a perfon of merit, and the folly of a fuperciliousness that is built upon that fole foundation.

THEN genius grac'd with lineal fplendor glows,

When title shines, with ambient virtues crown'd, Like fome fair almond's flow'ry pomp it fhews; The pride, the perfume of the regions round.

Then learn, ye fair! to foften fplendor's ray;

Endure the fwain, the youth of low degree; Let meeknefs join'd its temperate beam difplay; 'Tis the mild verdure that endears the tree.

Pity the fandal'd fwain, the fhepherd's boy;
He fighs to brighten a neglected name;
Foe to the dull appulfe of vulgar joy,

He mourns his lot; he wishes, merits fame.

In vain to groves and pathless vales we fly;
Ambition there the bow'ry haunt invades ;
Fame's aweful rays fatigue the courtier's eye,
But gleam ftill lovely thro' the checquer'd fhades.
Vainly,

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