With fragrant bloffoms these adorn the feast,
Those with officious zeal attend the guest ;
Beneath his feet the filken carpet spread,
Or fprinkle liquid odours o'er his head.
Others in ruby cups with roses bound,
Delightful! deal the sparkling nectar round;
Or weave the dance, or tune the vocal lay;
The lyres refound, the merry minstrels play ;
Gay health, and youthful joys o'erfpread the place,
And fwell each heart, and triumph in each face.
So, when embolden'd by the vernal air,
The bufy bees to blooming fields repair,
For various ufe employ their chymick pow'r,
One culls the fnowy pounce, one fucks the flow'r;
Again to diff'rent works returning home,
Some steeve the honey, fome erect the comb :
All for the gen'ral good in concert strive, '
And ev'ry foul's in motion, ev'ry limb's alive.
And now defcending from his flight, the god
On the green turf releas'd his precious load;
There, after mutual falutations past,

And endless friendship vow'd, they part in hafte;
Zephyr impatient to behold his love,

The prince in raptures wand'ring through the grove;
Now skipping on, and finging as he went,
Now stopping short to give his transports vent;
With fudden gufts of happiness opprefs'd,
Or ftands entranc'd, or raves like one poffefs'd:
His mind afloat, his wand'ring fenfes quite
O'ercome with charms, and frantick with delight;
From scene to scene by random steps convey'd,
Admires the diftant views, explores the fecret fhade;
Dwells on each spot, with eager eye devours

The woods, the lawns, the buildings, and the bow'rs;
New sweets, new joys at ev'ry glance arife,

And ev'ry turn creates a fresh furprize.

Close

Close by the borders of a rifing wood,
In a green vale a crystal grotto stood;
And o'er it's fide, beneath a beechen fhade,
In broken falls a filver fountain play'd.
Hither, attracted by the murm'ring stream,
And cool recefs, the pleas'd Porfenna came ;
And, on the tender grafs reclining, chofe
To wave his joys awhile, and take a short repose.
The scene invites him, and the wanton breeze
That whifrers thro' the vale, the dancing trees,
The warbling birds, and rills that gently creep,
All join their mufick to prolong his fleep.

The princefs for her morning walk prepar'd,
The female troops attend, a beauteous guard.
Array'd in all her charms appear'd the fair;
Tall was her ftature, unconfin'd her air;
Proportion deck'd her limbs, and in her face.
Lay love infhrin'd, lay fweet attractive grace,
Temp'ring the awful beams her eyes convey'd,
And like a lambent flame around her play'd.
No foreign aids, by mortal ladies worn,
From shells and rocks her artless charms adorn :
For grant that beauty were by gems encreas'd,
'Tis render'd more fufpected at the leaft;
And foul defects, that would escape the fight,
Start from the piece, and take a stronger light.
Her chefnut hair, in careless rings, around

Her temples wav'd, with pinks and jaf'mine crown'd;

And, gather'd in a filken cord behind,

Curl'd to the waift, and floated in the wind;
O'er thefe a veil of yellow gawze she wore,
With amaranths and gold embroider'd o'er.
Her fnowy neck, half naked to the view,
Gracefully fell; a robe of purple hue
Hung loosely o'er her slender shape, and try'd
To fhade those beauties that it could not hide.

The

The damfels of her train with mirth and fong
Frolick behind, and laugh and sport along.
The birds proclaim their queen from every tree;
The beafts run frisking thro' the groves to fee ;
The Loves, the Pleasures, and the Graces, meet
In antick rounds, and dance before her feet.
By whate'er fancy led, it chanc'd that day
They thro' the secret valley took their way;
And, to the crystal grot advancing, spy'd
The prince extended by the fountain's fide.

He look'd as, by fome skilful hand express'd,
Apollo's youthful form retir'd to reft;

When, with the chace fatigu'd, he quits the wood,
For Pindus' vale, and Aganippe's flood;
There fleeps fecure, his careless limbs display'd
At eafe, encircled by the laurel shade;
Beneath his head his fheaf of arrows lie`;
His bow unbent hangs negligently by.

The flumb'ring prince might boaft an equal grace,
So turn'd his limbs, fo beautiful his face.

Waking, he started from the ground in haste,
And faw the beauteous choir around him plac'd;
Then, fummoning his fenfes, ran to meet
The queen, and laid him humbly at her feet.

Deign, lovely princess, to behold,' faid he,

• One who has travers'd all the world, to fee
• Those charms, and worship thy divinity:
• Accept thy flave, and with a gracious smile
• Excufe his rashness, and reward his toil.'
Stood motionless the fair with mute furprize,
And read him over with admiring eyes;

And, while fhe ftedfaft gaz'd, a pleafing fmart
Ran thrilling thro' her veins, and reach'd her heart.

Each limb the fcann'd, confider'd every grace,

And fagely judg'd him of the phoenix race.

O 2

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An