When the sweet country-maiden, as fresh as a rofon

As the carelessly trips often sides,
And the rusticks laugh loud, if by falling the shows

All the charms that her modesty hides:

When the lads and the lasses for company join'd,

In a crowd round the embers are met,
Talk of fairies and witches that ride on the wind,

And of ghosts, till they're all in a sweat:

Heav'n grant, in this season, it may be my lot,

With the nymph whom I love and admire ; While the icicles hang from the eaves of my cot,

I may thither in safety retire!

Where in neatness and quiet-and free from furprize,

We may live, and no hardships endure ; Nor feel any turbulent passions arise,

But such as each other may cure !

IN
N vain, dear Flavilla, in vain still you try,

,

, each feminine art : Those flutt'ring delusions may catch the fond eye,

But they ne'er will entangle the heart.

The fetters too slender, affection to bind

Our reason will break with disdain :
The heart that to beauty it's freedom resign'd,

From caprice fhall receive it again.

While

While down the light dance, in Pleasure's gay court;

Fantastick you trip it along;
The fairest allow'd, where the fair ones resort,

The gayest of all the gay throng;

O why in that face, where each beauty is seen,

Should Folly her standard display? Or wild Affectation disfigure that mien,

Where the Graces confpicuously play?

Ah, no! to your greater perfections be just ;

By these you may charm at your will :
To youth, wit, and beauty, your conquests entrust,

Which levity only can kill.

For pleasure in vain the inconstant mày rovo

Thro' all the wide regions of art:
Their happiness only can permanent prove,

Whose transports arise from the heart.

R E T IR E M E N T.

AN OD E.

BY DR. BEATTIE.

HOOK from the purple wings of even

When dews impearl the grove,
And from the dark’ning verge of heaven

Beams the sweet star of Love ;
Laid on a daisy-Sprinkled green,

Beside a plaintive stream,
A meek-ey'd youth of serious mien

Indulg'd this folemn theme.

« Ye

• Ye cliffs, in hoary grandeur pild

* High o'er the glimmering dale! • Ye groves, along whofe windings wild

• Soft fighs the fadd’ning gale! • Where oft lone Melancholy ftrays,

• By wilder'd Fancy fway'd, • What time the wan moon's yellow rays

• Gleam thro' the chequer'd shade!

• To you, ye wastes, whose artiefs charms

• Ne’er drew Ambition's eye, "1 : • 'Scap'd a tumultuous world's alarms,

• To your retreats I fly : • Deep in your most fequefter'd bower,

· Let me my woes resign ; • Where Solitude, mild modeft power,

• Leans on her ivy'd thrine. rii

• How shall I woo thee, matchless fair,

• Thy heavenly smile how win! * Thy smile, that smoothes the brow of Care,

• And stills each storm within ! • O wilt thou to thy favourite grove

• Thine ardent votary bring, * And bless his hours, and bid them move

• Serene on silent wing!

1

• Oft let Remembrance soothe his mind

• With dreams of former days, • When soft on Leisure’s lap reclin'd,

• He caroll'd sprightly lays : • Blessd days! when Fancy smil'd at Care,

• When Pleasure toy'd with Truth, « Nor Envy, with malignant glare,

• Had harm'd his simple youth.

« 'Twas

• 'Twas then, O Solitude! to thee

• His early vows were paid, • From heart fincere, and warm, and free,

" Devoted to the shade. • Ah! why did Fate his steps decoy

• In thorny paths to roam, • Remote from all congenial joy!

• O take thy wanderer home!

• Henceforth thy awful haunts be mine!

* The long abandon'd hill; .. • The hollow cliff, whose waving pine

O’erhang's the darksome rill ; • Whence the scar'd owl, on pinions grey,

« Breaks from the ruftling boughs, • And down the lone vale sails away

« To shades of deep repose.

• For me no more the path invites

• Ambition loves to tread ;
• No more I climb those toilsome heights,

• By guileful Hope misled :
Leaps my fond Autt'ring heart no more

" To Mirth's enlivening strain ; • For present pleasure soon is o'er,

• And all the past is vain!"

AMYNTOR AND THEODORA;

OR, THE HERMIT.

IN THREE CANTOS.

ADDRESSED TO THE EARL OF CHESTERTILLD.

TO MRS. MALLET.

TH

HOU faithful partner of a heart thy own,

Whose pain or pleasure springs from thine alone ;
Thou, true as honour, as compassion kind,
That in sweet union harmonize thy mind;
Here, while thy eyes for sad Amyntor's woc,
And Theodora's wreck, with tears o'erflow,
O may thy friend's warm with, to Heav'n preferr'd
For thee, for him by gracious Heav'n be heard !
So her fair hour of fortune Shall be thine
Unmix'd, and all Amyntor's fondness mine:
So thro' long vernal life, with blended ray,
Shall Love light up, and Friendship close our day;
Till summon'd late this lower heav'n to leave,
One figh shall end us, and one earth receive!

CANTO I.

FA

AR in the wat'ry waste, where his broad wave

From world to world the vast Atlantick rolls
On from the piny shores of Labrador
To frozen Thulé eaft, her airy height

Aloft