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• Whoe'er thou art, that with prefumption rude, Dar'ft on our facred privacy intrude;

• And without licence in our court appear,

Know, thou'rt the first that ever enter'd here!

But fince thou plead'st excuse, thou'rt hither brought
More by thy fortune than thy own default;
Thy crime, tho' great, an eafy pardon finds,
For mercy ever dwells in royal minds:

• And, would you learn from whofe indulgent hand
• You live, and in whofe awful prefence ftand,
Know farther, thro' yon wide-extended plains
Great Eolus the king of tempefts reigns,
And in this lofty palace makes abode,

Well fuited to his ftate, and worthy of the god. < The various elements his empire own,

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And pay their humble homage at his throne;
And hither all the storms and clouds refort,
• Proud to encrease the fplendor' of his court.
His queen am I, from whom the beauteous race
Of winds arose, sweet fruit of our embrace !'
She scarce had ended, when, with wild uproar,
And horrid din, her fons impetuous pour
Around the cave; came rushing in amain
Lybs, Eurus, Boreas, all the boift'rous train ;
And close behind them on a whirlwind rode,
In clouded majefty, the bluft'ring god :
Their locks a thousand ways were blown about;
Their cheeks like full-blown bladders ftrutted out;
Their boasting talk was of the feats they'd done,
Of trees uprooted, and of towns o'erthrown;
And when they kindly turn'd them, to accost
The prince, they almoft pierc'd him with their frost.
The gaping hag in fix'd attention food,
And at the clofe of every tale, cried- Good !'
Bleffing with outftretch'd arms each darling fon,
In due proportion to the mischief done.

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And where, faid the, does little Zephyr ftray?
Know ye, my fons, your brother's rout to-day?
• In what bold deeds does he his hours employ?
• Grant Heav'n no evil has befal'n my boy!
• Ne'er was he known to linger thus before.'
Scarce had she spoke, when at the cavern door
Came lightly tripping, in a form more fair
Than the young poet's fond ideas are,
When fir'd with love he tries his utmost art
To paint the beauteous tyrant of his heart.
A fatin veft his flender fhape confin'd,
Embroider'd o'er with flow'rs of every kind,
Flora's own work, when firft the goddess ftrove
To win the little wanderer to her love. i.
Of burnish'd filver were his fandals made,
Silver his bufkins, and with gems o'erlaid;
A faffron-colour'd robe behind him flow'd,
And added grace and grandeur as he trod.
His wings than lilies whiter to behold,
Sprinkled with azure spots, and ftreak'd with gold;
So thin their form, and of fo light a kind,
That they for ever danc'd and flutter'd in the wind.
Around his temples, with becoming air,
In wanton ringlets, curl'd his auburn hair,
And o'er his fhoulders negligently spread;
A wreath of fragrant rofes crown'd his head.

Such his attire; but, O! no pen can trace,
No words can fhew the beauties of his face;
So kind! fo winning! fo divinely fair!
Eternal youth and pleasure flourish there!
There all the little loves and graces meet,

And ev'ry thing that's foft, and ev'ry thing that's fweet!
Thou vagrant,' cry'd the dame in angry tone,
Where could't thou-loiter thus fo long alone!
Little thou car'ft what anxious thoughts moleft,
What pangs are lab'ring in a mother's breaft!

• Well

• Well do you fhew your duty by your haste, For thou of all my fons art always laft;

A child lefs fondled would have fled more fast. • Sure 'tis a curfe on mothers, doom'd to mourn, • Where beft they love, the least and worst return !' My dear mamma,' the gentle youth reply'd,

And made a low obeifance, ceafe to chide,

⚫ Nor wound me with your words; for well you know, • Your Zephyr bears a part in all your woe;

How great must be his forrow, then, to learn
That he himself's the caufe of your concèru!
• Nor had I loiter'd thus, had I been free;
< But the fair Princess of Felicity

Entreated me to make fome fhort delay;
And afk'd by her, who could refuse to stay?
Surrounded by the damfels of her court,

• She fought the thady grove, her lov'd resort :
Fresh rose the grafs, the flow'rs were mix'd between,
• Like rich embroid'ry on a ground of green;
• And in the midft, protected by the shade,

• A crystal stream in wild meanders play'd;

• While on it's banks, the trembling leaves among,

• A thousand little birds in concert fung.

Close by a mount, with fragrant fhrubs o'ergrown,
• On a cool moffy couch the laid her down;
Her air, her posture, all conspir'd to please;
Her head, upon her fnowy arm at ease
Reclin'd, a ftudy'd careleffness exprefs'd;

.

Loose lay her robe, and naked heav'd her breast.

Eager I flew to that delightful place,

• And pour'd a show'r of kiffes on her face;
Now hover'd o'er her neck, her breaft, her arms,
Like bees o'er flow'rs, and tafted all her charms;
And then her lips, and then her cheeks I try'd,
And fann'd and wanton'd round on every fide.

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"O Zephyr !" cry'd the fair," thou charming boy,

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Thy prefence only can create me joy;

"To me thou art beyond expreffion dear,

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"Nor can I quit the place while thou art here!"
Excufe my weakness, Madam, when I fwear
Such gentle words, join'd with so soft an air,
• Pronounc'd fo fweetly from a mouth so fair,
Quite ravish'd all my fenfe; nor did I know
• How long I stay'd, or when or where to go!
Meanwhile the damfels debonnair and gay,
Prattled around, and laugh'd the time away :
Thefe, in foft notes, address'd the ravish'd ear,
And warbled out fo fweet, 'twas heav'n to hear;
And those in rings, beneath the greenwood fhade,
• Danc'd to the melody their fellows made.
• Some ftudious of themselves, employ'd their care
In weaving flow'ry wreathes to deck their hair;

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• While others to fome fav'rite plant convey'd

Refreshing show'rs, and chear'd it's drooping head.

A joy fo general spread through all the place,
Such fatisfaction dwelt on every face,

The nymphs fo kind, fo lovely look'd the queen,
That never eye beheld a sweeter scene!'
Porfenna, like a ftatue fix'd appear'd,

And, rapt in filent wonder, gaz'd and heard:

Much he admir'd the fpeech, the speaker more,

And dwelt on ev'ry word, and griev'd to find it o'er.

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O gentle youth!' he cry'd, proceed to tell,
In what fair country does this princess dwell;
What region unexplor'd, what hidden coaft,
Can fo much goodness, fo much beauty boaft!'
To whom the winged god with gracious look,
Numberless sweets diffufing while he spoke,
Thus answer'd kind: Thefe happy gardens lie
Far hence remov'd, beneath a milder sky;
Their name-the kingdom of Felicity.

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• Sweet scenes of endless blifs, enchanted ground, A foil for ever fought, but feldom found;

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Though in the fearch all human kind in vain

Weary their wits, and waste their lives in pain.
In diff'rent parties, diff'rent paths they tread,
• As reafon guides them, or as follies lead;
These wrangling for the place they ne'er shall fee,
Debating thofe, if fuch a place there be;

But not the wifeft, nor the beft, can fay
• Where lies the point, or mark the certain way.
Some few, by Fortune favour'd for her sport,
• Have fail'd in fight of this delightful port;
In thought already feiz'd the blefs'd abodes,
And in their fond delirium rank'd with gods.
Fruitless attempt! all avenues are kept

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By dreadful foes, fentry that never flept.

Here, fell Detraction darts her pois'nous breath
Fraught with a thoufand ftings, and scatters death;
Sharp-fighted Envy there maintains her poft,

• And shakes her flaming brand, and stalks around the coaft. Thefe on the helpless bark their fury pour,

Plunge in the waves, or dash against the shore ;

• Teach wretched mortals they were doom'd to mourn, And ne'er must rest but in the filent urn!

But fay, young monarch, for what name you bear, • Your mien, your dress, your perfon, all declare;

• And though I feldom fan the frozen North,

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Yet I have heard of brave Porfenna's worth.

My brother Boreas through the world has flown,
Swelling his breath to spread forth your renown;
Say, would you chufe to visit this retreat,
And view the world where all these wonders meet?
Wish you some friend o'er that tempeftuous fea
To bear you safe! Behold that friend in me.
My active wings fhall all their force employ,
And nimbly waft you to the realms of joy;
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