Never yet did courtly maiden'
Move fo fprightly, look fo fair;
Never breaft with jewels laden
Pour a fong fo void of care.

Would indulgent heav'n had granted
Me fome rural damfel's part!

All the empire I had wanted

Then had been my shepherd's heart. ....

Then, with him, o'er hills and mountains,
Free from fetters, might I rove:
Fearless tafte the crystal fountains ; }

Peaceful fleep beneath the grove.

Ruftics had been more forgiving;
Partial to my virgin bloom:

None had envy'd me when living;

None had triumph'd o'er my tomb.”

ODE to a Young L A D Y,

Somewhat too follicitous about her manner of

expreffion.

URVEY, my fair! that lucid ftream

SUR

Adown the fmiling valley stray;

Would art attempt, or fancy dream,

To regulate its winding way?

Se

So pleas'd I view thy fhining hair
In loose difhevel'd ringlets flow:
Not all thy art, not all thy care

པ་ Can there one fingle grace beflow.

Survey again that verdant hill,

With native plants enamel'd o'er;
Say, can the painter's utmost skill
Inftruct one flow'r to please us more ?

As vain it were, with artful dye,

To change the bloom thy cheeks disclose ; And oh may LAURA, ere she try,

With fresh vermilion paint the rofe,

Hark, how the wood-lark's tuneful throat
Can every ftudy'dograce excel;
Let art constrain the rambling note,
And will fhe, LAURA, pleafe fo well?

Oh ever keep thy native ease,

By no pedantic law confin'd!

For LAURA's voice is form'd to please,
SO LAURA's words be not unkind.

NANCY

NANCY of the VALE.

A BALLA D.

Nerine Galatea! thymo mihi dulcior Hybla!
Candidior cygnis! hederâ formofior albâ !

T

HE western sky was purpled o'er

With every pleasing ray : And flocks reviving felt no more The fultry heats of day:

When from an hazle's artless bower
Soft warbled STREPHON'S tongue;
He bleft the scene, he bleft the hour,
While NANCY's praise he fung.

"Let fops with fickle falfhood range
The paths of wanton love,

While weeping maids lament their change,
And fadden every grove :

But endless bleffings crown the day

I faw fair ESHAM'S dale!

And every bleffing find its way

To NANCY of the Vale.

Twas

Twas from AVONA's banks the maid
Diffus'd her lovely beams;
And every shining glance display'd
The naiad of the streams.

Soft as the wild-duck's tender young,
That float on Avon's tide ;
Bright as the water-lily, fprung,
And glittering near its fide.

Fresh as the bordering flowers, her bloom:
Her eye, all mild to view;
The little halcyon's azure plume

Was never half so blue.

Her fhape was like the reed fo fleck,
So taper, ftraight, and fair;
Her dimpled fmile, her blushing cheek,
How charming fweet they were!

Fat in the winding Vale retir'd,
This peerless bud I found;

And fhadowing rocks, and woods confpir'
To fence her beauties round.

That nature in fo lone a dell
Should form a nymph so sweet!

Or fortune to her fecret cell
. Conduct my wandering feet!
VOL. I.

I

Gay

Gay lordlings fought her for their bride,

But fhe would ne'er incline:

"Prove to your equals true, the cry'd, As I will prove to mine.

"Tis STREPHON, on the mountain's brow,
Has won my right good will;
To him I gave my plighted vow,
With him I'll climb the hill."

Struck with her charms and gentle truth,
I clafp'd the constant fair;
To her alone I gave my youth,
And vow my future care.

And when this vow fhall faithlefs prove,
Or I thofe charms forego;
The stream that saw our tender love,
That ftream fhall cease to flow.

ODE to INDOLENCE. 1750.

A

H! why for ever on the wing Perfifts my weary'd soul to roam ? Why, ever cheated, strives to bring

Or pleasure or contentment home?

Thus