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HONORIO built, but dar'd my laws defy;

He planted, fcornful of my fage commands; "The peach's vernal bud regal'd his eye; "The fruitage ripen'd for more frugal hands.”

See the fmall ftream that pours its murm❜ring tide O'er fome rough rock that wou'd its wealth display, Difplays it aught but penury and pride?

Ah! conftrue wifely what such murmurs say.

How wou'd fome flood, with ampler treasures bleft,
Difdainful view the fcantling drops diftil!

How muft + VELINO shake his reedy crest!
How ev'ry cygnet mock the boaftive rill!

Fortune, I yield! and fee, I give the fign;

At noon the poor mechanic wanders home; Collects the fquare, the level, and the line,

And, with retorted eye, forfakes the dome.

Yes, I can patient view the fhadeless plains;
Can unrepining leave the rifing wall;
Check the fond love of art that fir'd my veins,
And my warm hopes, in full purfuit, recall.

Y

Descend,

† A river in 1r LY, that falls an hundred yards perpens

dicular.

D 2

Defcend, ye ftorms! deftroy my rifing' pile ;
Loos'd be the whirlwind's unremitting fway;
Contented I, altho' the gazer smile

To fee it fcarce furvive a winter's day.

Let fome dull dotard bafk in thy gay fhrine,"
As in the fun regales his wanton herd;
Guiltlefs of envy, why fhou'd I repine,

That his rude voice, his grating reed's prefer'd ? §

Let him exult, with boundless wealth supply'd, ́
Mine and the fwain's reluctant homage fhare;
But ah! his tawdry fhepherdess's pride,

Gods! must my DELTA, muft my DELIA bear.

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Submit to MARFAN's drefs; to MARIAN's gold ?' Muft MARIAN's robe from diftant INDIA please? The fimple fleece my DELIA's limbs enfold?

64

"Yet fure on Detra feems the ruffet fair;
Ye glitt'ring daughters of disguise adieu !"
So talk the wife, who judge of fhape and air,
But will the rural thane decide fa true ?

Ah! what is native worth efteem'd of clowns ?

'Tis thy falfe glare, O fortune! thine they fee: 'Tis for my DELIA's fake I dread thy frowns,

And my last gafp fhall curfes breathe on thee.

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ELEGY

ELEGY XI.

He complains how foon the pleafing novelty of life is over. To Mr. J

A

H me, my friend! it will not, will not last!
This fairy-fcene, that cheats our youthful eyes!

The charm diffolves; th' aerial mufic's past;
The banquet ceafes, and the vifion flies.

Where are the fplendid forms, the rich perfumes,
Where the gay tapers, where the spacious dome ?
Vanifh'd the coftly pearls, the crimson plumes,

And we, delightless, left to wander home!.

Vain now are books, "the fage's wisdom vain!
What has the world to bribe our steps aftray?
Ere reafon learns by ftudy'd laws to reign,

The weaken'd paffions, felf-fubdued, obey.

Scarce has the fun fev'n annual courfes roll'd,
Scarce fhewn the whole that fortune can supply ;
Since, not the miser so caress'd his gold,
As I, for what it gave, was heard to figh.

On the world's ftage I wish'd fome sprightly part;
To deck my native fleece with tawdry lace!
'Twas life, 'twas tafle, and-oh my foolish heart;
Substantial joy was fix'd in pow'r and place.
D 3

And

And you, ye works of art! allur'd mine eye,
The breathing picture, and the living stone :
"Tho' gold, tho' splendour, heav'n and fate deny,
"Yet might I call one Titian ftroke my own!"

Smit with the charms of fame, whose lovely spoil,
The wreath, the garland, fire the poet's pride,
I trim'd my lamp, confum'd the midnight oil-
But foon the paths of health and fame divide !

Oft too I pray'd, 'twas nature form'd the pray'r,
To grace my native scenes, my rural home;
To fee my trees express their planter's care,
And gay, on Attic models, raise my

dome.

But now 'tis o'er, the dear delufion's o'er!
A stagnant breezeless air becalms my foul &
A fond afpiring candidate no more,

I fcorn the palm, before I reach the goal.

O youth! enchanting ftate, profusely bleft!
Blifs ev'n obtrusive courts the frolic mind
Of health neglectful, yet by health careft;
Careless of favour, yet fecure to find.

Then glows the breaft, as op'ning roses fair;
More free, more vivid than the linnet's wing;
Honeft as light, transparent ev'n as air,

Tender as buds, and lavish as the fpring.

Not

Not all the force of manhood's active might,
Not all the craft to fubtle age affign'd,
Not science shall extort that dear delight,

Which gay delufion gave the tender mind..

Adieu foft raptures! tranfports void of care!
Parent of raptures, dear deceit, adieu!
And you, her daughters, pining with despair,
Why, why fo foon her fleeting fteps pursue !

Tedious again to curfe the drizling day!
Again to trace the wintry tracts of fnow!
Or, footh'd by vernal airs, again furvey
The felf-fame hawthorns bud, and cowflips blow!

O life! how foon of ev'ry bliss forlorn !
We start false joys, and urge the devious race:
A tender prey; that chears our youthful morn,
Then finks untimely, and defrauds the chace,

E LEGY XII.

His recantation.

O more the mufe obtrudes her thin disguise;
No more with aukward fallacy complains,

How ev'ry fervour from my bofom flies,
And reafon in her lonesome palace reigns.

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