EL EGY XVIII. He repeats the fong of COLLIN, a difcerning fhepherd; lamenting the ftate of the woollen manufactury. Ergo omni ftudio, glaciem ventosque nivales, VIRGIL. EAR AVON's bank, on ARDEN's flow'ry plain, And funny COTSOL' fondly lov'd the strain ; Oh loft OPHELIA ! fmoothly flow'd the day, To tafte, and fancy it was dear to thee When, for his tomb, with each revolving year, I ftrew my cowflips, and I pay my tear, I'll add the myrtle for OPHELIA's fake. Shiv'ring beneath a leafless thorn he lay, When death's chill rigour feiz'd his flowing tongue; The more I found his fault'ring notes decay, The more prophetic truth fublim'd the fong. Mr. SOMERVILLE, "Adieu "Adieu my flocks, he faid! my wonted care, By funny mountain, or by verdant fhore! May fome more happy hand your fold prepare, prepare, T And may you need your COLLIN's crook no more." And you, ye fhepherds! lead my gentle theep; To breezy hills, or leafy fhelters lead; But if the fky with fhow'rs inceffant weep, Avoid the putrid moisture of the mead. Where the wild thyme perfumes the purpled heath, 1 Long-loit'ring there your fleecy tribes extend U But what avail the maxims I bequeathư?... Enghì mỗ The fruitless gift of an officious friend! y Ah! what avails the tim rous lambs to guard, If GALLIA's craft the pond'rous fleece purloin! T Was it for this, by conftant vigils worn, Ah heedlefs ALBION! too benignly prone Shall ev'ry other virtue grace thy throne, But quick-ey'd prudence never yet be thine ?? C From the fair natives of this peerless hill' Thou gav'ft the sheep that browze Iberian plains f Their plaintive cries the faithlefs region fill, Their fleece adorns an haughty foe's domains. Ill-fated flocks! from cliff to cliff they ftray; Far from their dams their native guardians far! Where the foft fhepherd, all the livelong day, Chaunts his proud mistress to his hoarse guittar. But ALBION's youth her native fleece despise ; Oft have I hurry'd down the rocky steep, Ere long fhe came: ah! woe is me, fhe came!- Will no bright maid, by worth, by titles known, And let her charms, and her example, own That virtue's dress, and beauty's are the fame ? Will no fam'd chief fupport this gen❜rous maid ? What pow'r unfeen my ravifh'd fancy fires? * praife. O might my breath for *** praise fuffice, My ravish'd eye's! how calmly wou'd they clofe! *** was born to fpread the gen'fal joy; By virtue rapt, by party uncontroul'd ;... BRITONS for BRITAIN fhall the crook employ ; A BRITONS for BRITAIN's glory fhear the fold." 11 A ... Written in fpring 1743. GAIN the lab'ring hind inverts the foil; Again the merchant ploughs the tumid wave; Another spring renews the foldier's toil, And finds me vacant in the rural cave. As As the foft lyre difplay'd my wonted loves, He glanc'd contemptuous o'er my ruin'd fold; Yes, ALPHEUS! fly the purer paths of fate;.. Here nobly zealous, in my youthful hours, Here as I crown'd the verdant shrine with flow'rs, DAMON, fhe cry'd, if pleas'd with honeft praise, Swear that no lucre fhall thy zeal betray; Swerve not thy foot with fortune's vot'ries more; Brand thou their lives, and brand their lifelefs dayThe winning phantom urg'd me, and I swore. Forth |