Nor fuch her hair as deck'd her living face;

Nor fuch her voice as charm'd the lift'ning crowd;

Nor fuch her drefs as heighten'd ev'ry grace;

Alas! all vanish'd for the mournful shroud!

Yet feem'd her lip's etherial charm the fame ;
That dear diftinction every doubt remov'd;
Perish the lover, whofe imperfect flame

Forgets one feature of the nymph he lov'd.

"DAMON, the faid, mine hour allotted flies; Oh! do not waste it with a fruitless tear! - Tho' griev'd to fee thy SILVIA's pale difguife, Sufpend thy forrow, and attentive hear.

So may thy mufe with virtuous fame be bleft!
So be thy love with mutual love repaid!
So may thy bones in facred filence rest,
Faft by the reliques of fome happier maid!"

Thou know'ft, how ling'ring on a distant shore
Disease invidious nipt my flow'ry prime;

And oh ! what pangs my tender bofom tore,
To think I ne'er muft view my native clime!

No friend was near to raise my drooping head;
No dear companion wept to fee me die ;
Lodge me within my native foil, I faid;
There my fond parents honour'd reliques lie.

I

Tho'

Tho' now debarr'd of each domeftic tear;
Unknown, forgot, I meet the fatal blow;
There many a friend fhall grace my woeful bier,
And many a high fhall wife, and tear thall flow.

I fpoke, nor fate forbore his trembling fpoil;
Some venal mourner lent his carelefs aid;
And foon they bore me to my native foil,
Where my fond parents dear remains were laid.

*Twas then the youths, from ev'ry plain and grove, Adorn'd with mournful verfe thy SILV LA's bier; "Twas then the nymphs their votive garlands wove,. And ftrew'd the fragance of the youthful year.

But why alas! the tender fcene difplay?
Cou'd DAMON's foot the pious path decline?
Ah no! 'twas DAMON first attun'd his lay,
And fure no fonnet was fo dear as thine.

Thus was I bofom'd in the peaceful grave;

My placid ghoft no longer wept its doom; When favage robbers every fanction brave,

And with ourageous guilt defraud the tomb!

Shall my poor corfe, from hoftile realms convey?
Lofe the cheap portion of my native fands?

Or, in my kindred's dear embraces laid,
Mourn the vile ravage of barbarian hands ?

Say,

Say, wou'd thy breast no death-like torture feel,
To fee my limbs the felons gripe obey?
To fee them gafh'd beneath the daring feel?
To crowds a spectre, and to dogs a prey?

If PEAN's fons these horrid rites require,
If health's fair fcienee be, by these refin'd,
Let guilty convicts, for their ufe, expire;

And let their breathlefs corse avail mankind.

Yet hard it seems, when guilt's last fine is paid,
To fee the victim's corfe dény'd repose!
Now, more fevered! the poor offenceless maid
Dreads the dire outrage of inhuman foes.

Where is the faith of ancient pagans fied?
Where the fond care the wand'ring manes claim P
Nature, infinive, cries, Protect the dead,
And facred be their ashes, and their fame!

Arife, dear youth evn now the danger calls;
Ev'n now the villain fnuffs his wonted prey;
See! See! I lead thee to yon' facred walls—
Oh! fly to chase these human wolves away.'

ELEGY

B

ELEGY XXIII.

1

YANIK

Reflections fuggefted by his fituation.

ORN near the fcene for * KENELM's fate renown'd

I take my plaintive reed, and range the grove, Y

And raise my lay, and bid the rocks refound

The favage force of empire, and of love. Ich

Faft by the center of yon' various wild,

Where spreading baks embow'r a Gothic fane dj KENDRIDA's arts a brother's youth beguil'd;5:9 1.7 There nature urg'd her tendereft pleas in vain.

Soft o'er his birth, and o'er his infant hours,
Th' ambitious maid cou'd every care employ ;
Then with affiduous fondnefs cropt the flow'rs,
To deck the cradle of the princely boy?

But

*KENELM in the Saxon heptarchy was heir to the kingdom of MERCIA; but being very young at his father's death, was, by the artifices of his fifter and her lover, depriv'd of his crown and life together. The body was found in a piece of ground near the top of Clent Hill, exactly facing Mr. SHENSTONE'S house: near which place a church was afterwards erected to his memory, still used for divine worship, and called St. KENELM'S. Sce PLOT's Hiftory of Statordshire.

But foon the bofom's pleafing calm is flown;

Love fires her breaft; the fultry paffions rife; A favour'd lover feeks the Mercian throne,

And views her KENELM with a rival's eyes.

How kind were fortune, and how juft were fate,
Wou'd fate or fortune MERCI's heir remove!
How fweet to revel on the couch of state!

To crown at once her lover, and her love!

See, garnish'd for the chace, the fraudful maid
To thefe lone hills direct his devious way;
The youth, all prone, the fifter guide obey'd,
Ill-fated youth himself the deftin'd prey.

5. A

But now, nor fhaggy hill, nor pathlefs plain,
Forms the lone refuge of the filvan game;
Since LYTTELTON has crown'd the fweet domain
With fofter pleasures, and with fairer fame."

Where the rough bowman urg'd his headlong fteed,
Immortal bards, a polifh'd race, retire;

I

And where hoarfe fcream'd the ftrepent horn, fucceed
The melting graces of no vulgar lyre.

See THOMSON, loit'ring near fome limpid well,n
For BRITAIN's friend the verdant wreath prepare!

Or, ftudious of revolving feafons, tell,

How peerless LuCIA made all feasons fair!

See