She saw and smil'd; and oft would lead
Our Damon's foot o'er hill and mead,
There, with descriptive finger, trace
The genuine beauties of the place,
And when she all its charms had shown,
Prescribe improvements of her own.
"See yonder hill, so green, so round,
"Its brow with ambient beeches crown'd!
« 'Twould well become thy gentle care
"To raise a dome to Venus there;
"Pleas'd would the nymphs thy zeal survey,
"And Venus in their arms repay.
"'Twas such a shade and such a nook,
"In such a vale, near such a brook,
"From such a rocky fragment springing,
"That fam'd Apello chose to sing in;
"There let an altar wrought with art
"Engage thy tuneful patron's heart :
"How charming there to muse and warble
"Beneath his bust of breathing marble!
"With laurel wreath and mimic lyre,
"That crown a poet's vast desire :
“Then, near it, scoop the vaulted cell
"Where Music's charming maids * may dwell, 50
"Prone to indulge thy tender passion,
"And make thee many an assignation.
"Deep in the grove's obscure retreat
"Be plac'd Minerva's sacred seat;
"There let her awful turrets rise,
"(For Wisdom flies from vulgar eyes)
"There her calm dictates shalt thou hear
"Distinctly strike thy list'ning ear;
"And who would shun the pleasing labour,
"To have Minerva for his neighbour ?"
In short, so charm'd each wild suggestion,
Its truth was little call'd in question;
And Damon dream'd he saw the Fauns
And Nymphs distinctly skim the lawns ;
Now trac'd amid the trees, and then
Lost in the circling shades again,
With leer oblique their lover viewing-
And Cupid-panting-and pursuing-
"Fancy, enchanting Fair!" he cry'd,
"Be thou my goddess, thou my guide;
"For thy bright visions I despise
"What foes may think or friends advise.
"The feign'd concern when folks survey
"Expense, time, study, cast away;
"The real spleen with which they see;
"I please myself, and follow thee."
Thus glow'd his breast, by Fancy warm'd,
And thus the fairy landscape charm'd:
But most he hop'd his constant care
Might win the favour of the fair;
And, wand'ring late thro' yonder glade,
He thus the soft design betray'd,
"Ye Doves! for whom. I rear'd the grove,
"With melting lays salute my love!
"My Delia with your notes detain,
"Or I have rear'd the grove in vain.
"Ye flow'rs! which early spring supplies,
"Display at once your brightest dyes,
"That she your op'ning charms may see,
"Or what were else your charms to me?
“Kind Zephyr! brush each fragrant flow'r,
"And shed its odours round my bow'r,
"Or ne'er again, O gentle Wind!
"Shall I in thee refreshment find.
"Ye Streams! if e'er your banks I lov'd,
"If e'er your native sounds improv'd,
"May each soft murmur sooth my fair,
"Or, oh! 'twill deepen my despair.
"Be sure, ye Willows! you be seen
"Array'd in liveliest robes of green,
"Or I will tear your slighted boughs,
"And let them fade around my brows.
"And thou, my Grot! whose lonely bounds
"The melancholy pine surrounds,
"May she admire thy peaceful gloom,
"Or thou shalt prove her lover's tomb."
And now the lofty domes were rear'd,
Loud laugh'd the squires, the rabble star'd. "See, Neighbours! what our Damon's doing;
"I think some folks are fond of ruin!
"I saw his sheep at random stray-
"But he has thrown his crook away→→→
"And builds such huts as, in foul weather,
"Are fit for sheep nor shepherd neither.”
Whence came the sober swain misled?
Why, Phoebus put it in his head :
Phoebus berriends him, we are told;
And Phoebus coins bright tuns of gold.
'Twere prudent not to be so vain on 't,
I think he'll never touch a grain on 't.
And if from Phoebus and his Muse
Mere earthly laziness ensues,
'Tis plain, for aught that I can say,
The dev'l inspires as well as they.
So they while fools of grosser kind,
Less weeting what our bard design'd,
Impute his schemes to real evil,
That in these haunts he met the devil.
He own'd, tho' their advice was vain,
It suited wights who trod the plain;
For dulness-tho' he might abhor it,
In them he made allowance for it;
Nor wonder'd, if beholding mottoes,
And urns, and domes, and cells, and grottoes,
Folks, little dreaming of the Muses,
Were plagu'd to guess their proper uses.
But did the Muses haunt his cell?
Or in his dome did Venus dwell?
Did Pallas in his counsels share?
The Delian god reward his pray'r?
Or did his zeal engage the fair?
When all the structure shone complete,
Not much convenient, wondrous neat,
Adorn'd with gilding, painting, planting,
And the fair guests alone were wanting;
Ah, me! ('t was Damon's own confession)
Came Poverty and took possession.
PART THE FOURTH.
WHY droops my Damon, whilst he roves
Thro' ornamented meads and groves?
Near columns, obelisks, and spires,
Which ev'ry critic eye admires
'Tis Poverty, detested maid!
Sole tenant of their ample shade;
'Tis she that robs him of his ease,
And bids their very charms displease.
But now, by Fancy long controll❜d,
And with the sons of Taste enroll'd,
He deem'd it shameful to commence
First minister to Common-sense;
Far more elated to pursue
The lowest talk of dear vertû.
And now behold his lofty soul
That whilom flew from pole to pole,
Settle on some elab'rate flow'r,
And, like a bee, the sweets devour!
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