"I beg you, recommend my faithful flame,
"And let her often hear her fhepherd's name :
"Shade all my faults from her enquiring fight,.
"And fhew my merits in the fairest light;
"My pipe your kind affistance shall repay,
"And every friend shall claim a different lay..
"But fee in yonder glade the heavenly fair.
Enjoys the fragrance of the breezy air.
"Ah, thither let me fly with eager feet; .
"Adieu, my pipe; I go my love to meet -
"O, may I find her as we parted laft,
"And may each future hour be like the past!
"So fhall the whiteft lamb these pastures feed,.
"Propitious Venus, on thy altars bleed."
HE gods, O Walpole, give no bliss fincere;
Wealth is disturb'd by care, and power by fear:
Of all the paffions that employ the mind,
In gentle Love the fwceteft joys we find;
Yet ev'n thofe joys dire Jealoufy molefts,
And blackens each fair image in our breasts.
O may the warmth of thy too tender heart
Ne'er feel the sharpness of his venom'd dart!!
For thy own quiet, think thy mistress just,
And wifely take thy happiness on trust.
Begin, my Mufe, and Damon's woes rehearse,
In wildeft numbers and diforder'd verfe.
On a romantic mountain's airy head
(While browzing goats at eafe around him fed)
Anxious he lay, with jealous cares opprest ;
Distrust and anger labouring in his breast
The vale beneath a pleasing prospect yields.
Of. verdant meads and cultivated fields;
Through these a river rolls its winding flood,
Adorn'd with various tufts of rifing wood;
Here half conceal'd in trees a cottage stands,
A castle there the opening plain commands;
Beyond, a town with glittering spires is crown'd,
And diftant hills the wide horizon bound:
So charming was the fcene, a while the fwain
Beheld delighted, and forgot his pain;
But foon the strings infix'd within his heart
With cruel force renew'd their raging smart :
His flowery wreath, which long with pride he wore,
The gift of Delia, from his brows he tore,
Then cried," May all thy charms, ungrateful maid,
"Like these neglected rofes, droop and fade!
"May angry heaven deform each guilty grace,
"That triumphs now in that deluding face!
"Thofe alter'd looks may every shepherd fly,
"And ev'n thy Daphnis hate thee worse than I!
“Say, thou inconstant, what has Damon done,
"To lofe the heart his tedious pains had won?
Tell me what charms you in my rival find,
Against whose power no ties have Arength to bind?
"Has he, like me, with long obedience strove "To conquer your disdain, and merit love? "Has he with transport every smile ador'd, "And died with grief at each ungentle word? "Ah, no! the conquest was obtain'd with ease "He pleas'd you, by not studying to please: "His careless indolence your pride alarm'd; "And, had he lov'd you more, he less had charm'd. “O pain to think! another shall poffefs "Thofe balmy lips which I was wont to prefs:
"Another on her panting breast shall lie,
"And catch fweet madness from her swimming eye!→→
"I faw their friendly flocks together feed,
"I faw them hand in hand walk o'er the mead:
"Would my clos'd eye had funk in endless night,
"Ere I was doom'd to bear that hateful fight!
"Where-e'er they pafs'd, be blafted every flower,
"And hungry wolves their helpless flocks devour!
"Ah wretched fwain, could no examples move
"Thy heedlefs heart to fhun the rage of love?
"Haft thou not heard how poor * Menalcas died
"A victim to Parthenia's fatal pride?
"Dear was the youth to all the tuneful plain,
"Lov'd by the nymphs, by Phoebus lov'd, in vain :.
"Around his tomb their tears the Mufes paid;
"And all things mourn'd, but the relentless maid.
"Would I could die like him, and be at peace?
"These torments in the quiet grave would cease;
There my vex'd thoughts a calm repose would find, "And reft, as if my Delia ftill were kind,
No, let me live, her falfehood to upbraid: "Some gods perhaps my just revenge will aid. Alas! what aid, fond fwain, wouldst thou receive? Could thy heart bear to see its Delia grieve? Protect her, heaven! and let her never know The flighteft part of hapless Damon's woe: I ask no vengeance from the powers above; "All I implore is never more to love. — "Let me this fondness from my bofom tear, "Let me forget that e'er I thought her fair.
Come, cool Indifference, and heal my breast; Wearied, at length, I feek thy downy reft: "No turbulence of paffion fhall destroy "My future ease with flattering hopes of joy. "Hear, mighty Pan, and, all ye fylvans, hear "What by your guardian deities I fwear; "No more my eyes shall view her fatal charms,
No more I'll court the traitoress to my arms; "Not all her arts my steady foul shall move, "And the fhall find that reafon conquers love!" Scarce had he spoke, when through the lawn below Alone he faw the beauteous Delia go; At once transported, he forgot his vow, (Such perjuries the laughing gods allow!) Down the fteep hills with ardent hafte he flew; He found her kind, and soon beliey'd her true.
OBHAM, to thee this rural lay I bring,
Whofe guiding judgment gives me skill to fing; Though far unequal to thofe polish'd strains,
With which thy Congreve charm'd the liftening plains:
Yet fhall its mufic pleafe thy partial ear,
And footh thy breast with thoughts that once were dear;
Recal thofe years which time has thrown behind,
When fmiling Love with Honour fhar'd thy mind :
When all thy glorious days of profperous fight
Delighted less than one fuccefsful night.
The sweet remembrance fhall thy youth restore,
Fancy again fhall run past pleasures o'er ;
And, while in Stowe's enchanting walks you stray,
This theme may help to cheat the fummer's day.
Beneath the covert of a myrtle wood,
To Venus rais'd, a ruftic altar stood,
To Venus and to Hymen, there combin'd,
In friendly league, to favour human-kind.
With wanton Cupids, in that happy shade,
The gentle Virtues and mild Wisdom play'd.
Nor there, in fprightly Pleasure's genial train,
Lurk'd fick Difguft, or late-repenting Pain,
Nor Force, nor Intereft, join'd unwilling hands,
Eut Love confenting tied the blissful bands,
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