POEMATIS, CUI TITULUS
THE MINSTREL,*
ALTE in præclusis adytis, Gothecaque caverna, Horrent cui semper nox æternæque ruinæ, Marmoreum cippum multo Ostentatio versu, Sculpturâque ornet multâ, multisque tropæis: Sit mihi, quem tenui zephyrus circumvolat aurâ, Collis, contiguus campo; de cespite molli
Sit tumulus; violæ et passim spargantur amœnæ ; Justa aliquem et rivum, vel garrula murmura fontis; Vespereque irradiet blande sol gramina busti. Illuc atque omnis juvenis gradiatur agrestis ; Illuc agrestis mentem lætissima virgo, Florum vix passos sertis nexura capillos, Atque hilaris Maiæ festum celebrare parata. Atque ibi, per totam pastoris fistula lucem Impleat omne nemus mosta dulcedine amoris : Vesper et ut tacite glauco velatus amictu Progreditur, minime festinet pulchra caterva ; Lurida non spectri facies, lemurumve vagantûm, Nostri infestabit placidissima rura sepulchri.
*When the Author began to attempt Latin verse, he translated many stanzas of this poem. These two are given as a specimen.
THE MINSTREL,
BOOK II. STANZ. 17, 18.
LET Vanity adorn the marble tomb,
With trophies, rhimes, and scutcheons of renown, In the deep dungeon of some gothick dome, Where night and desolation ever frown: Mine be the breezy hill that skirts the down, Where a green grassy turf is all I crave,
With here and there a violet bestrown;
Fast by a brook, or fountain's murmuring wave; And many an evening sun shine sweetly on my grave.
And thither let the village swain repair; And, light of heart, the village maiden gay, To deck with flowers her half-dishevell'd hair, And celebrate the merry morn of May. There let the shepherd's pipe the live-long day Fill all the grove with love's bewitching wo; And when mild evening comes in mantle grey, Let not the blooming band make haste to go; No ghost or spell my long and last abode shall know,
AURORÆ risus, blanda et fragrantia veris,
Gratos invitant aligerum numeros;
Vocibus et dum cuncta sonant virgulta canentûm, Omnia mollivit carmina dulcis amor.
Nosmet, Amanda, itidem, tempestive sapientes, Utamur raptim quæ brevis hora fugit ; Totaque deliciis sit lux concessa diei,
Per betulas virides, Endremiumque nemus.
Nam venit acris hiems anni, tristisque senectus Adveniet, vitæ quæ properantis hiems ;
Hæc te purpureo vultus spoliabit honore, Illa umbram vernis frondibus ut spoliat.
Gaudia tum cedent animo; non amplius ulla Carminibus mulcens exhilarabit avis;
Hæque ubi marcescunt, nos languemusque-valete, Vos, betulæ virides, Endremiumque nemus.
THE smiling morn, and breathing spring, Invite the tuneful birds to sing,
And, while they warble from each spray,
Love melts the universal lay:
Let us, Amanda, timely wise,
Like them improve the hour that flies, And in soft raptures waste the day Among the birks* of Endermay.
For soon the winter of the year, And age, life's winter, will appear; At this thy living bloom must fade, As that will strip the verdant shade. Our taste for pleasure then is o'er, The feather'd warblers charm no more; And when they droop, and we decay,
Farewell, ye birks of Endermay.
QUICUNQUE nostis turbida guadia
Tuti quieti pectoris otio,
Silentio qui ruris urbem
Posthabuisse tumultuantem:
Queis sana sano in corpore mens placet; Excelsa quorum corda vel evehit Sublime, vel mulcet Venustum,
Huc celeres properate gressus.
Hic fundit urna divite nam Salus Fontes, amoni et frigora balnei, Arvosque lætâ vestit herbâ Et geledis agitavit auris.
-At nulla venti sibila personant Arbusta nobis, neve per arborum Umbrosa late regna, longum et
Dat querulum liquida unda murmur.
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