But how fhall I defcribe her breast!

That now first swells with panting throb To burst the fond embracing vest,

And emulate her fnow-white robe.

So exquifitely foft her limbs!

That not a bone but pliant feems;

As if th' embrace of love-fo warm!

Would quite diffolve her beauteous form.
But when she speaks !---good heav'ns! e'en now
Methinks I hear my fav'rite fong;

E'en yet with love's refpect I bow

To all th' enchantment of her tongue.
---Her voice most clear---yet 'tis not strong;
Her periods full---tho' feldom long;
With wit, good-natur'd wit, endow'd;

Fluent her fpeech,---but never loud.
Witnefs, ye loves! witnefs; for well I know
To her you've oft attention given;

Oft penfile flutter'd on your wings of fnow
To waft each dying found to heaven.

Ah! fure this fair enchantress found
The zone which all the graces bound:
Not Momus could a blemish find
Or in her person or her mind.-

But why should beauty's goddess spare
To me this all-accomplish'd fair?

* I for

*I for her charms did ne'er decide,

As Paris erft on lofty Ide;

I pleas'd her not in that dispute;
1 gave her not the golden fruit:
Then why the Paphian Queen fo free?
Why grant the precious boon to me?
Venus! what facrifice, what pray'r

Can fhow my thanks for fuch a prize! ---To bless a mortal with a fair,

Whose charms are worthy of the skies.

+ She too, like Helen, can inspire
Th' unfeeling heart of age with fire;
Can teach their lazy blood to move,
And light again the torch of love.

"O! cry the old, that erft fuch charms
"Had bloom'd to blefs our youthful arms;
"Or that we now were young, to show
"How we could love---some years ago!"

Have I not seen th' admiring throng
For hours attending to her fong!
Whilft from her eyes fuch luftre hone

It added brightness to their own:

Sweet grateful beams of thanks they'd dart,
That show'd the feeling of her heart.

* "I for her charms did ne'er decide."]This alludes to the wellknown contest between Juno, Venus, and Minerva, for the golden apple.

t She too, like Helen, &c.]

E 3

Silent

Silent we've fat with rapt'rous gaze!
Silent---but all our thoughts were praise :
Each turn'd with pleasure to the rest;
And this the pray'r that warm'd each breast.

" Thus may that lovely bloom for ever glow,
"Thus may thofe eyes for ever fhine!

"O may'st thou never feel the fcourge of woe! "O never be misfortune thine!

"Ne'er may the crazy hand of pining care
"Thy mirth and youthful fpirits break!
"Never come fickness, or love-crofs'd despair
"To pluck the roses from thy cheek!———
"But blifs be thine---The cares which love fupplies,
"Be all the cares that you shall dread;

"The grateful drop, now glift'ning in your eyes,
"Be all the tears you ever fhed."

But hush'd be now thy am'rous fong,
And yield a theme, thy praises wrong:
Juft to her charms, thou can'ft not raise
Thy notes---but must I cease to praise?
Yes I will ceafe- -for fhe'll inspire
Again the lay, who ftrung my lyre.
Then fresh I'll paint the charming maid,
Content, if the my ftrain approves ;
Again my lyre fhall lend its aid,
And dwell upon the theme it loves.

EPISTLE II.

'N a fnug little court as I ftood t'other day,

IN

And caroll'd the loitering minutes away;

Came a brace of fair nymphs, with fuch beautiful faces,

That they yielded in number alone to the

graces:

Difputing they were, and that earnestly too, When thus they address'd me as nearer they drew"So fweet is your voice, and your numbers fo fweet, "Such fentiment join'd with fuch harmony meet; "Each note that you raife finds its way to our hearts, "Where Cupid engraves it wi' the point of his darts : "But O! by these strains which so deeply can pierce, "Inform us for whom you intended your verse : ""Tis for her fhe affirms---I maintain 'tis for me

+ And we often pull caps in afferting our plea."

This fufficiently explains itself. It has no names prefixed to it in the original, and is very literally translated.

"And we often pull caps"] This is almoft literally the Greek expreffion.

"Why ladies, cried I, you're both handfome, 'tis true, "But ceafe your difpute---I love neither of you:

My life on another dear creature depends,

Her I haften to visit :---fo kifs and be friends." "Oho!---faid they, now you convince us quite clear, "For no pretty woman lives anywhere here— "That's plainly a fham :-Now to humour us both, "You fhall fwear you love neither; fo come take your "oath."

"I laughing replied, 'tis tyrannical dealing

"To make a man fwear, when 'tis plain he's not willing."

Why friend, we've long fought thy fair perion to feize; "And think you we'll take fuch excuses as these? "No-'twas chance brought you hither, and here you

❝ stay

fhall

Help, Phædra! to hold---or he'!l fure get away." Thus fpoken, to keep me between 'em they tried'Twas a pleafing constraint; and I gladly complied. If I ftruggled---'twas to make them imprifon me more, And ftrove---but for shackles more tight than before--But think not, I'll tell how the minutes were spent--You may think what you please---but they both were con

tent.

EPISTLE III.