(30) WINTER. THE FOURTH PASTORAL, OR DAPHN E. To the Memory of Mrs. TEMPEST. THYR LYCIDA S. HYRSIS, the mufic of that murm'ring spring Is not fo mournful as the ftrains you fing. Nor rivers winding through the vales below, So fweetly warble, or so smoothly flow. REMARK S. WINTER.] This was the Poet's favourite Paftoral. Mrs. Tempeft.] This Lady was of an ancient family in Yorkshire, and particularly admired by the Author's friend Mr. Walsh, who, having celebrated her in a Paftoral Elegy, defired his friend to do the fame, as appears from one of his Letters, dated Sept. 9, 1706. "Your laft Eclogue being on the fame fubject with mine on Mrs. "Tempeft's death, I fhould take it very kindly in you "to give it a little turn, as if it were to the memory of "the fame lady." Her death having happened on the 66 Now fleeping flocks on their foft fleeces lie, THYRSI S. Behold the groves that shine with filver frost, LYCID A S. 5 10 So may kind rains their vital moisture yield, 15 And fwell the future harvest of the field. Begin; this charge the dying Daphne gave, And with fresh bays her rural shrine adorn. 20 REMARKS. night of the great form in 1703, gave a propriety to this eclogue, which in its general turn alludes to it. The scene of the Pastoral lies in a grove, the time at midnight. P. VER. 9. fhine with filver froft,] The image is a fine one, but improperly placed. The idea he would raife is the deformity of Winter, as appears by the following line: but this imagery contradicts it. It fhould have been-glare with hoary froft, or fome fuch expreffion: the fame inaccuracy in 31. where he ufes pearls, when he should have faid tears. IMITATIONS. VER. 13. Thames beard, etc.] Audiit Eurotas, juffitque edifcere lauros. Virg. P. THYRS IS. Ye gentle Muses, leave your crystal spring, Let Nymphs' and Sylvans cypress garlands bring; Ye weeping Loves, the stream with myrtles hide, And break your bows, as when Adonis dy'd ; And with your golden darts, now ufelefs grown, 25 Infcribe a verse on this relenting stone: "Let nature change, let heav'n and earth deplore, "Fair Daphne's dead, and love is now no more!" 'Tis done, and nature's various charms decay, In notes more fad than when they fing their own; VARIATION S. VER. 29. Originally thus in the MS. 30 35 'Tis done, and nature's chang'd fince you are gone Behold the clouds have put their Mourning on. IMITATION S. VER. 23, 24, 25. Inducite fontibus umbras Et tumulum facite, et tumulo fuperaddite carmen. P. In hollow caves fweet Echo filent lies, Her name with pleasure once she taught the shore, 50 No more the mounting larks, while Daphne fings, Or hush'd with wonder, hearken from the sprays : 55 60 865 Swell'd with new paffion, and 'o'erflows with tears; IMITATIONS. VER. 69, 70. miratur limen Olympi. Sub pedibufque videt nubes et fydera Daphnis. Virg. P. The winds, and trees, and floods her death deplore, Daphne, our grief! our glory now no more!, 70 But fee! where Daphne wond'ring mounts on high Daphne, our Goddefs, and our grief no more! 75 80 How all things liften, while thy Muse complains! Such filence waits on Philomela's ftrains, In fome ftill ev'ning, when the whifp'ring breeze Pants on the leaves, and dies upon the trees. To thee, bright goddefs, oft a lamb fhall bleed, If teeming ewes encreafe my fleecy breed. While plants their fhade, or flow'rs their odours give, Thy name, thy honour, and thy praise fhall live! THYRS I S. But fee, Orion sheds unwholesome dews; --85 Arife, the pines a noxious shade diffuse; VARIATIONS. VER. 83. Originally thus in the MS. While vapours rife, and driving fnows defcend, IMITATIONS, illius aram VER. 81. VER. 86. Juniperi gravis umbra. Sæpe tener noftris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus. Virg. P. folet effe gravis cantantibus umbra, Virg. P. |