Chill, dark, alone, adreed, he lay,
Till up the welkin rofe the day,
Then deem'd the dole was o'er :
But wot ye well his harder lot?
His feely back the bunch had got
Which Edwin loft afore.
This tale a Sybil-nurse ared;
She foftly ftroak'd my youngling head,
And when the tale was done,
"Thus fome are born, my fon, fhe cries,
"With bafe impediments to rife,
"And fome are born with none.
"But virtue can itself advance
"To what the favourite fools of chance By fortune feem design'd;
"Virtue can gain the odds of fate,
“And from itself shake off the weight
"Upon th' unworthy mind.”
Written in the time of JULIUS CAESAR, and by fome afcribed to CATULLUS.
ET thofe love now, who never lov'd before;
Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.
The fpring, the new, the warbling spring appears, The youthful season of reviving years;
In fpring the loves enkindle mutual heats,
The feather'd nation chufe their tuneful mates,
The trees grow fruitful with descending rain,
And dreft in differing greens adorn the plain.
She comes; to-morrow Beauty's empress roves
Through walks that winding run within the groves;
She twines the shooting myrtle into bowers,
And ties their meeting tops with wreaths of flowers,
Then, rais'd fublimely on her easy throne,
From Nature's powerful dictates draws her own.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before;
Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.
'Twas on that day which faw the teeming flood
Swell round, impregnate with celeftial blood;
Wandering in circles ftood the finny crew,
The midst was left a void expanse of blue,
There parent ocean work'd with heaving throes,
And dropping wet the fair Dione rofe.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before; Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.
She paints the purple year with vary'd show, Tips the green gem, and makes the bloffom glow. She makes the turgid buds receive the breeze, Expand to leaves, and shade the naked trees. When gathering damps the misty nights diffuse, She sprinkles all the morn with balmy dews; Bright trembling pearls depend at every spray, And, kept from falling, feem to fall away. A gloffy freshnefs hence the rofe receives, And blushes fweet through all her filken leaves (The drops defcending through the filent night, While stars ferenely roll their golden light): Clofe till the morn, her humid veil fhe holds; Then deckt with virgin pomp the flower unfolds. Soon will the morning blush: ye maids! prepare, In rofy garlands bind your flowing hair; 'Tis Venus' plant: the blood fair Venus fhed, O'er the gay beauty pour'd immortal red; From Love's foft kifs a fweet ambrofial smell Was taught for ever on the leaves to dwell; From gems, from flames, from orient rays
The richest luftre makes her purple bright;
And fhe to-morrow weds; the fporting gale
Unties her zone, fhe burfts the verdant veil;
Through all her fweets the rifling lover flies,
And as he breathes, her glowing fires arise.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before;
Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.
Now fair Dione to the myrtle grove
Sends the gay Nymphs, and sends her tender love.
And fhall they venture? Is it fafe to go,
While Nymphs have hearts, and Cupid wears a bow?
Yes, fafely venture, 'tis his mother's will;
He walks unarm'd, and undefigning ill,
His torch extinct, his quiver ufelefs hung,
His arrows idle, and his bow unftrung.
And yet, ye Nymphs, beware; his eyes have charms;
And love that 's naked, ftill is love in arms.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before;
Let those who always lov'd, now love the more.
From Venus' bower to Delia's lodge repairs
A virgin train complete with modeft airs :
"Chaste Delia, grant our fuit! or fhun the wood,
"Nor ftain this facred lawn with favage blood.
"Venus, O Delia! if she could perfuade,
"Would ask thy prefence, might she ask a maid.”
Here chearful quires for three aufpicious nights
With fongs prolong the pleafurable rites :
Here crouds in meafure lightly-decent rove;
Or feek by pairs the covert of the grove,
Where meeting greens for arbours arch above,
And mingling flowrets ftrow the scenes of love,
Here dancing Ceres shakes her golden fheaves;
Here Bacchus revels, deck'd with viny leaves :
Here Wit's enchanting God, in lawrel crown'd,
Wakes all the ravish'd hours with filver found.
Ye fields, ye forests, own Dione's reign,
And Delia, huntress Delia, fhun the plain.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before,
Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.
Gay with the bloom of all her opening year,
The Queen at Hybla bids her throne appear;
And there prefides; and there the favourite band
(Her smiling graces) share the great.command.
Now, beauteous Hybla! drefs thy flowery beds
With all the pride the lavish season sheds ;
Now all thy colours, all thy fragrance yield,
And rival Enna's aromatic field.
To fill the prefence of the gentle court,
From every quarter rural nymphs resort.
From woods, from mountains, from their humble vales,
From waters curling with the wanton gales.
Pleas'd with the joyful train, the laughing queen
In circles feats them round the bank of green;
And, "Lovely girls, fhe whispers, guard your hearts:
"My boy, though stript of arms, abounds in arts.”
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before;
Let those who always lov'd, new love the more.
Let tender grafs in fhaded alleys spread,
Let early flowers erect their painted head,
To-morrow's glory be to-morrow seen,
That day, old Ether wedded Earth in gree
The vernal father bid the Spring appear,
In clouds be coupled to produce the year,
The fap defcending o'er her bosom ran,
And all the various forts of foul began.
By wheels unknown to fight, by fecret veins
Diftilling life, the fruitful goddess reigns,
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