(Far more than e'er can by yourself be guess'd)
Fix on Vertumnus, and reject the rest.
For his firm faith I dare engage my own;
Scarce to himself, himself is better known.
To distant lands Vertumnus never roves ;
Like you, contented with his native groves;
Nor at first fight, like moft, admires the fair;
For you he lives; and you alone shall share
His laft affection, as his early care.
Befides, he 's lovely far above the reft,
With youth immortal, and with beauty bleft.
Add, that he varies every fhape with ease,
And tries all forms that may Pomona please.
But what fhould most excite a mutual flame,
Your rural cares and pleasures are the fame.
To him your orchard's early fruit are' due,
(A pleafing offering when 'tis made by you)
Plus quam credis, amo) vulgares rejice taedas:
Vertumnumque tori focium tibi felige: pro quo
Me quoque pignus habe, neque enim fibi notior ille eft,
Quam mihi, nec toto paffim vagus errat in orbe.
Haec loca fola colit; nec, uti pars magna procorum,
Quam modo vidit, amat. tu primus et ultimus illi
Ardor eris; folique fuos tibi devovet annos.
Adde, quod eft juvenis: quod naturale decoris
Munus habet; formafque apte fingetur in omnes :
Et, quod erit juffus (jubeas licet omnia) fiet.
Quid, quod amatís idem? quod, quae tibi poma co-
He values thefe; but yet (alas!) complains,
That still the best and dearest gift remains.
Not the fair fruit that on yon' branches glows
With that ripe red th' autumnal fun beftows;
Nor tafteful herbs that in these gardens rise,
Which the kind foil with milky fap fupplies;
You, only you, can move the God's defire:
Oh, crown so constant and so pure a fire !
Let foft compaffion touch your gentle mind;
Think, 'tis Vertumnus begs you to be kind;
So may no froft, when early buds appear,
Destroy the promise of the youthful year;
Nor winds, when first your florid orchard blows,
Shake the light bloffoms from their blafted boughs!
This when the various God had urg'd in vain,
He ftrait affum'd his native form again;
Such, and fo bright an aspect now he bears,
As when through clouds th' emerging fun appears, 115
Primus habet; laetaque tenet tua munera dextra?
Sed neque jam foetus defiderat arbore demtos,
Nec, quas hortus alit, cum fuccis mitibus herbas; 100 Nec quidquam, nifi te. miferere ardentis: et ipfum,
Qui petit, ore meo praefentem crede precari.
Sic tibi nec vernum nascentia frigus adurat
Poma; nec excutiant rapidi florentia venti.
Haec ubi nequicquam formas Deus aptus in omnes, Edidit; in juvenem rediit: et anilia demit Inftrumenta fibi: talifque adparuit illi, Qualis ubi oppofitas nitidiffima folis imago
And thence exerting his refulgent ray,
Difpels the darkness, and reveals the day.
Force he prepar'd, but check'd the rash design;
For when, appearing in a form divine,
The Nymph furveys him, and beholds the grace
Of charming features, and a youthful face;
In her foft breast consenting paffions move,
And the warm maid confefs'd a mutual love.
Evicit nubes, nullaque obftante reluxit.
Vimque parat: fed vi non eft opus: inque figura
Capta Dei Nympha eft, et mutua vulnera fentit.
Done by the Author in his Youth.
CHAUCER.
OMEN ben full of Ragerie,
Yet fwinken nat fans fecrefie.
Thilke moral shall ye understond,
From Schoole-boy's Tale of fayre Irelond:
Which to the Fennes hath him betake,
To filch the gray Ducke fro the Lake.
Right then, there paffen by the way
His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway.
Ducke in his Trowses hath he hent,
Not to be fpied of Ladies gent.
"But ho! our Nephew, (crieth one)
"Ho! quoth another, Cozen John;"
And ftoapen, and lough, and callen out,—
This filly Clerk full low doth lout:
They afken that, and talken this,
"Lo here is Coz, and here is Mifs."
But, as he glozeth with speeches foote,
The Ducke fore tickleth his Erfe roote:
Fore-piece and buttons all-to-breft,
Forth thrust a white neck, and red crest.
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