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 gath'ring damps the mifty 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 freshness hence the Rofe receives,
And blushes sweet through all her filken leaves;
(The drops defcending through the filent night,
While ftars ferenely roll their golden light,)
Clofe 'till the morn, her humid veil fhe holds;
Then deckt with virgin pomp the flow'r unfolds.
Soon will the morning blufh: ye maids! prepare,
In rofy garlands bind your flowing hair;

'Tis Venus' plant: the blood fair Venus shed,
O'er the gay beauty pour'd immortal red;

Ipfa gemmas purpurantem pingit annum floribus, Ipfa furgentis papillas de Favonî spiritu, Urguet in toros tepentes; ipfa roris lucidi,

Noctis aura quem relinquit, fpargit humentis aquas, Et micant lacrymae trementes decidivo pondere. fuftinet cafus fuos.

Gutta praeceps orbe parvo

In pudorem florulentae prodiderunt purpurae.
Humor ille, quem ferenis aftra rorant noctibus,
Mane virgines papillas folvit humenti peplo.

From Love's foft kifs a fweet Ambrofial smell
Was taught for ever on the leaves to dwell;
From gemms, from flames, from orient rays of light
The richest luftre makes her purple bright;
And the to-morrow weds; the fporting gale
Unties her zone, fhe burfts the verdant veil;
Thro' all her sweets the rifling lover flies,
And as he breaths, her glowing fires arife.

"Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before; "Let those who always lov'd, now love the more." Now fair Dione to the myrtle grove

Sends the gay Nymphs, and fends her tender Love.
And shall they venture? is it safe 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,

Ipfa juffit mane ut udae virgines nubant rofae,
Fufae prius de cruore deque amoris ofculis,

Deque gemmis, deque flammis, deque Solis purpuris.
Cras ruborem qui latebat veste tectus ignea,

Unica marito nodo non pudebit folvere.

"Cras amet, qui numquam amavit; quique ama

66 vit, cras amet."

Ipfa Nimfas Diva luco juffit ire myrteo,

It Puer comes puellis. Nec tamen credi poteft
Effe amorem feriatum, fi fagittas vexerit.
Ite Nimfae: pofuit arma, feriatus est Amor.
Juffus eft inermis ire, nudus ire juffus eft:

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, still 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' bow'r to Delia's lodge repairs A virgin train compleat with modeft airs: 'Chaste Delia ! grant our fuit! or fhun the wood, 'Nor ftain this facred lawn with favage blood.

Venus, O Delia! if he cou'd perfuade,

'Wou'd ask thy prefence, might fhe afk a maid.'
Here chearful quires for three aufpicious nights
With fongs prolong the pleasurable rites:
Here crouds in meafures lightly-decent rove;
Or feek by pairs the covert of the grove,

Neu quid arcu, neu fagitta, neu quid igne laederet. Sed tamen cavete Nimfae, quod Cupido pulcher est: Totus eft inermis idem, quando nudus eft Amor.

66

Cras amet, qui numquam amavit; quique ama

66 vit, cras amet."

Compari Venus pudore mittit ad te virgines.
Una res eft quam rogamus, cede virgo Delia,
Ut nemus fit incruentum de ferinis ftragibus.
Ipfa vellet ut venires, fi deceret virginem:
Jam tribus choros videres feriatos noctibus:
Congreges inter catervas ire
per faltus tuos,

E

Where meeting greens for arbours arch above,
And mingling flowrets ftrow the scenes of love.
Here dancing Ceres fhakes her golden fheaves:
Here Bacchus revels, deckt with viny leaves:
Here wit's enchanting God in laurel crown'd
Wakes all the ravish'd Hours with filver found.
Ye fields, ye forefts, own Dione's reign,
And Delia, huntress Delia, fhun the plain.

"Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before; "Let those 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 fav'rite band (Her fmiling Graces) fhare the great command. Now beauteous Hybla! dress thy flow'ry beds With all the pride the lavish season sheds;

Floreas inter coronas, myrteas inter cafas.
Nec Ceres, nec Bacchus abfunt, nec Poetarum Deus;
Decinent, et tota nox est pervigilia cantibus.

Regnet in filvis Dione: tu recede Delia.

" Cras amet, qui numquam amavit; quique ama

Juffit Hyblaeis tribunal stare diva floribus.

Praefens ipfa jura dicit, adfederunt Gratiae.
Hybla totos funde flores quidquid annus adtulit.

}

Now all thy colours, all thy fragrance yield,

And rival Enna's aromatic field.

To fill the prefence of the gentle court

From ev'ry quarter rural Nymphs refort,

From woods, from mountains, from their humble vales,
From waters curling with the wanton gales.
Pleaf'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, tho' ftript of arms, abounds in arts.

66

Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before; Let those who always lov'd, now love the more." Let tender grafs in fhaded alleys spread,

Let early flow'rs erect their painted head.
To-morrow's glory be to-morrow feen,

That day, old Ether wedded Earth in green.

Hybla florum rumpe veftem, quantus Aennae campus eft.

Ruris hic erunt puellae, vel puellae montium,

Quaeque filvas, quaeque lucos, quaeque montes incolunt.

Juffit omnis adfidere pueri mater alitas,

Juffit et nudo puellas nil amori credere.

" Cras amet, qui numquam amavit; quique ama

Et recentibus virentes ducat umbras floribus. Cras erit qui primus aether copulavit nuptias,