186
190
Finds wealth where 'tis, bestows it where it wants,
Cities in defarts, woods in cities plants;
So that to us no thing, no place, is strange,
While his fair bofom is the worlds exchange.
O could I flow like thee, and make thy stream
My great example, as it is my theme!
Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull;
Strong without rage, without o're-flowing full.
Heaven her Eridanus no more shall boast,
Whose fame in thine like lesser current's lost;
Thy nobler ftreams fhall vifit Joves abodes, 195
To shine among the ftars, and bath the gods.
Here * Nature, whether more intent to please
Us or herself, with ftrange varieties,
(For things of wonder give no lefs delight
To the wise maker's, than beholder's fight: 200
Though these delights from several causes move;
For fo our children, thus our friends we love ;)
Wifely she knew, the harmony of things,
As well as that of founds, from difcord springs.
Such was the difcord, which did first disperse 205
Form, order, beauty, through the universe:
While drinefs moyfture, coldness heat resists,
All that we have, and that we are, subsists:
While the steep horrid roughness of the wood
Strives with the gentle calmness of the flood. 210
*
Such huge extreams when nature doth unite,
Wonder from thence refults, from thence delight.
The stream is so transparent, pure and clear,
That had the self-enamour'd youth gaz'd here,
So fatally deceiv'd he had not been,
215
While he the bottom, not his face had seen.
But his proud head the aery mountain hides
Among the clouds; his fhoulders and his fides
A fhady mantle cloaths; his curled brows
Frown on the gentle stream, which calmly flows;
While winds and ftorms his lofty forehead beat :
The common fate of all that's high or great.
Low at his foot a spacious plain is plac't,
Between the mountain and the ftream embrac't;
Which shade and shelter from the hill derives, 225
While the kind river health and beauty gives;
And in the mixture of all these appears
Variety, which all the rest indears.
This fcene had fome bold Greek, or British bard
Beheld of old, what ftories had we heard
230
Of fairies, fatyrs, and the nymphs their dames,
Their feafts, their revels, and their amorous flames!
'Tis still the fame, although their aery shape
All but a quick poetick fight escape.
There Faunus and Sylvanus keep their courts,
And thither all the horned hoft resorts
236
To graze the ranker mead, that noble heard,
On whose sublime and shady fronts is rear'd
Nature's great mafter-piece; to fhew how foon
Great things are made, but sooner are undone. 240
Here have I feen the king, when great affairs.
Gave leave to slacken, and unbend his cares,
Attended to the chafe by all the flower
Of youth, whofe hopes a nobler prey devour:
Pleasure with praise, and danger they would buy,
And with a foe that would not only flye. 246
The stag now conscious of his fatal growth,
At once indulgent to his fear and sloth,
To fome dark covert his retreat had made,
Where nor mans eye, nor heavens fhould invade
His foft repofe; when th' unexpected found 251
Of dogs, and men, his wakeful ear doth wound:
Rouz'd with the noise, he scarce believes his ear,
Willing to think th' illufions of his fear
Had giv❜n this false alarm, but straight his view
Confirms, that more than all he fears is true. 256
Betray'd in all his ftrengths, the wood befet;
All inftruments, all arts of ruine met;
He calls to mind his ftrength, and then his speed,
His winged heels, and then his armed head; 260
With these t'avoid, with that his fate to meet :
But fear prevails, and bids him trust his feet.
So faft he flies, that his reviewing eye
Has loft the chafers, and his ear the cry;
Exulting, 'till he finds their nobler fenfe
Their disproportion'd speed does recompense;
Then curses his confpiring feet, whose scent
Betrays that fafety which their swiftness lent.
Then tries his friends; among the baser herd,
Where he fo lately was obey'd and fear'd,
His fafety feeks: The herd, unkindly wife,
Or chases him from thence, or from him flies;
Like a declining ftates-man, left forlorn
To his friends pity, and pursuers scorn,
With shame remembers, while himself was one
Of the fame herd, himself the fame had done. 276
Thence to the coverts, and the conscious groves,
The scenes of his past triumphs, and his loves;
Sadly furveying where he rang'd alone
285
Prince of the foyl, and all the herd his own; 280
And like a bold knight-errant did proclaim
Combat to all, and bore away the dame;
And taught the woods to eccho to the stream
His dreadful challenge, and his clashing beam :
Yet faintly now declines the fatal ftrife;
So much his love was dearer than his life.
Now every leaf, and every moving breath,
Presents a foe, and ev'ry foe a death.
Wearied, forfaken, and pursu'd, at last
All fafety in despair of fafety plac'd,
Courage he thence refumes, refolv'd to bear
All their affaults, fince 'tis in vain to fear:
And now too late he wishes for the fight
That strength he wasted in ignoble flight:
But when he sees the eager chase renew'd,
Himself by dogs, the dogs by men purfu'd,
He straight revokes his bold resolve, and more
Repents his courage, than his fear before;
Finds that uncertain ways unfafest are,
And doubt a greater mischief than despair. 300
Then to the stream, when neither friends, nor force,
Nor speed, nor art avail, he fhapes his course;
Thinks not their rage fo defperate t' affay
An element more merciless than they;
But fearless they pursue, nor can the floud 305
Quench their dire thirft; alas, they thirst for bloud.
So towards a fhip the oare-fin'd gallies ply,
Which wanting fea to ride, or wind to fly,
Stands but to fall reveng'd on those that dare
Tempt the last fury of extream despair.
So fares the stag, among th' enraged hounds,
Repels their force, and wounds returns for wounds.
And as a hero, whom his bafer foes
315
In troops furround, now these affails, now those,
Though prodigal of life, difdains to die
By common hands; but if he can descry
Some nobler foe approach, to him he calls,
And begs his fate, and then contented falls.
So when the king a mortal shaft lets flye
From his unerring hand; then glad to dye, 320
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