HEALTH; an ECLOGU E.

WOW early Shepherds o'er the Meadow pass,

N°

And print long Foot-steps in the glittering
Grafs;

The Cows neglectful of their Pasture stand,
By turns obfequious to the Milker's Hand.

When Damon foftly trod the shaven Lawn, Damon, a Youth from City Cares withdrawn; Long was the pleafing Walk he wander'd thro', A cover'd Arbour clos'd the distant view; There refts the Touth, and while the feather'd

Throng

Raise their wild Mufick, thus contrives a Song.

Here

Here wafted o'er by mild Etesian Air,

Thou Country Goddess, beauteous Health! repair;
Here let my Breast thro' quiv'ring Trees inhale
Thy rofy Bleffings with the Morning Gale.
What are the Fields, or Flow'rs, or all I see?
Ah! tasteless all, if not enjoy'd with thee.

Joy to my Soul! I feel the Goddess nigh, The Face of Nature cheers as well as I O'er the flat Green refreshing Breezes run, The smiling Dazies blow beneath the Sun, The Brooks run purling down with filver Waves The planted Lanes rejoice with dancing Leaves, The chirping Birds from all the Compass rove To tempt the tuneful Echoes of the Grove: High funny Summits, deeply fhaded Dales, Thick Moffy Banks, and flow'ry winding Vales,

With various Profpect gratify the Sight,

And scatter fix'd Attention in Delight.

Come, Country Goddess, come; nor thou fuffice, But bring thy Mountain-fifter, Exercise. Call'd by thy lively Voice, the turns her Pace, Her winding Horn proclaims the finish'd Chace; She mounts the Rocks, fhe skims the level Plain, Dogs, Hawks, and Horfes, crowd her early Train; Her hardy Face repels the tanning Wind, And Lines and Mefhes loosely float behind. All these as Means of Toil the Feeble fee, But these are helps to Pleasure join'd with thee.

Let Sloth lye foftning 'till high Noon in Down, Or lolling fan her in the fult'ry Town, Unnerv'd with Reft; and turn her own Disease, Or fofter others in luxurious Eafe:

I mount

I mount the Courfer,call the deep-mouth'd Hounds, The Fox unkennell'd flies to covert Grounds;

I lead where Stags thro' tangled Thickets tread, And shake the Saplings with their branching Head; I make the Faulcons wing their airy Way,

And foar to seize, or stooping strike their Prey;
To fnare the Fish I fix the luring Bait;

To wound the Fowl I load the Gun with Fate.
'Tis thus thro' change of Exercife I range,
And Strength and Pleasure rife from ev'ry Change.
Here beauteous Health for all the Year remain,
When the next comes, I'll charm thee thus again.

Oh come, thou Goddefs of my rural Song, And bring thy Daughter, calm Content, along, Dame of the ruddy Cheek and laughing Eye, From whose bright Prefence Clouds of Sorrow fly:

For her I mow my Walks, I platt my Bow'rs,

Clip my low Hedges, and fupport my Flow'rs; To welcome her, this Summer Seat I drest,

And here I court her when she comes to Reft; When the from Exercise to learned Eafe

Shall change again, and teach the Change to please.

Now Friends converfing my foft Hours refine, And Tully's Tufculum revives in mine:

Now to grave Books I bid the Mind retreat, And fuch as make me rather Good than Great. Or o'er the Works of eafy Fancy rove,

Where Flutes and Innocence amuse the Grove:
The native Bard that on Sicilian Plains

First sung the lowly Manners of the Swains;
Or Maro's Mufe, that in the fairest Light

Paints rural Prospects and the Charms of Sight;

Thefe