DAPHNI S.

Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves ;
Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves;
If Windfor-shades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windsor-shade.

STREP HON.

All nature mourns, the fkies relent in fhow'rs, Hufh'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs; If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring, The fkies to brighten, and the birds to fing.

71

DAPHNI S.

All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air;

If Sylvia smiles, new glories gild the shore,
And vanquish'd nature seems to charm no more.

STREP HON.

In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the shady grove,

VARIATIONS.

VER. 69, etc. Thefe verfes were thus at firft:
All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Nor wafted brooks the thirty flow'rs supply;
If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 69. All nature mourns,

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Aret ager,
vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc.
Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit.

75

Virg.

But Delia always; absent from her fight,

Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80

DAPHNI S.

Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as May, More bright than noon, yet fresh as early day; Ev'n fpring displeases, when the fhines not here; But bleft with her, 'tis fpring throughout the year.

STREP HON.

Say, Daphnis, fay, in what glad foil appears, A wond'rous Tree that facred Monarchs bears: 86 Tell me but this, and I'll disclaim the prize, And give the conqueft to thy Sylvia's eyes.

DAPHNI S.

Nay tell me first, in what more happy fields The Thistle fprings, to which the Lily yields: 90. And then a nobler prize I will refign; For Sylvia, charming Sylvia fhall be thine.

NOTES.

VER. 86. A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears.] An allufion to the Royal Oak, in which Charles II. had been hid from the purfuit after the battle of Worcester.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 90. The Thistle Springs to which the Lily yields,] Alludes to the device of the Scots Monarchs, the Thiftle, worn by Queen Anne; and to the arms of France, the Fleur de lys. The two riddles are in imitation of thofe in Virg. Ecl. iii.

Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum
Nafcantur Flores, & Phyllida folus habeto.

DAMON.

Ceafe to contend, for, Daphnis, I decree, The bowl to Strephon, and the lamb to thee; Bleft Swains, whofe Nymphs in ev'ry grace excel; Bleft Nymphs, whofe Swains those graces fing fo well!

96

Now rife, and hafte to yonder woodbine bow'rs,
A foft retreat from fudden vernal show'rs;
The turf with rural dainties fhall be crown'd,
While op'ning blooms diffuse their sweets around.
For fee! the gath'ring flocks to shelter tend,
And from the Pleiads fruitful fhow'rs defcend.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 99. was originally,

The turf with country dainties shall be spread,
And trees with twining branches fhade your head.

A Shepherd's Boy (he feeks no better name)

Led forth his flocks along the filver Thame, Where dancing fun-beams on the waters play'd, And verdant alders form'd a quiv'ring shade.

VARIATIONS.

VER. I, 2, 3, 4. were thus printed in the firft edition:
A faithful fwain, whom Love had taught to fing,
Bewail'd his fate befide a filver spring;

Where gentle Thames his winding waters leads
Thro' verdant forefts, and thro' flow'ry meads.
VER. 3. Originally thus in the MS.

There to the winds he plain'd his hapless love,

And Amaryllis fill'd the vocal grove.

NOTES.

VER. 3. The Scene of this Paftoral by the river's fide; fuitable to the heat of the season; the time noon.

Soft as he mourn'd, the ftreams forgot to flow,
The flocks around a dumb compaffion fhow,
The Naïds wept in ev'ry wat'ry bow'r,
And Jove confented in a filent show'r.

Accept, O GARTH, the Mufe's early lays,
That adds this wreath of ivy to thy bays;
Hear what from Love unpractis'd hearts endure,
From Love, the fole difeafe thou canst not cure.
Ye fhady beeches, and ye cooling ftreams,
Defence from Phoebus', not from Cupid's beams,
Το you I mourn, nor to the deaf I fing,
The woods fhall anfwer, and their echo ring.
The hills and rocks attend my doleful lay,
Why art thou prouder and more hard than they?
The bleating fheep with my complaints agree,
They parch'd with heat, and I inflam'd by thee. 20
The fultry Sirius burns the thirsty plains,
While in thy heart eternal winter reigns.

IMITATIONS.

5

VER. 8. And Jove confented]

Jupiter et læto defcendet plurimus imbri. Virg.

VER. 15. nor to the deaf I fing,]

Non canimus furdis, refpondent omnia fylvæ. Virg.

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NOTES.

VER. 9. Dr. Samuel Garth, Author of the Difpenfary, was one of the first friends of the Author, whofe acquaintance with him began at fourteen or fifteen. Their friendship continued from the year 1703 to 1718, which was that of his death.

VER. 16. The woods shall answer, and their echo ring,] Is a line out of Spenfer's Epithalamion.

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