Thus confecrated, thy 13 Grynaan Grove
Shall have no equal in Apollo's Love.

Why should I fpeak of the 14 Megarian Maid,
For Love perfidious, and by Love betray'd?
And 15 her, who round with barking Monsters arm'd,
The wandring Greeks (ah frighted men) alarm'd;
16 Whofe only hope on fhatter'd Ships depends,
While fierce Sea-dogs devour the mangled Friends.
Or tell the Thracian Tyrants alter'd shape,
And dire revenge of Philomela's Rape,

Who to thofe Woods directs her mournful course,
Where the had suffer'd by incestuous force,
While loth to leave the Palace too well known,
Progne flies, hovering round, and thinks it ftill her
Whatever near 17 Eurota's happy Stream [own.
With Laurels crown'd had been Apollo's Theam,
Silenus fings; the neighbouring Rocks reply,
And fend his Myftick numbers through the Sky,
'Till Night began to spread her gloomy Vail,
And call'd the counted Sheep from every Dale;
The weaker Light unwillingly declin'd, [fign'd.
And to prevailing shades the murmuring World re-

POSTSCRIPT.

Icilian------Virgil in his Eclogue, imitates Theocritus a Sicilian Poet.

Thalia------The name of the Rural Muse.

Varus-A great Favourite of Auguftus, the fame that was kill'd in Germany, and loft the Roman Legions.

Chromis and Mnafylus------Some Interpreters think thefe were young Satyrs, others will have them Shepberds: I rather take them for Satyrs, because of their names, which are never used for Shepherds; where (that I remember) but here.

any

5 They bound------Proteus, Pan, and Silenus would never tell what was defired, till they were bound.

6

7

Nais-The Latin word for a Water-Nymph. Vermilion Dye------The colour that Pan and Silenus lov'd beft.

Rival'd the Sun----Minerva delighted with the Art and Industry of Prometheus (who had made an Image of Clay fo perfect, that it wanted nothing but Life,) carried him up to Heaven, where he lighted a Wand at the Chariot of the Sun, with which fire he animated his Image. Ovid. 2. M. 9 Hylas---Favourite of Hercules, who was drown'd in a well, which made the Poets Say that a Nymph had ftole him away: I use the word refounds (in the prefent Tenfe) because Strabo (who lived at the fame time as Virgil) seems to intimate, that the Prufians continued then their annual Rites to his Memory, repeating his name with loud Cries.

ΤΟ

II

The Maids of Argos------Daughters of Prætis, King of Argus, who prefumed so much upon their Beauty, that they preferr'd it to Juno's, who in revenge, ftruck them with such madness, that they thought themselves Cows. They were at last cured by Melampodes with Hellebore, and for that reafon, black Hellebore is called Melampodion.

Gallus-An excellent Poet and great Friend of Virgil, he was afterwards Prator of Egypt, and being accused of fome Confpiracy, or rather called upon for fome Moneys, of which he could give no good account, he killed himself. It is the fame Gallus you read of in the last Eclogue: And Suidas fays, that Virgil means him by Ariftæus, in the divine Conclufion of his Georgicks.

12 Linus, Son of Apollo and Calliope.

13 The Grynæan Grove------Confecrated to Apollo ; by this he means fome Poem writ upon that fubject by Gallus.

14 The Megarian Maid-----Scylla, Daughter of Nifus King of Megara,, who falling in Love with Minos, betrayed her Father and Country to him, but he abhorring her Treafon, rejected her.

15 Her who round----- Another Scylla, Daughter of Phorcis, whofe lower Parts were turned into Dogs by Circe; and she, in defpair, flung her felf into the Sea.

16 Whofe only Hope------Ulyffes's Ships were not loft, though Scylla devoured several of his Men. 37 Eurotas---A River in Greece whofe Banks were shaded with Laurels; Apollo retired thither to lament the Death of his dear Hyacinthus, whom he had accidentally killed..

The SEVENTH ECLOGUE.

English'd by Mr. Adams.

This Eclogue is wholly Paftoral, and confifts of the Contention of two Shepherds, Thyrfis and Corydon, to the bearing of which Melitœeus, was invited by Daphnis, and thus relates it.

MELIB QE U S.

WHile Daphnis fate beneath a whifp'ring fhade,

Thyrfis and Corydon together fed

Their mingling Flocks; his Sheep with foftest Wooll
Were cloath'd, his Goats of fweeteft Milk were full.
Both in the beauteous fpring of blooming Youth,
The worthy Pride of bleft Arcadia both;
Each with like Art, his tuneful Voice cou'd raise,
Each anfwer readily in Rural Lays;
Hither the father of my Flock had stray'd,
While fhelters I for my young Myrtles made;
Here I fair Daphnis faw; when me he spy'd,
Come hither quickly, gentle Youth! he cry'd.-

Your Goat and Kids are fafe, O feek not those,
But if you've leifure, in this Shade repose:
Hither to water, the full Heifers tend,

When length'ning Shadows from the Hills defcend,
Mincius with Reeds here interweaves his bounds,
And from that facred Oak a bufie fwarm resounds.
What fhould I do? nor was Alcippe there,
Nor Phyllis, who might of my Lambs take care;"
Yet to my Business, I their Sports prefer,

For the two Swains with great Ambition ftrove, Who beft could tune his Reed, or beft could fing his Love;

Alternate Verle their ready Mufes chofe ;
In Verfe alternate each quick fancy flows;
Thefe fang young Corydon, young Thyrfis thofe.
CORTDON.

Ye much lov'd Muses! Tuch a Verse bestow,
As does from Codrus, my lov'd Codrus flow;
Or if all can't obtain the Gift Divine,
My Pipe I'll confecrate on yonder Pine.
THTRS IS.

Y' Arcadian Swains with Ivy Wreaths adorn
Your Youth, that Codras may with spight be torn ;
Or, if he praife too much, apply fome charm,
Left his ill Tongue your future Poet harm.

CORTDON.

These branches of a Stag, this Wild-Boar's Head,
By little Mycon's on thy Altar laid!

If this continue, Delia! thou fhalt stand
Of smootheft Marble by the skilfulft Hand.
THIRSIS.

This Milk, thefe Cakes, Priapus, every year
Expect, a little Garden is thy care:

Thou'rt Marble now, but if more Land I hold,
If my Flock thrive, thou shalt be made of Gold.
CORYDON.

O Galatea! fweet as Hybla's Thyme;

White as, more white, than Swans are in their prime,

Come, when the Herds fhall to their Stalls repair,
O come, if e'er thy Corydon's thy care.
THIRSIS.

O may I harsh as bittereft Herbs appear,
Rough as wild Myrtle, vile as Sea-weeds are,
If years item longer than this tedious day;
Hafte home my Glutton Herd, hafte haste away.
CORYDO N.

Ye Moffie Springs! ye Paftures! fofter far
Than thoughtless hours of sweetest slumbers are,
Ye Shades! protect my Flock, the Heats are near ;
On the glad Vines the fwelling Buds appear.
THIRSIS.

Here on my Hearth a conftant flame does play,
And the fat Vapour paints the Roof each day;
Here we as much regard the cold North-wind
As Streams their Banks, or Wolves do Number mind.
CORT DO N.

Look how the Trees rejoice in comely Pride,
While their ripe Fruit lies fcatter'd on each fide;
All Nature fmiles, but if Alexis stay,

From our fad Hills the Rivers weep away.

THIRSIS.

The dying Grafs with fickly Air does fade,
No Field's unparcht, no Vines our Hills do fhade;
But if my Phyllis come, all sprouts again,
And bounteous Jove descends in kindly Rain.
CORIDO N.

Bacchus the Vine, the Laurel Phabus loves,
Fair Venus cherishes the Myrtle Groves,
Phyllis the Hazels loves, while Phyllis loves that Tree,
Myrtles and Laurels of less fame shall be.

THIRSIS.

The lofty Afh is Glory of the Woods,

The Pine of Gardens, Poplar of the Floods :
If oft thy Swain, fair Lycidas, thou fee,

To thee the Afh fhall yield, the Pine to thee.
MELIB OE V S.

Thefe I remember well