94

To the banks a ruffled tide

Verges in successive rings.

XXVI.

Tripping thro' the silken grass,
O'er the path-divided dale,
Mark the rose-complexion'd lass,
With her well-pois'd milking-pail.

XXVII.

Linnets with unnumber'd notes,
And the cuckoo, bird with two,
Tuning sweet their mellow throats,
Bid the setting-sun adieu.

PALEMON:

A PASTORAL.

PALEMON, seated by his fav'rite maid,
The sylvan scenes with ecstacy survey'd;
Nothing could make the fond Alexis gay,
For Daphne had been absent half the day:
Dar'd by Palemon for a pastoral prize,
Reluctant in his turn Alexis tries.

PALEMON. This breeze by the river how charming How smooth the grass-carpet! how green! [and soft! Sweet, sweet sings the lark! as he carols aloft

His music enlivens the scene.

A thousand fresh flow'rets unusuallygay

The fields and the forests adorn;

I pluck'd me some roses, the children of May, And could not find one with a thorn.

ALEXIS. The skies are quite clouded, too bold is the Dull vapours descend on the plain; [breeze,

The verdure's all blasted that cover'd yon' trees,

The birds cannot compass a strain:

In search for a chaplet my temples to bind

All day as I silently rove,

I can't find a flow'ret (not one to my mind) In meadow, in garden, or grove.

PALEMON. I ne'er saw the hedge in such excellent

The lambkins so wantonly gay;

[bloom,

My cows seem to breathe a more pleasing perfume, And brighter than common the day.

If any dull shepherd should foolishly ask

So rich why the landscapes appear?

To give a right answer how easy my task! Because my sweet Phillida's here.

ALEXIS. The stream that so muddy moves slowly

Once roll'd in a beautiful tide;

It seem'd o'er the pebbles to murmur a song,

But Daphne sat then by my side.

[along

See, see the lov'd Maid! o'er the meadows she hies Quite alter'd already the scene!

How limpid the stream is! how gay the blue skies! The hills and the hedges how green!

ΡΟΜΟΝΑ.

A PASTORAL.

On the Cyder-Bll being passed.

I.

FROM orchards of ample extent
Pomona's compell'd to depart,
And thus, as in anguish she went,
The goddess unburthen'd her heart:

II.

"To flourish where Liberty reigns

"Was all my fond wishes requir'd, "And here I agreed with the swains "To live till their freedom expir'd.

III.

"Of late have you number'd my trees, "And threaten'd to limit my store: "Alas!---from such maxims as these, "I fear that your freedom's no more.

IV.

"My flight will be fatal to May;

"For how can her gardens be fine?

"The blossoms are doom'd to decay,

"(The blossoms, I mean, that were mine.)

V.

"Rich Autumn remembers me well;

"My fruitage was fair to behold!

"My pears---how I ripen'd their swell! My pippins---were pippins of gold!

VI.

"Let Ceres drudge on with her ploughs; "She droops as she furrows the soil: "A nectar I shake from my boughs; "A nectar that softens my toil!

VII.

"When Bacchus began to repine, "With patience I bore his abuse; "He said that I plunder'd the vine; "He said that I pilfer'd his juice.

VIII.

"I know the proud drunkard denies "That trees of my culture should grow: "But let not the traitor advise;

"He comes from the climes of your foe. IX.

"Alas! in your silence I read

"The sentence I'm doom'd to deplore: "'Tis plain the great Pan has decreed 66 My orchard shall flourish no more."

X.

The goddess flew off in despair,

As all her sweet honours declin'd; And Plenty and Pleasure declare, They'll loiter no longer behind.

I

A PASTORAL.

I.

THE gentle swan, with graceful pride,

Her glossy plumage laves,

And, sailing down the silver tide,
Divides the whisp'ring waves:

The silver tide, that wand'ring flows,
Sweet to the bird must be;

But not so sweet---blithe Cupid knows,
As Delia is to me.

II.

A parent bird, in plaintive mood,

On yonder fruit-tree sung,

And still the pendent nest she view'd
That held her callow young:

Dear to the mother's flutt'ring heart
The genial brood must be ;
But not so dear the thousandth part
As Delia is to me.

III.

The roses that my brows surround

Were natives of the dale;

Scarce pluck'd, and in the garland bound,

Before their sweets grew pale!