Thither, with glad devotion, Damon came,

To thank the powers who blefs'd his faithful flame;
Two milk-white doves he on their altar laid,
And thus to both his grateful' homage paid:

Hail, bounteous god! before whose hallow'd shrine My Delia vow'd to be for ever mine,

"While, glowing in her cheeks, with tender love, Sweet virgin modesty reluctant strove!

And hail to thee, 'fair queen of young defires! Long fhall my heart preserve thy pleafing fires, "Since Delia now can all its warmth return, "As fondly languish, and as fiercely burn.

O the dear bloom of laft propitious night!

"O fhade more charming than the fairest_light! "Then in my arms I clafp'd the melting maid, "Then all my pains one moment overpaid; "Then firft the fweet excefs of bliss I prov'd, "Which none can taste but who like me have lov'd. "Thou too, bright goddess, once, in Ida's grove, "Didst not disdain to meet a fhepherd's love; "With him, while frisking lambs around you play'd, "Conceal'd you fported in the secret shade : Scarce could Anchifes' raptures equal mine, "And Delia's beauties only yield to thine. "What are ye now, my once most valued joys? Infipid trifles all, and childish toys— Friendship itself ne'er knew a charm like this, "Nor Colin's talk could pleafe like Delia's kifs.· "Ye Muses, skill'd in every winning art, Teach me more deeply to engage her heart ;

«Ye

"Ye nymphs, to her your fresheft roses bring, "And crown her with the pride of all the fpring: On all her days let health and peace attend

"May the ne'er want, nor ever lose, a friend!

May fome new pleasure every hour employ:
But let her Damon be her highest joy!

"With thee, my love, for ever will I stay, All night carefs thee, and admire all day; In the fame field our mingled flocks we 'll feed, "To the fame fpring our thirsty heifers lead, Together will we share the harvest toils, Together prefs the vine's autumnal spoils. "Delightful state, where Peace and Love combine, "To bid our tranquil days unclouded shine!

146

SOLILOQUY OF A BEAUTY

IN THE COUNTRY.

Written at EATON SCHOOL.

"TWAS night; and Flavia to her room retir'd, With evening chat and sober reading tir'd;

There, melancholy, penfive, and alone,

She meditates on the forfaken town:

On her rais'd arm reclin'd her drooping head,
She figh'd, and thus in plaintive accents said:
"Ah, what avails it to be young and fair;
"To move with negligence, to dress with care?
"What worth have all the charms our pride can boast,
"If all in envious folitude are loft?

"Where none admire, 'tis ufelefs to excell;
"Where none are beaux, 'tis vain to be a belle:

"Beauty, like wit, to judges should be shown;
"Both most are valued, where they best are known.
"With every grace of nature or of art,
"We cannot break one stubborn country heart:
<< The brutes, infenfible, our power defy:
“To love, exceeds a 'fquire's capacity.

"The town, the court, is Beauty's proper fphere; "That is our Heaven, and we are angels there: In that gay circle thousand Cupids rove,

"The court of Britain is the court of Love.

"How has my confcious heart with triumph glow'd, "How have my sparkling eyes their transport shew'd,

"At each diftinguifh'd birth-night ball, to fee "The homage, due to Empire, paid to me! "When every eye was fix'd on me alone,

"And dreaded mine more than the Monarch's frown; "When rival ftatefmen for my favour ftrove,

"Less jealous in their power than in their love.
"Chang'd is the scene; and all my glories die,
"Like flowers transplanted to a colder sky:
"Loft is the dear delight of giving pain,
"The tyrant joy of hearing flaves complain.
"In ftupid indolence my life is spent,
"Supinely calm, and dully innocent:
"Unblest I wear my useless time away;

"Sleep (wretched maid!) all night, and dream áll

iday;

"Go at fet hours to dinner and to prayer

(For dulinefs ever must be regular.)

Now with mamma at tedious whift I play; "Now without scandal drink infipid tea; "Or in the garden breathe the country air, "Secure from meeting any tempter there ; "From books to work, from work to books, I-rovę, * And am (álas !) at leifure to improve!

Is this the life a Beauty ought to lead ?

"Were eyes fo radiant only made to read?

"These fingers, at whose touch ev'n age would glow, "Are these of use for nothing but to few?

Sure erring Nature never could defign
To form a housewife in a mould like mine!

O Venus, queen and guardian of the fair,
Attend propitious to thy votary's prayer:
Let me revifit the dear town again :
Let me be feen!-could I that with obtain,
All other wishes my own power would gain."

BLENHEIM.

Written at the UNIVERSITY of OXFORD, In the Year 1727.

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ARENT of arts, whose skilful hand first taught The towering pile to rife, and form'd the plan With fair proportion; architect divine, Minerva; thee to my adventurous lyre Affistant Linvoke, that means to fing Blenheim, proud monument of British fame, Thy glorious work!. for thou the lofty towers Didst to his virtue raise, whom oft thy shield In peril guarded, and thy wifdom steer'd Through all the storms of war.-Thee too I call, Thalia, sylvan Musę, who lov'st to-rove Along the fhady paths and verdant bowers Of Woodstock's happy grove: there tuning fweet Thy rural pipe, while all the Dryad train Attentive liften; let thy warbling fong Paint with melodious praise the pleasing scene, And equal these to Pindus' honor'd shades.

When Europe freed, confefs'd the saving power f Malborough's hand; Britain, who fent him forth

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