D A MO N. Cease to contend, for, Daphnis, I decree, The bowl to Strephon, and the lamb to thee : Bleft Swains, whose Nymphs in ev'ry grace excel; Bleft Nymphs, whose Swains those graces fing fo weil !

96 Now rise, and haste to yonder woodbine bow'rs, A soft retreat from sudden vernal show'rs ; The turf with rural dainties shall 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 show'rs descend,

IOI

VARIATIONS,
VER. 99. was originally,

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

A

Shepherd's Boy (he seeks no better name)

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

VARIATIONS.
VER. 1, 2, 3, 4. were thus printed in the first edition :

A faithful swain, whom Love had taught to fing,
Bewail'd his fate beside a silver spring ;
Where gentle Thames his winding waters leads

Thro' verdant forests, 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 side ; fuitable to the heat of the season; the time noon.

IO

Soft as he mourn'd, the streams forgot to flow,

5
The Aocks around a dumb compassion show,
The Naïds wept in ev'ry wat’ry bow'r,
And Jove consented in a silent show's.

Accept, O Garth, the Muse's early lays,
That adds this wreath of ivy to thy bays;
Hear what from Love unpractis d hearts endure,
From Love, the sole disease thou canst not cure.

Ye shady beeches, and ye cooling ftreams,
Defence from Phæbus', not from Cupid's beams,
To
you

I
mourn, nor to the deaf I sing,

15
The woods shall answer, and their echo ring.
The hills and rocks attend my doleful lay,
Why art thou prouder and more hard than they?
The bleating sheep with my complaints agree,
They parch'd with heat, and I inflam'd by thee. 20
The sultry Sirius burns the thirsty plains,
While in thy heart eternal winter reigns.

NOTES. Ver. 9. Dr. Şamuel Garth, Author of the Dispensary, was one of the first friends of the Author, whose 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 ecbo ring,] Is a line out of Spenser's Epithalamion.

IMITATIONS.
Ver. 8. And Jove consented]

Jupiter et læto descendet plurimus imbri. Virg.
VER, 15. nor to the deaf I fing,]
Non canimus surdis, respondent omnia fylvæ. Virg.

Where stray ye Muses, in what lawn or grove, While your Alexis pines in hopeless love? In those fair fields where sacred Ifis glides, 25 Or else where Cam his winding vales divides ? As in the crystal spring I view my face, Fresh rising blushes paint the wat’ry glass ; But since those graces please thy eyes no more, I fhun the fountains which I fought before. 39 Once I was skill'd in ev'ry herb that grew, And ev'ry plant that drinks the morning dew; Ah wretched shepherd, what avails thy art, To cure thy lambs, but not to heal thy heart !

Let other swains attend the rural care, 35 Feed fairer flocks, or richer fleeces sheer :

V

Oft in the crystal spring I cast a view,
And equal'd Hylas, if the glass be true ;
But since those graces meet my eyes no more,
I fhun, etc.

IMITATIONS.
VER. 23. Wbere ftray ye Muses, etc )

Quæ nemora, aut qui vos faltus habuere, puellæ
Naïdes, indigno cum Gallus amore periret ?
Nam neque Parnassi vobis juga, nam neque Pindi
Ulla moram fecere, neque Aonia Aganippe.

Virg. out of Theocr.
Ver. 27. Virgil again from the Cyclops of Theocritus,

nuper me in litore vidi,
Cum placidum ventis ftaret mare; non ego Daphnim,
Judice if, metuam, fi nunquam fallat imago.

But nigh yon' mountain let me tune my lays, Embrace my Love, and bind my brows with bays. That fute is mine which Colin's tuneful breath Inspir'd when living, and bequeath'd in death : 40 He said ; Alexis, take this pipe, the same That taught the groves my Rosalinda's name : But now the reeds shall hang on yonder tree, For ever filent, since despis'd by thee. Oh! were I made by some transforming pow'r 45 The captive bird that sings within thy bow'r ! Then might my voice thy lift'ning ears employ, And I those kisses he receives enjoy.

And yet my numbers please the rural throng, Rough Satyrs dance, and Pan applauds the song : 50 The Nymphs, forsaking ev'ry cave and spring, Their early fruit, and milk-white turtles bring! Each am'rous nymph prefers her gifts in vain, On you their gifts are all beslow'd again. For you the swains the fairest flow'rs design,

55 And in one garland all their beauties join ;

NOTES. VER. 39. Colin] The name' taken by Spenser in his Eclogues, where his mistress is celebrated under that of Rosalinda.

IMITATIONS.
VER. 40. bequeatb’d in deatb ; etc.] Virg. Ecl. ii.

Eft mihi disparibus feptem compacta cicutis
Fiftula, Dametas dono mihi quam dedit olim,
Et dixit moriens, Te nunc habet ifta fecundum.