Where late was hair the shooting leaves are seen
To rise, and shade her with a sudden green.
The child Amphissus, to her bosom prest,
Perceiv'd a colder and a harder breast,

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And found the springs, that ne'er till then deny'd
Their milky moisture, on a sudden dry'd.
I saw, unhappy! what I now relate,
And stood the helpless witness of thy fate,
Embrac'd thy boughs, thy rising bark delay'd, 55
There wish'd to grow, and mingle shade with shade,

Behold Andræmon and the unhappy sire Appear, and for their Dryope inquire : A springing tree for Dryope they find, And print warm kisses on the panting rind. 60 Prostrate, with tears their kindred plant bedew, And close embrace as to the roots they grew. The face was all that now remaind of thee, No more a woman, nor yet quite a tree; Thy branches hung with humid pearls appear,

65 From ev'ry leaf distils a trickling tear; And straight a voice, while yet a voice remains, Thus thro’ the trembling boughs in sighs complains.

If to the wretch'd any faith be giv’n, I swear by all th’unpitying pow’rs of heav'n, 70 No wilful crime the heavy vengeance bred; In mutual innocence our lives we led;

If this be false, let these new greens decay,

2 Let sounding axes lop my

limbs

away, And crackling flames on all iny honours prey. 75. But from my branching arms this infant bear, Let some kind nurse supply a mother's care ; And to his mother let him oft be led, Sport in her shades, and in her shades be fed : Teach him, when first his infant voice shall frame Imperfect words, and lisp his mother's name, 81

To hail this tree; and say, with weeping eyes, Within this plant my hapless parent lies : And when in youth he seeks the shady woods, Oh! let him fty the crystal lakes and floods, 85 Nor touch the fatal flow'rs; but, warn’d by me, Believe a goddess shrin’d in ev'ry tree. My sire, my sister, and my spouse farewell! If in your breasts or love or pity dwell Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel

90 The browsing cattle or the piercing steel. Farewell ! and since I cannot bend to join My lips to yours, advance at least to mine. My son, thy mother's parting kiss receive, While yet thy mother has a kiss to give.

95 I can no more; the creeping rind invades My closing lips, and hides my hand in shades : Remove your hands, the bark shall soon suffice Without their aid to seal these dying eyes.”

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She ceas'd at once to speak and ceas'd to be, And all the nymph was lost within the tree; Yet latent life thro’ her new branches reign’d, And long the plant a human heart retain'd.

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THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER.

DEO. OPT. MAX.

FATHER of All! in ev'ry age,
In ev'ry clime, ador'd,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord !
Thou Great First Cause, least understood,
Who all my sense confin'd
To know but this, that thou art Good,
And that myself am blind :

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Yet gave me in this dark estate,
To see the good from ill ;
And binding Nature fast in Fate,
Left free the human will.

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What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,
This teach me more than hell to shung
That more than heav'n pursue.
What blessings thy free bounty gives
Let me not cast away ;

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For God is paid when Man receives :
T' enjoy is to obey.
Yet not to Earth's contracted span
Thy goodness let me bound,
Or think thee Lord alone of Man,
When thousand worlds are round.

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Let not this weak unknowing hand
Presume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land
On each I judge thy foe.
If I am right, thy grace impart,
Still in the right to stay ;
If I am wrong, oh! teach my heart
To find that better way.

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