The marigold shuts up her golden flowers, Lighting the starry tapers at her horns. Where we must leave them for awhile, to end The story of their sorrows." The Arcadians, driven to revolt by the tyranny of Hylas, choose for their leader Alexis, a foreign youth, who had distinguished himself at their festive games. "He had a man-like look, and sparkling eye, A front whereon sate such a majesty As aw'd all his beholders; his long hair, His words so oily smooth and winning were." Hylas meanwhile was occupied with other cares. He had been smitten with the charms of Florimel, the daughter of Memnon, a Lemnian exile, and after several ineffectual attempts on her virtue, had had recourse to violence, but was prevented, and obliged to save himself by flight from the rage of Memnon and his followers. Before Memnon has time to escape from Arcadia with his family, Hylas returns and surrounds the house with his troops. Memnon contrives to conceal his daughter in a hidden apartment, and, on his refusal to discover her retreat, Hylas, enraged, orders the house to be set on fire. At this moment intelligence is brought of the insurrection, and Hylas hastens to oppose the insurgents. He is defeated and slain, and Alexis is chosen king. Anaxus taking leave of his sister proceeds in search of his Clarinda retreating into a forest for shelter "gainst the sun's scorching heat," : A hundred virgins there he might espy They tender'd their devotions: with sweet airs, And cross their snowy silken robes, they wore He could not see her face, only his ear Was blest with the sweet words that came from her." The devotions of these nymphs are interrupted by a band of robbers, and after a show of resistance they take to flight, but some of the boldest, and amongst them their beautiful leader, are taken prisoners. Anaxus, on this, furiously rushes among the bandits, kills their leader, and speedily routs them. The virgins during this contest had dispersed and fled, but Anaxus, who had been severely wounded in the struggle, is opportunely relieved by Sylvanus, a benevolent recluse. "A trim old man he was, though age had plough'd His body somewhat tow'rd the earth: his hairs, His broad kemb'd beard hung down near to his waist, His reverend old age, his feet were bare But for his leathern sandals, which he ware To keep them clean from galling, which compell'd Him use a staff to help him to the field. He durst not trust his legs, they fail'd him then, Sylvanus, to complete his cure, takes Anaxus home with him to his cell, "whose poor outside Promis'd as mean a lodging; pomp and pride (Those peacocks of the time,) ne'er roosted there, It was not so contemptible within, There was some show of beauty that had been Worn out with envious time :". Thealma, somewhat cheered in spirit by her unexpected meeting with her brother, and still more by a dream which told her that Clearchus lived, trick'd herself in all her best attire, This gem Clearchus gave her, when unknown, And here and there gold oates 'mong pearls she strew, And shadowed over with a thin lawn cloud, Through which her workmanship more graceful show'd." In this attire she leads "her milky drove to field," and while she is singing and playing, Cleon, a Lemnian nobleman, and Rhotus, an Arcadian fisherman,* passing on their way to court, have their attention arrested by "her sweet soul-melting accents," and Cleon recognizing Thealma, informs her that her father was dead, and that he himself was in search of the Prince Anaxus to call him to the throne. Rhotus, learning from Thealma's self-accusing laments the supposed loss of Clearchus, relates that he had rescued from drowning a noble youth, who since had won the Arcadian crown. This youth called himself Alexis, but from the time of his shipwreck, the grief with which he appeared overwhelmed, and from his often hearing him sigh out Thealma," he conjectured that he was no other than the lost Clearchus. Thealma entrusts Cleon with a jewel which Clearchus had given her, as a token to the king, and he and Rhotus proceed on their journey to the court. "Home now Thealma wends 'twixt hope and fear, * This fisherman acts a very prominent and dignified part in the story, and confirms, if any proof were wanted, the great predilection of Chalkhill for the profession. Anaxus sojourns with Sylvanus until his wounds are healed. The latter, by his skill in soothsaying, not only discovers the quality and country of his guest, and the object of his journey, but informs him of his father's death, and of the plots that were forming against him at home. He advises him to repair to the Arcadian coast, and tells him he will find his squire Pandevius, inquiring his master's fate of the witch Orandra, of whose blandishments he warns Anaxus to beware, and gives him a herb as a defence against her sorcery. "Down in a gloomy valley, thick with shade, Among whose boughs the screech-owl and night-crow The ground o'er-grown with weeds, and bushy shrubs, Sometimes he hears delicious sweet lays Wrought with such curious descant as would raise Attention in a stone:-anon a groan Reacheth his ear, as if it came from one That craved his help; and by and by he spies A beauteous virgin with such catching eyes |