Cheerlefs and cold I feel the genial fun, From thee while abfent I in exile rove; Thy lovely prefence, faireft light, alone Can warm my heart to gladness and to love.
PARTS OF AN ELEGY OF TIBULLUS. Tranflated, 1729-30.
("Divitias alius fulvo fibi congerat auro.")
ET others heap of wealth a fhining store,
And, much poffeffing, labour still for more;
Let them, difquieted with dire alarms,
Afpire to win a dangerous fame in arms : Me tranquil poverty shall lull to reft, Humbly fecure, and indolently bleft;
Warm'd by the blaze of my own chearful hearth, I'll waste the wintery hours in focial mirth; In Summer pleas'd attend to harvest toils, In Autumn prefs the vineyard's purple spoils, And oft to Delia in my bofom bear
Some kid, or lamb, that wants its mother's care: With her I'll celebrate each gladfome day, When fwains their sportive rites to Bacchus pay; With her new milk on Pales' altar pour, And deck with ripen'd fruits Pomona's bower. At night, how foothing would it be to hear, Safe in her arms, the tempeft howling near;
Or, while the wintery clouds their deluge pour, Slumber assisted by the beating shower!
Ah! how much happier, than the fool who braves, In fearch of wealth, the black tempestuous waves! While I, contented with my little store,
In tedious voyage seek no distant shore; But, idly lolling on some shady feat,
Near cooling fountains fhun the dog-star's heat: For what reward fo rich could Fortune give, That I by abfence should my Delia grieve? Let Great Meffalla fhine in martial toils, And grace his palace with triumphal spoils; Me Beauty holds, in ftrong though gentle chains, Far from tumultuous war and dufty plains. With thee, my love, to pafs my tranquil days, How would I flight Ambition's painful praife! How would I joy with thee, my love, to yoke The ox, and feed my folitary flock!
On thy foft breaft might I but lean my head, How downy fhould I think the woodland bed! The wretch, who fleeps not by his fair-one's fide, Detefts the gilded couch's useless pride, Nor knows his weary, weeping eyes to close, Though murmuring rills invite him to repofe. Hard were his heart, who thee, my fair, could leave For all the honours profperous war can give ; Though through the vanquish'd Eaft he spread his fame, And Parthian tyrants trembled at his name; Though, bright in arms, while hofts around him bleed, With martial pride he preft his foaming ftecd.
No pomps like these my humble vows require; With thee I'll live, and in thy arms expire. Thee may my closing eyes in death behold! Thee may my faultering hand yet strive to hold ! Then, Delia, then, thy heart will melt in woe, Then o'er my breathlefs clay thy tears will flow Thy tears will flow, for gentle is thy mind, Nor doft thou think it weakness to be kind. But, ah! fair mourner, I conjure thee, fpare Thy heaving breafts and loofe difhevel'd hair : Wound not thy form; left on th' Elyfian coaft Thy anguish should disturb my peaceful ghost.
But now nor death nor parting should employ Our sprightly thoughts, or damp our bridal joy: We'll live, my Delia; and from life remove All care, all business, but delightful Love. Old age in vain those pleasures would retrieve, Which youth alone can tafte, alone can give; Then let us fnatch the moment to be bleft, This hour is Love's-be Fortune's all the reft.
Written in the Year 1732.
AY, Myra, why is gentle Love A stranger to that mind,
Which Pity and Efteem can move Which can be just and kind?
Is it, because you fear to share The ills that Love moleft;
The jealous doubt, the tender care, That rack the amorous breast?
Alas! by fome degree of woe
We every bliss must gain:
The heart can ne'er a transport know,
That never feels a pain.
Written at Mr. POPE's Houfe at Twickenham,
which he had lent to Mrs. GREVILLE.
O, Thames, and tell the bufy town,
Not all its wealth or pride
Could tempt me from the charms that crown
Thy rural flowery side :
Thy flowery fide, where Pope has plac'd
The Mufes' green retreat,
With every smile of Nature grac'd,
With every art complete.
But now, fweet Bard, thy heavenly fong Enchants us here no more; Their darling glory loft too long Thy once-lov'd fhades deplore.
Yet fill, for beauteous Greville's fake, The Mufes here remain;
NONE without hope c'er lov'd the brightest fair But Love can hope, where Reafon would despair.
Written in the Year 1740.
AIR Nature's fweet fimplicity,
With elegance refin'd,
Well in thy feat, my friend, 1 fee,
But better in thy mind.
To both, from courts and all their state,
Eager I fly, to prove
Joys far above a Courtier's fate,
Tranquillity and Love.
See the Infcriptions in Mr. Weft's Poems.
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