ARGUMEN T.

The Nymphs who prefide over fprings and rivulets are addreffed at day-break in honour of their feveral functions, and of the relations which they bear to the natural and to the moral world. Their origin is deduced from the firft allegorical deities, or powers of nature; according to the doctrine of the old mythological poets, concerning the generation of the Gods and the rife of things. They are then fucceffively confidered, as giving motion to the air and exciting fummer-breezes; as nourishing and beautifying the vegetable world; as contributing to the fulnefs of navigable rivers, and confequently to the maintenance of commerce; and by that means, to the maritime part of military power. Next is reprefented their favourable influence upon health, when affifted by rural exercife: which introduces their connection with the art of phyfic, and the happy effects of mineral, medicinal fprings. Laftly, they are celebrated for the friendship which the Mufes bear them, and for the true infpiration which temperance only can receive: in oppofition to the enthufiafm of the more licentious poets.

HY

M N

TO THE

NAI IAD S.

'ER yonder eaftern hill the twilight throws
Her dusky mantle; and the God of day,

With bright Aftræa feated by his fide,
Waits yet to leave the ocean. Tarry, Nymphs,
Ye Nymphs, ye blue-ey'd progeny of Thames,
Who now the mazes of this rugged heath

Trace with your fleeting steps; who all night long

Repeat, amid the cool and tranquil air,
Your lonely murmurs, tarry and receive
My offer'd lay. To pay you homage due,
I leave the gates of fleep; nor fhall my lyre
Too far into the fplendid hours of morn
Ingage your audience: my obfervant hand
Shall close the strain ere any fultry beam
'Approach you. To your fubterranean haunts
Ye then may timely fteal; to pace with care
The humid fands; to loofen from the foil
The bubbling fources; to direct the rills
To meet in wider channels; or beneath
Some grotto's dripping arch, at height of noon
To flumber, shelter'd from the burning heaven.
Where fhall my fong begin, ye Nymphs? or end?
Wide is your praise and copious-First of things,
First of the lonely powers, ere Time arose,

Were Love and Chaos. Love, the fire of Fate;
Elder than Chaos. Born of Fate was Time,
Who many fons and many comely births
Devour'd, relentless father: 'till the child
Of Rhea drove him from the upper sky,
And quell'd his deadly might. Then focial reign'd
The kindred powers, Tethys, and reverend Ops,

And

And spotless Vefta; while fupreme of fway
Remain'd the cloud-compeller. From the couch
Of Tethys fprang the fedgy-crowned race,
Who from a thousand urns, o'er every clime,
Send tribute to their parent; and from them
Are ye, O Naiads: Arethufa fair,

And tuneful Aganippe; that sweet name,
Bandufia; that soft family which dwelt
With Syrian Daphne; and the honour'd tribes
Belov'd of Pæon. Liften to my strain,

Daughters of Tethys: liften to your praise.

You, Nymphs, the winged offspring, which of old Aurora to divine Aftræus bore,

Owns; and your aid befeecheth. When the might
Of Hyperion, from his noontide throne,
Unbends their languid pinions, aid from you
They afk: Favonius and the mild South-west
From you relief implore. Your fallying streams
Fresh vigour to their weary limbs impart.
Again they fly, difporting; from the mead
Half ripen'd and the tender blades of corn,
To sweep the noxious mildew; or dispel
Contagious fteams, which oft the parched earth
Breathes on her fainting fons. From noon to eve,

Along