Page images
PDF
EPUB

And though you now my feeble power difdain,
You once perhaps may feel a lover's pain.

Though Helen's form, and Cleopatra's charms,
The boast of fame, once kindled dire alarms:
Thofe dazzling lights the world no more must view,
And scarce would think the bright description true,
Did not that ray of beauty, more divine,
In Mira's eyes by tranfmigration fhine.
Her shape, her air, proportion, lovely face,
And matchlefs fkin contend with rival grace;

55

бо

And Venus' felf, proud of th' officious aid,
With all her charms adorns th' illuftrious maid.

But hark!-what more than mortal founds are

these?

Be ftill, ye whispering winds, and moving trees!
A fecond Mira does all hearts furprise,
At once victorious with her voice and eyes.
Her eyes alone can tendereft love infpire,
Her heavenly voice improves the young defire.
So western gales in fragrant gardens play
On buds produc'd by the fun's quickening ray,
And spread them into life, and gently chide their
ftay.

We court that skill, by which we're fure to die;
The modeft fair would fain our fuit deny,
And fings unwillingly with trembling fear,
As if concern'd our ruin is fo near;

So generous victors softeft pity know,

And with reluctance ftrike the fatal blow.

2

701

65

75

Engaging

Engaging Cynthia's arm'd with every grace;

Her lovely mind fhines cheerful through her face, 80 80}

A facred lamp in a fair crystal cafe.

Not Venus ftar, the brightest of the sphere,
Smiles fo ferene, or cafts a light so clear.
O happy brother of this wondrous fair!
The best of fifters well deserves thy care;
Her fighing lovers, who in crowds adore,
Would wish thy place, did they not wish for more.
What angels are, when we defire to know,

We form a thought by fuch as fhe below,

And thence conclude they're bright beyond compare,
Compos'd of all that's good, and all that's fair.

There yet remains unnam'd a dazzling throng
Of nymphs, who to these happy shades belong.
O Venus! lovely queen of foft defires!
For ever dwell where such supply thy fires!
May Virtue ftill with Beauty fhare the sway,

And the glad world with willing zeal obey!

85

95

то

MOLIND A.

H' inspiring Muses and the God of Love,

TH

Which most should grace the fair Molinda strove: Love arm'd her with his bow and keenest darts, The Muses more enrich'd her mind with arts.

Through

Though Greece in fhining temples heretofore
Did Venus and Minerva's powers adore,
The ancients thought no fingle goddess fit,
To reign at once o'er Beauty and o'er Wit;
Each was a separate claim; till now we find
The different titles in Molinda join'd.

From hence, when at the court, the park, the play,
She gilds the evening, or improves the day,

All eyes regard her with transporting fire,

5

10

One fex with envy burns, and one with fierce defire:
But when withdrawn from public fhew and noife, 15
In filent works her fancy fhe employs,

A smiling train of Arts around her stand,
And court improvement from her curious hand.
She, their bright patronefs, o'er all prefides,
And with like skill the pen and needle guides;
By this we fee gay filken landscapes wrought,
By that the landscape of a beauteous thought:
Whether her voice in tuneful airs fhe moves,
Or cuts diffembled flowers and paper groves,
Her voice tranfports the ear with foft delight,
Her flowers and groves surprise the ravish'd fight;
Which ev'n to Nature's wonders we prefer;
All but that wonder Nature form'd in her.

20

25

[blocks in formation]

A LETTER

TO A

FRIEND IN THE COUNTRY.

WHILST thou art happy in a bleft retreat,

And free from care dost rural songs repeat,

Whilft fragrant air fans thy poetic fire,
And pleafant groves with fprightly notes infpire,
(Groves, whose recesses and refreshing shade
Indulge th' invention, and the judgment aid)
I, midst the smoke and clamours of the town,
That choke my Mufe, and weigh my fancy down,
Pass my unactive hours ;——

In such an air, how can soft numbers flow,
Or in fuch foil the facred laurel grow?

All we can boast of the poetic fire,

Are but fome sparks that foon as born expire.

5

10

Hail happy woods! harbours of peace and joy! Where no black cares the mind's repofe destroy! 15 Where grateful Silence unmolested reigns,

Affifts the Mufe, and quickens all her strains.
Such were the scenes of our first parents' love,
In Eden's groves with equal flames they ftrove,
While warbling birds, foft whifpering breaths of

20

wind, And murmuring ftreams, to grace their nuptials join'd. All nature fmil'd; the plains were fresh and green, Unftain'd the fountains, and the heavens ferene.

Ye

Ye bleft remains of that illuftrious age!

Delightful springs and woods !—

Might I with you my peaceful days live o'er,
You, and my friend, whofe abfence I deplore,
Calm as a gentle brook's unruffled tide
Should the delicious flowing minutes glide;
Difcharg'd of care, on unfrequented plains,
We'd fing of rural joys in rural ftrains.
No falfe corrupt delights our thoughts should move,
But joys of friendship, poetry, and love.
While others fondly feed ambition's fire,
And to the top of human state aspire,
That from their airy eminence they may

With pride and scorn th' inferior world furvey,
Here we should dwell obfcure, yet happier far than
they.

VERSE S

25

30

35

PRESENTED

TO A LADY,

WITH A DRAWING (BY THE AUTHOR) OF CUPID.

WHEN generous Dido in disguise carefs'd

This god, and fondly clafp'd him to her breaft, Soon the fly urchin ftorm'd her tender heart, And amorous flames difpers'd through every part. In vain fhe ftrove to check the new-born fire, It fcorn'd her weak effays, and rofe the higher:

5

« PreviousContinue »