HE difmal regions which no fun beholds,
Whilft his fires roll fome diftant world to cheer,
Which in dry darkness, froft, and chilling cold,
Spend one long portion of the dragging year,
At his returning influence never knew
More joy than Clelia, when the thinks of you.
II.
Thofe zealots, who adore the rifing fun,
Would foon their darling deity despise,
And with more warm, more true devotion run,
To worship nobler beams, Urania's eyes;
Had they beheld her lovely form divine,
Where rays more glorious, more attracting, shine.
III.
But, ah! frail mortals, tho' you may admire
At a convenient distance all her charms, Approach them, and yon'll feel a raging fire,
Which fcorches deep, and all your pow'r difarms: Thus like th' Arabian bird, your care proceeds From the bright object, which your pleasure breeds.
HO' Celia's born to be ador'd,
And Strephon to adore her born,
In vain her pity is implor'd,
Who kills him twice, with charms and scorn.
Fair Saint to your bleft orb repair,
To learn in heav'n a heav'nly mind;
Thence hearken to a finner's pray'r,
And be lefs beauteous, or more kind.
TREPHON and Damon's flocks together fed,
Two charming fwains as e'er Arcadia bred;
Both fam'd for wit, and fam'd for beauty both;
Both in the luftre of their blooming youth:
No fullen cares their tender thoughts remove,
No paffions difcompofe their fouls, but love.
Once, and but once alone, as ftory goes,
Between the youths a fierce difpute arose;
Not for the merit of their tuneful lays,
(Tho' both deferv'd, yet both defpis'd that praise;)
But for a cause of greater moment far,
That merited a lover's utmost care.
Each fwain the prize of beauty ftrove to gain,
For the bright fhepherdess that caus'd his pain.
Lycon they chose the diff'rence to decide,
Lycon, for prudence and fage counsel try'd ;
Who love's myfterious arts had ftudy'd long,
And taught, when old, what he had practis'd young.
For the difpute alternate verse they choose,
Alternate verfe delights the rural mufe.
Streph. To Flavia, love, thou juftly ow'ft the prize,
She owns thy pow'r, nor does thy laws reprove.
Dam. Tho' Sylvia, for herfelf, love's pow'r defies,
What crowds of vaffals has fhe made to love?
Strep. When Flavia comes attir'd for rural
games,
Each curl, each flow'r she wears, a charm express.
Dam. Sylvia, without a foreign aid, inflames;
Charm'd with her eyes we never mind her dress.
Strep. Have you feen Flavia with her flaxen hair?
She feems an image of the queen of love!
Dam. Sylvia's dark hair like Leda's locks appear,
And yet, like her, has charms to conquer Jove.
Strep. Flavia by crowds of lovers is admir'd;
Happy that youth who fhall the fair enjoy!
Dam. Sylvia neglects her lovers, lives retir'd ;
Happy, that could her lonely thoughts employ!
Strep. Flavia, where-e'er fhe comes, the fwains fubdues,
And ev'ry smile she gives conveys a dart.
Dam. Sylvia the fwains with native coldness views,
And yet what fhepherd can defend his heart?
Strep. Flavia's bright beauties in an instant strike;
Gazers, before they think of it, adore.
Dam. Sylvia's foft charms, as foon as feen we like;
But ftill the more we think, we love the more.
Strep. Who is fo ftupid that has Flavia seen,
As not to view the nymph with vaft delight?
Dam. Who has feen Sylvia and fo ftupid been,
As to remember any other fight?
Strep. What thoughts has Flavia, when with care fhe views
Her charming graces in the cryftal lakes?
Dam. To fee hers, Sylvia need no mirrors ufe:
She fees them by the conquefts that the makes.
Strep. With what affurance Flavia walks the plains?
She knows the nymphs must all their lovers yield.
Dam. Sylvia with blushes wounds the gazing fwains,
And while fhe ftrives to fly, fhe wins the field.
Strep. Flavia at firft young Melibus lov'd;
For me fhe did that charming youth forfake.
Dam. Sylvia's relentless heart was never mov'd;
Gods! that I might the first impreffion make!
Strep. Shou'd Flavia hear that Sylvia vy'd with her,
What indignation would the charmer show;
Dam. Sylvia wou'd Flavia to herself prefer:
There we alone her judgment diffallow.
Strep. If Sylvia's charms with Flavia's can compare,
Why is This crowded ftill, and That alone?
Dam. Because their ways of life fo diff'rent are;
Flavia gives all men hopes, and Sylvia none.
Lycon. Shepherds, enough; now cease your am'rous war: Or too much heat may carry both too far:
I well attended the difpute, and find
Both nymphs have charms, but each in diff'rent kind,
Flavia deferves more pains than fhe will coft;
As eafily got, were fhe not eafily loft.
Sylvia is much more difficult to gain ;
But, once poffefs'd, will well reward the pain.
We wish them Flavia's all, when firft we burn;
But, once poffefs'd, with they would Sylvia's turn.
And, by the diff'rent charms in each exprest,
One we fhou'd fooneft love, the other beft,
A Poem in Praife of the Horn-Boo
Written under a fit of the GoUT.
Magni magna Patrant, nos non nifi Ludicra
-Podagra hæc otia fecit.
AIL! antient book, moft venerable code!
Hearing art cradle, and it's last abode!
The huge unnumber'd volumes which we see,
By lazy plagiaries are ftol'n from thee.
Yet future times, to thy fufficient store,
Shall ne'er presume to add one letter more.
Thee will I fing in comely wainscot bound, And golden verge enclofing thee around;
|