THE DESPAIRING SHEPHERD. 1 ALEXIS shunned his fellow swains, Their rural sports, and jocund strains, (Heaven guard us all from Cupid's bow!) He lost his crook, he left his flocks; And wandering through the lonely rocks, He nourished endless woe. 2 The nymphs and shepherds round him came: His grief some pity, others blame, The fatal cause all kindly seek; 3 Clorinda came among the rest; She feared too much to know. 4 The shepherd raised his mournful head; And will you pardon me, he said, While I the cruel truth reveal; Which nothing from my breast should tear, 5 'Tis thus I rove, 'tis thus complain, Since you appeared upon the plain; You are the cause of all my care: Your eyes ten thousand dangers dart, 6 Too much, Alexis, I have heard; 'Tis what I thought; 'tis what I feared: TO THE HONOURABLE CHARLES 1 HOWE'ER, 'tis well, that while mankind 2 Fancies and notions he pursues, Which ne'er had being but in thought; 3 Against experience he believes; He argues against demonstration; Pleased, when his reason he deceives; And sets his judgment by his passion. 4 The hoary fool, who many days Has struggled with continued sorrow, 1 Afterwards Earl of Halifax.- Apelles. 5 To-morrow comes; 'tis noon, 'tis night; 6 Our hopes, like towering falcons, aim 7 Our anxious pains we, all the day, In search of what we like, employ; 8 At distance through an artful glass To the mind's eye things well appear; They lose their forms, and make a mass Confused and black if brought too near. 9 If we see right, we see our woes; Then what avails it to have eyes; From ignorance our comfort flows. The only wretched are the wise. 10 We wearied should lie down in death; HYMN TO THE SUN. SET BY DR PURCELL. AND INTENDED to be sung bEFORE THEIR MAJESTIES ON NEW-YEAR'S DAY, 1693-4. WRITTEN AT THE HAGUE. 1 LIGHT of the world, and ruler of the year, That in fair Albion thou hast seen The greatest prince, the brightest queen, That ever saved a land, or blessed a throne, Since first thy beams were spread, or genial power 2 3 was known. So may thy godhead be confessed, Our times are dated, and our eras move; As thou dost all above. Let our hero in the war Active and fierce, like thee, appear; Like thee, great son of Jove, like thee, Thou marchest down o'er Delos' hills confessed, With all thy arrows armed, in all thy glory dressed. Like thee, the hero does his arms employ, The raging Python to destroy, And give the injured nations peace and joy. 4 From fairest years, and Time's more happy stores, Gather all the smiling hours; 5 Such as with friendly care have guarded Sacred to Nassau's long renown, March them again in fair array, No brighter in the year be found, But that which brings the victor home in peace. 6 Again thy godhead we implore, Great in wisdom as in power; Again, for good Maria's sake, and ours, When happy counsels were advising; Such as have lucky omens shed O'er forming laws, and empires rising; Such as many courses ran, Hand in hand, a goodly train, To bless the great Eliza's reign; As the solemn hours advance, |