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Now leaves the trees, and flow'rs adorn the ground; Begin, the vales shall eviy note rebound.

STREPHON.

Inspire me, Phœbus, in my Delia's praise, With Waller's ftrains, or Granville's moving lays! A milk-white bull shall at your altars stand, That threats a fight, and spurns the rifing fand.

DAPHNIS,

O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize,
And make my tongue victorious as her eyes;
No lambs or sheep for victims I'll impart,
Thy victim, Love, shall be the shepherd's heart.

STREPHON.

Me gentle Delia beckens from the plain, Then hid in fhades, eludes her eager swain; But feigns a laugh, to see me fearch around, And by that laugh the willing fair is found.

DAPHNIS.

The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green, She runs, but hopes she does not run unseen;

45

so

55

VARIATIONS.

VER. 49. Originally thus in the MS.

Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays,
Of Parian stone thy statue will I raise;
But if I conquer and augment my fold,
Thy Parian statue shall be chang'd to gold,

NOTES.

VER. 46. Granville) George Granville, afterwards Lord Lansdown, known for his Poems, most of which he compos'd very young, and propos'd Waller as his model.

IMITATIONS.

VER 47. A milk-white bull) Virg. Pafcite taurum,
Qui cornu petat, & pedibus jam fpargat arenam.

While a kind glance at her purfuer flies,
How much at variance are her feet and eyes!

STREPHON.

O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow, And trees weep amber on the banks of Po; Bleft Thames's shores the brightest beauties yield, Feed here my lambs, I'll feek no diftant field.

DAPHNIS.

Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves;

Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves;
If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windfor-fhade.

STREPHON.

८०

65

All nature mourns, the skies relent in show'rs, Hufh'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs;

If Delia finile, the flow'rs begin to spring,
The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 61. It stood thus at first:

Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boaft,

Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coaft,

Bleft Thames's shores, etc.

P.

VER. 61. Originally thus in the MS.

Go, flow'ry wreath, and let my Sylvia know,

Compar'd to thine how bright her beauties show:

Then die; and dying teach the lovely maid

How foon the brightest beauties are decay'd.

DAPHNIS.

Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods so long,

Of Amaryllis learn a sweeter fong:

To Heav'n arifing then her notes convey,

For Heav'n alone is worthy fuch a lay.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 58. She runs, but hopes (Imitation of Virgil,
Malo me Galatea petit, lasciya puella,

Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videri.

71

DAPHNIS,

All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair,

The Sun's mild luftre warns the vital air;

If Sylvia finiles, new glories gild the shore,
And vanquish'd nature feems to charm no more.

STREPHON.

In spring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the shady grove, But Delia always; absent from her fight,

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Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80

DAPHNIS.

Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as May,
More bright than noon, yet fresh as early day;
Ev'n spring difpleases, when she shines not here;
But blest with her, 'tis spring throughout the year.
STREPHON.

Say, Daphnis, say, in what glad foil appears,
A wond'rous Tree that facred Monarchs bears: 86

VARIATIONS.

VER. 69, etc. These verses were thus at first:

All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Nor wasted brooks the thirsty flow'rs fupply;
If Delia smile, the flowr'rs begin to spring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing.

NOTES.

VER. 86. A wondrous Tree that sacred Monarchs bears.) An allusion to the Royal Ork, in wich Charles II. had been hid from the pursuit after the battle of Worcester.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 69. All nature mourns.)

Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc.
Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit.

Virg.

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Tell me but this, and I'll difclain the prize,
And give the conquest to thy Sylvia's eyes.

DAPHNIS.

Nay tell me first, in what more happy fields The Thiftle springs, to which de Lily yields: And then a nobler prize I will refign';

For Sylvia, charming Sylvia shall be thine.

DAMON.

90

Cease to contend, for, Daphnis, I decree, The bowl to Strephon, and the lamb to thee: Bleft Swains, whose Nymphs in ev'ry grace excel; Bleft Nymphs, whose Swains those graces sing so

well!

Now rife, and hafte to yonder woodbine bow'rs,
A foft retreat from fudden vernal show'rs;

The turf with rural dainties shall be crown'd,
While op'ning blooms diffuse their sweets around.

For fee! the gath'ring flocks to shelter tend,
And from the Pleiads fruitful show'rs defcend.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 99. was originally,

The turf with country dainties thall be spread,
And trees with twining branches Thade your head.

IMITATIONS.

1

96

ΙΟΙ

VER. 90. The Thistle springs to which the Lily yields,) Alludes to the device of the Scots Monarchs, the Thistle, worn by Queen Anne; and to the arms of France, the Fleur de lys. The two riddles are in imitation of those in Virg. Ecl. iii. Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum Nafcantur Nores, & Phyllida folus habeto.

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A Shepherd's, Boy (he feeks no better name)

Led forth his flocks along the filver Thame,

Where dancing fun beams on the waters play'd,
And verdant alders form'd a quiv'ring shade.
Soft as he mourn'd, the streams forgot to flow,
The flocks around a dumb compassion show,

S

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VARIATIONS.

VER. 1, 2, 3, 4. were thus printed in the first edition:
A faithful swain, whom Love had taught to fing,
Bewail'd his fate beide a filver spring;

Where gentle Thames his winding waters leads

Thro verdant forests, and thro' flow'ry meads,

VER. 3. Originally thus in the MS.

There to the winds he plain'd his hapless love,

And Amaryllis fill'd the vocal grove.

SNOTES.

VER. 3. The Scene of this Paftoral by the river's fide; suise

able to the heat of the feafon, the time noon.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 8. And Jove consented)

Jupiter & ato defcender plurimus imbri.

Virg

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