Now leaves the trees, and flow'rs adorn the ground; Begin, the vales fhall ev'ry note rebound. STREP HON. Infpire me, Phoebus, in my Delia's praife, With Waller's ftrains, or Granville's moving lays! A milk white bull fhall at your altars ftand, That threats a fight, and fpurns the rifing fand. DAPHNI S, victorion 45 as her eyes; O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, Me gentle Delia beckens from the plain, - The fprightly Sylvia trips along the green, She runs, but hopes fhe does not run unfeen; VARIATIONS. VER. 49. Originally thus in the MS. Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays, Thy Parian ftatue fhall be chang'd to gold, NOTES. VER. 46. Granville) George Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdown, 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, O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow, Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves; 65 All nature mourns, the fkies relent in fhow'rs, Hufh'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs; If Delia fiile, the flow'rs begin to spring, The fkies to brighten, and the birds to fing. VARIATIONS. VER. 61. It food thus at first: Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boaft, Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coaft, 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; DAPHNI S. Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods fo 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, Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videri. DAPHNI S, All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air; If Sylvia fimiles, new glories gild the fhore, 75 In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the fhady grove, But Delia always; abfent from her fight, Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80 DAPHNI S. Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as May, More bright than noon, yet frefh as early day; Ev'n fpring difpleases, when fhe fhines not here; But bleft with her, 'tis fpring throughout the year. STREP HON. Say, Daphnis, fay, in what glad foil appears, A wond'rous Tree that facred Monarchs bears: 86 VARIATIONS. VER. 69, etc. Thefe verfes were thus at first: VER. 86. A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears.) An allufion to the Royal Oak, in wich Charles II. had been hid from the purfuit after the battle of Worcefter. IMITATIONS. VER. 69. All nature mourns.) Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc. Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebir. Virg. Tell me but this, and I'll difclaim the prize, DAPHNI S. Nay tell me first, in what more happy fields The Thistle fprings, to which de Lily yields: And then a nobler prize I will refign; For Sylvia, charming Sylvia shall be thine. DAMON. 90 Ceafe to contend, for, Daphnis, I decree, well! VARIATIONS. VER. 99. was originally, The turf with country dainties fhall be fpread, IMITATIONS. 96 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 Flores, & Phyllida folus habeto. A TO Dr. GARTH. S. 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 fhade. Soft as he mourn'd, the ftreams forgot to flow, The flocks around a dumb compaffion fhow, The Naïds wept in ev'ry wat'ry bow'r, And Jove confented in a filent show'r. VARIATIONS. VER. I, 2, 3, 4. were thus printed in the first edition: Where gentle e Thames his winding waters leads. VER. 3. Originally thus in the MS. There to the winds he plain'd his hapless love, NOTES. VER. 3. The Scene of this Paftoral by the river's fide; fuis able to the heat of the feafon; the time noon. IMITATIONS. VER. 8. And Jove confented) Jupiter & æto defcender plurimus imbri. Virg |