Mirum opus, educunt: percurrunt pectine telas
Mille fimul Nymphæ, fucataque vellera carpunt,
Dulce tori thalamique decus; dum murice rapto
Non habet ipfa Tyrus mentitos unde colores
Lana bibat: Montefque Afri, Pariique queruntur
Marmoris avulfas ufque à penetralibus imis
Radices; nec jam ulterius fua Saltibus Indis
Bellua jactatur, niveique Superbia dentis.

Jamque aderam immenfi cupidis miracula Sumptus Percurrens oculis ---- vidi, indoluique videndo. Poenituit moles nimium accelerâffe fuperbas; Namque Opere extructo fugit ambitiofa Voluptas.

Anxietas infefta novas volitavit ad Ædes, Et Dolor auratum circà Laqueare pependit.

Quid juvat ah! Thalami Splendor? quid purpura?

grandi

Sæpe toro infomnis membra irrequieta rotabam:

Hæfit adhuc mala Cura, animum comitata fugacem,
Limitis impatiens, & certæ nescia sedis,

Noctes atque dies vexans; lentoque per hortos
Incedens paffu, veftigia preffit eunti,

Ambagesque viarum, altofque fecuta receffus.

To raise the Wonders of the iv'ry Tow'r.
A thousand Maidens ply the purple Loom,
To weave the Bed, and deck the Regal Room;
'Till TYRE confeffes her exhaufted Store,
That on her Coaft the Murex is no more;
'Till from the PARIAN Ifle, and LIBYA's Coaft,
The Mountains grieve their hopes of Marble loft;
And INDIA's Woods return their juft Complaint,
Their Brood decay'd, and want of Elephant.

My full Defign with vaft Expence atchiev'd,
I came, beheld, admir'd, reflected, griev'd.
I chid the Folly of my thoughlefs Haft:
For, the Work perfected, the Joy was paft.

To my new Courts fad Thought did still repair; And round my gilded Roofs hung hov'ring Care. In vain on filken Beds I fought Repose; And reftlefs oft from purple Couches rose: Vexatious Thought ftill found my flying Mind, Nor bound by Limits, nor to Place confin'd; Haunted my Nights, and terrify'd my Days; Stalk'd thro' my Gardens, and purfu'd my Ways, Nor shut from artful Bow'r, nor loft in winding Maze.j

Yet

Quin age, pande Sinus: aliis nova gaudia quære
Artibus; explora quid amabile præbeat Auris,
Hærentes fi fortè fua dulcedine curas

Mufica difpellat; fi Carmina blanda dolores
Eripiant Animo. Cecinerunt fæpe Poetæ
Ipfa lyre cantu manfuefcere corda Ferarum;
Hoc fuadente, Lupos torvum pofuiffe furorem
Spumantefque Urfas; ad carmina ftare Leones
Attentos pendente jubâ; Lyncafque ftupentes
Irarum oblitos, Citharædi lambere crura.
An tribuit Natura Feris minus afpera Corda?
Nonne etiam noftræ mulcentur carmine Cure?

Ut dederam mandata, ad partes confona Turba Quifque fuas properat; refonantia temperat Æra Dulce melos Citharæ: tenuem dat Dorica vocem Tibia lene fonans; reddit grave buccina murmur; Et mifto raucarum unà clangore Tubarum Suaviùs argutos modulatur Fiftula cantus. Mane agiles Numeri lentum excuffere Soporem; Exortum cecinere diem, Solemque recentem: Et fera optatas cum Nox induxerat umbras, Suaferunt faciles molli dulcedine Somnos: Necquicquam ipfa novo pertentant Carmina luctu

Ægrum

Yet take thy Bent, my Soul; another Sense Indulge; add Mufic to Magnificence:

Effay, if Harmony may Grief controll;

Or Pow'r of Sound prevail upon the Soul.
Often our Seers and Poets have confeft,
That Mufic's Force can tame the furious Beaft;

Can make the Wolf, or foaming Boar restrain

1

His Rage: the Lion drop his crested Main,

Attentive to the Song; the Lynx forget

His Wrath to Man, and lick the Minstrel's Feet.
Are we, alas! more favage yet than these?
Elfe Mufic fure may human Cares appease.

I spake my Purpose; and the chearful Choir Parted their shares of Harmony; the Lyre Soften'd the Timbrel's Noife: the Trumpet's Sound Provok'd the DORIAN Flute (both sweeter found When mix'd:) the Fife the Viol's Notes refin'd; And ev'ry Strength with ev'ry Grace was join'd. Each Morn they wak'd Me with a sprightly Lay: Of opening Heav'n they Sung, and gladsome Day. Each Evening their repeated Skill express'd

Scenes of Repofe, and Images of Reft:

Yet ftill in vain; for Mufic gather'd Thought:

Ægrum Animum, & tacitis curis fomenta miniftrant. Lætus quippe Sonus filo leviore refultans

Ocyus it, fummamque fugax prælabitur aurem ; Chorda gravis ferit ima animi, moeftumque dolorem Incutit, atque altum figit fub pectore vulnus.

Jamque agitans mæftè mecum, quàm languet ocelli Imbecilla acies, vidi; quàm incerta vagatur, Utque novas quærit fpecies fpernitque paratas Inftabilis; piget heu! piget advertiffe, fed aurem Adverti miferam fimili languefcere morbo; Illa etiam inconftans, brevibus fatiata fonorum Deliciis, fugit auditos, optatque recentes.

Continuò Juvenes cultos fe adjungere lectis Virginibus juffi, numerisque aptare Choreas. Fruftra! Compofitos redeuntefque ordine certo Culpabam motus, paffofque infana querebar Jura pedes: Artem obfervans Natura magiftram Imperio indecori paret, turpique laborat Servitio; Indignor tantum potuiffe protervi Artificis digitos agiles, nervumque fonantem.

Pro