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HEALTH. AN ECLOGUE.

BY PARNELL.

NOW early fhepherds o'er the meadows pass,
And print long footsteps on the glitt'ring grafs;
The cows, neglectful of their pasture, ftand,
By turns obfequious to the milker's hand.

When Damon foftly trod the fhaven lawn, Damon, a youth from city cares withdrawn ; Long was the pleafing walk he wander'd through, A cover'd arbour clos'd the diftant view;

There refts the youth, and, while the feather'd throng
Raife their wild mufick, thus contrives a fong.
Here, wafted o'er by mild Etefian air,

Thou country Goddess, beauteous Health! repair,
Here let my breast through quiv'ring trees inhale
Thy rofy bleflings with the morning gale.
What are the fields, or flow'rs, or all I fee?
Ah! taftelefs all, if not enjoy'd with thee.
Joy to my foul! I feel the goddess nigh,
The face of nature cheers as well as I ;

O'er the flat green refreshing breezes rim,
The finiling daifies blow beneath the fun,
The brooks run purling down with filver waves,
The planted lanes rejoice with dancing leaves;
The chirping birds from all the compass rove
To tempt the tuneful echoes of the grove:
High funny fummits, deeply fhaded dales,
Thick molly banks, and flow’ry winding vales,
With various prospects gratify the fight,
And scatter fix'd attention in delight.

Come, country Goddefs, come, nor thou fuffice,
But bring thy mountain fifter, Exercise:
Call'd by thy lovely voice fhe turns her pace,
Her winding horn proclaims the finish'd chace;
She mounts the rocks, fhe fkims the level plain;
Dogs, hawks, and horfes crowd her early train.
Her hardy face repels the tanning wind,
And lines and methes loosely float behind.
All these as means of toil the feeble fee,
But thefe are helps to pleasure, join'd with thee.
Let floth lie foft'ning 'till high noon in down,
Or lolling fan her in the fultry town,

Unnerv'd with reft, and turn her own disease,
Or fofter others in luxurious ease;

I mount the courfer, call the deep mouth'd hounds,
The fox unkennell'd flies to covert grounds,

I lead where ftags through tangled thickets tread,
And thake their faplings with their branching head;
I make the falcons wing their airy way,
And foar to feize, or stooping ftrike their prey;
To fnare the fifh I fix the lurking bait;
To wound the fowl I load the gun with fate.
'Tis thus through change of exercise I range,
And ftrength and pleasure rife from every change.

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