Not Neptune's felf from all her streams receives
A wealthier tribute, than to thine he gives.
No feas fo rich, so gay no banks appear,
No lake fo gentle, and no spring fo clear.

Nor Po fo fwells the fabling Poet's lays,
While led along the fkies his current strays,
As thine, which visits Windfor's fam'd abodes,
the mansion of our earthly Gods:

To grace
Nor all his stars above a luftre show,

Like the bright Beauties on thy banks below;
Where Jove, fubdued by mortal paffion still,
Might change Olympus for a nobler hill.

Happy the man whom this bright Court approves,
His Sovereign favours, and his Country loves:
Happy next him, who to these shades retires,

225

230

Whom Nature charms, and whom the Muse inspires;
Whom humbler joys of home-felt quiet please,
Succeffive study, exercise, and ease.

He gathers health from herbs the forest yields,
And of their fragrant physic spoils the fields:
With chemic arts exalt the mineral powers,
And draws the aromatic fouls of flowers:

240

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 233. It ftood thus in the MS.

And force great Jove, if Jove's a lover ftill,
To change Olympus, &c.

Ver. 235.

Happy the man, who to the fhades retires,

But doubly happy, if the Muse infpires!

Bleft whom the fweets of home-felt quiet please;
But far more bleft, who study joins with ease.

Now

Now marks the course of rolling orbs on high;
O'er figur'd worlds now travels with his eye;
Of ancient writ unlocks the learned store,
Confults the dead, and lives past ages o'er:
Or wandering thoughtful in the filent wood,
Attends the duties of the wife and good,
T'observe a mean, be to himself a friend,

245

250

To follow nature, and regard his end;

Or looks on heaven with more than mortal eyes,
Bids his free foul expatiate in the skies,

Amid her kindred stars familiar roam,
Survey the region, and confefs her home!

255

Such was the life great Scipio once admir'd,

Thus Atticus, and Trumbal thus retir'd.

Ye facred Nine! that all my foul poffefs,

Whose raptures fire me, and whose visions bless,
Bear me, oh bear me to fequefter'd scenes,
The bowery mazes, and furrounding greens;

260

To Thames's banks which fragrant breezes fill,
Or where ye Mufes fport on Cooper's Hill
(On Cooper's Hill eternal wreaths fhall grow,
While lafts the mountain, or while Thames fhall flow):
I feem through confecrated walks to rove,

I hear foft mufic die along the

grove :

265

VARIATION.

Ver. 267. It ftood thus in the MS.

Methinks around your holy fcenes I rove,
And hear your mufic echoing through the
With transport vifit each inspiring fhade
By God-like Poets venerable made.

grove :

Led

Led by the found, I roam from shade to shade,

By god-like poets venerable made :

Here his first lays majestic Denham sung;

270

There the last numbers flow'd from Cowley's tongue. O early loft! what tears the river shed,

When the fad pomp along his banks was led!

His drooping (wans on every note expire,
And on his willows hung each Mufe's lyre.

275

Since fate relentless stopp'd their heavenly voice,

No more the forefts ring, or groves rejoice;

Who now shall charm the shades, where Cowley ftrung His living harp, and lofty Denham fung?

280

But hark! the groves rejoice, the forest rings!
Are these reviv'd? or is it Granville fings!
'Tis yours, my Lord, to bless our foft retreats,
And call the Muses to their ancient seats;
To paint anew the flowery fylvan scenes,

285

To crown the forests with immortal greens,

Make Windfor hills in lofty numbers rise,

And lift her turrets nearer to the skies;
To fing those honours you deserve to wear,
And add new luftre to her filver star.

VARIATIONS.

290

Here

Ver. 275

What fighs, what murmurs, fill'd the vocal shore!
His tuneful fwans were heard to fing no more.

Ver. 290. her filver ftar.] All the lines that follow were not added to the poem till the year 1710. What immediately followed this, and made the conclufion, were thefe,

My humble Mufe, in unambitious ftrains,
Paints the green forefts and the flowery plains;

Where

Here noble Surrey felt the facred rage,
Surrey, the Granville of a former age:
Matchlefs his pen, victorious was his lance,
Bold in the lifts, and graceful in the dance:
In the fame fhades the Cupids tun'd his lyre,
To the fame notes, of love, and foft defire:
Fair Geraldine, bright object of his vow,
Then fill'd the groves, as heavenly Mira now.

295

Oh would'st thou fing what heroes Windfor bore, What kings firft breath'd upon her winding fhore, 300 Or raise old warriors, whofe ador'd remains

In weeping vaults her hallow'd earth contains!
With Edward's acts adorn the shining page,

Stretch his long triumphs down through every age,
Draw monarchs chain'd, and Creffi's glorious field, 305

The lilies blazing on the regal shield:

Then, from her roofs when Verrio's colours fall,

Where I obfcurely pafs my careless days, Pleas'd in the filent fhade with empty praise, Enough for me that to the liftening fwains First in these fields I fung the fylvan strains. Ver. 307. Originally thus in the MS.

Here

When Brafs decays, when Trophies lie o'erthrown, And mouldering into duft drops the proud ftone.

Here o'er the Martyr-King the marble weeps,
And, faft befide him, once-fear'd Edward fleeps:
Whom not th' extended Albion could contain,
From old Belerium to the northern main,
The Grave unites; where ev'n the Great find rest,
And blended lie th' oppreffor and th' opprest!

315

320

Make facred Charles's tomb for ever known
(Obfcure the place, and uninscrib'd the stone);
Oh fact accurs'd! what tears has Albion shed,
Heavens, what new wounds! and how her old have bled!
She faw her fons with purple deaths expire,
Her facred domes involv'd in rolling fire,
A dreadful series of inteftine wars,
Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars.

At length great Anna faid,-" Let Difcord ceafe!"
She faid, the world obey'd, and all was peace!

In that bleft moment from his oozy bed

Old father Thames advanc'd his reverend head.

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 321. Originally thus in the MS.

Oh fact accurs'd! oh facrilegious brood,
Sworn to Rebellion, principled in blood!

Since that dire morn what tears has Albion fhed!
Gods! what new wounds, &c.;

Ver. 327. Thus in the MS.

Till Anna rofe, and bade the Furies ceafe;

Let there be peace-she said, and all was Peace.

325

330

His

Between verfe 330 and 331, originally stood these lines:
From fhore to fhore exulting fhouts he heard,
O'er all his banks a lambent light appear'd,

With fparkling flames heaven's glowing concave fhone,
Fictitious stars, and glories not her own.

He