Let vernal airs thro' trembling ofiers play, 5 And Albion's cliffs resound the rural lay.

You, that too wise for pride, too good for pow'r, Enjoy the glory to be great no more,

And

“ Virgil had written nothing so good at his Age. His “ Preface is very judicious and learned." Letter to Mr. Wycberley, Ap. 1705. The Lord Lanfdown about the same time, mentioning the youth of our Poet, says (in a printed Letter of the Character of Mr. Wycherley) “ that & if he goes on as he has begun in the Pastoral way, as “ Virgil first tried his strength, we may hope to see Eng“ lish Poetry vie with the Roman,” etc. Notwithstanding the early time of their production, the Author esteem.ed these as the most correct in the verfification, and mufical in the numbers, of all his works. The reason for his labouring them into so much foftness, was, doubtless, that this fort of poetry derives almost its whote beauty from a natural ease of thought and smoothness of verse; whereas that of most other kinds consists in the strength and fulness of both. In a letter of his to Mr. Wăth about this time we find an enumeration of several.Niceties : in Versification, which perhaps have never been strictly

observed in any English poem, except in these Pastorals. They were not printed till 1707. P.

Sir William Trumbal.] Our Author's friendship with this gentleman commenced at very unequal years : he was under fixteen, but Sir William above fixty, and had lately resign'd his employment of Secretary of State to King William. P.

IMITATIONS.
Veri 1. Prima Syracoso dignata eft ludere versu,

Noftra nec erubuit sylvas habitare Thalia. : This is the general exordium and opening of the Pasto:rals, in imitation of she fixth of Virgil, which some have

therefore not improbably thought to have been the first originally. In the beginnings of the other three Pafto.

rals, he imitates expresly those which now stand first of the three chief Poets in this kind, Spencer, Virgil, Theocritus.

A Shep

10

And carrying with you all the world can boast,
To all the world illustriously are loft!
O let my Mufe her slender reed inspire,
Till in your native shades you tune the lyre:
So when the Nightingale to rest removes,

The Thrush may chant to the forsaken groves,
But, charm'd-to filence, 'listens while she fings, 15
And all th' aërial audience clap their wings.

Soon as the flocks shook off the nightly dews, Two Swains, whom Love kept wakeful, and the

Muse, Pour'd 'o'er the whitening vale their Aeecy care, Fresh as the morn, and as the season fair : 20 The dawn now blushing on the mountain's fide, Thus Daphnis spoke, and Strephon thus reply'd.

DA.

Ver. 12. in your native fades) Sir W. Trumbal was - born in Windsor-forest, to which he retreated, after he

had resigned the post of Secretary of State to King William III. P.

Ver. 17, etc. The Scene of this Pastoral a Valley, the time the Morning. It stood originally thus,

Daphnis and Strephon to the Shades retir'd,
Both warm’d by Love, and by the Muse inspired,
Fresh as the morn, and as the feason fair,
In flow'ry vales they fed their fleecy care;
And while Aurora gilds the mountain's side,
Thus. Daphnis spoke, and Strephon thus reply'd.

IMITATION S.
A Shepherd's Boy ( be seeks no better name) -
Beneath the shade a spreading Beach displays,-

Thyrfis, the Music of that murm'ring Spring, --are manifestly imitations of

--A Shepherd's Boy (no better do bim call)
-Tityre, tu patulae recubons fub tegmine fagi.
- Αδύ τι το ψιθύρισμα και απίτυς, αιπόλι, τήνα. Ρ.

DAPHNIS. Hear how the birds, on ev'ry bloomy spray, With joyous music wake the dawning day! Why fit we mute when early linnets fing, 25 When warbling Philomel falutes the spring? Why fit we sad when Phosphor shines so clear, And lavish Nature paints the purple year?

STREPHON: Sing then, and Damon shall attend the strain, While yon' flow oxen turn the furrow'd plain. Here the bright crocus and blue vi'let glow; Here western winds on breathing roses blow. I'll stake yon' lamb, that near the fountain plays, And from the brink his dancing shade surveys,

DAPHNIS. And I this bowl, where wanton ivy twines, 35 And swelling clusters bend the curling vines :

Four

VER. 28. purple year] Parple here used in the Latin sense of the brightest molt vivid colouring in general, not of that peculiar tint so called, Ver. 34. The first reading was, And his own image from the bank furveys.

VARIATION S. VER:36. And clusters lurk beneath the curling vines. P,

IMITATIONS,
Ver. 35, 36.

Lenta quibus terno facili fuperaddita vitis,
Diffusos edera vefiit pallente corymbos. Virg. P.

Four figures rising from the work appear,
The various seasons of the rowling year ;
And what is that, which binds the radiant sky,
Where twelve fair figns in beauteous order lie? 40

D A M O N.
Then sing by turns, by turns the Muses sing,
Now hawthorns blossom, now the daisies spring,
Now leaves the trees, and Aow'rs adorn the ground;
Begin, the vales shall ev'ry note rebound.

STREPHON.
Inspire me, Phoebus, in my Delia's praise,

45
With Waller's strains, or Granville's moving lays !
A milk-white bull shall at your altars stand,
That threats a fight, and spurns the rising sand.

DA.

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

IMITATIONS:
Ver. 41. Then fing by turns.) Literally from Virgil,

Alternis dicetis, amant alterna Camænæ :
Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos,

Nunc frondent Fylve, nunc formofiffimus annus. P. Ver. 38. The various seasons) The Subject of these Pastorals engraven on the bowl is not without its

propriety. The Shepherd's hesitation at the name of the Zodiac, imitates that in Virgil,

Et quis fuit alter, Defcripfit radio rorum qui gentibus orbem? P. VER.47. A milk-white Bull. ) Virg. - Pafcite taurum,

Qui cornu petat, et pedibus jam fpargat arenam. P.

DAPHNI S.
O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize,
And make my tongue victorious as her eyes ; 50
No lambs or sheep for victims I'll impart,
Thy victim, Love, shall be the shepherd's heart.

STREPHON.
Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain,
Then hid in shades, eludes her eager swain;
But feigns a laugh, to see me search around,

55 And by that laugh the willing fair is found.

DAPHNI S.
The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green,
She runs, but hopes fhe does not run unseen;
While a kind glance at her pursuer flies,
How much at variance are her feet and eyes !

60
S TRE PHO N.
O'er golden fards let rich Pactolus flow,
And trees weep amber on the banks of Po;

Bleft

Ñ AR LATIO N S.
VE
ER. 49. Originally thus in the MS.
Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays,
Of Parian ftone thy statue will I raise ;
But if I conquer and augment my fold,

Thy Parian fatue shall be chang'd to Gold.
Ver.61. It stood thus at first,

Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boalt,
Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coast,

Blest l'hames's Thores, &c. 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 Ahow :

Then