ade ev'ry DCURL WALL ie ev'ry now: What have i an et fpring atte, ki ot fnow rs to al re half fo Charli Go, gentit gast., ome, Leli, wun Sing, while befide the fhaded tomb I mourn, THYRS IS. 20 Ye gentle Mufes, leave your crystal spring, Let Nymphs and Sylvans cypress garlands bring; Ye weeping Loves, the ftream with myrtles hide, And break your bows as when Adonis dy'd; And with your golden darts, now useless grown, 25 Infcribe a verse on this relenting stone: "Let nature change, let heav'n and earth deplore, "Fair Daphne's dead, and love is now no more! 'Tis done, and nature's various charms decay, See gloomy clouds obfcure the chearful day! Now hung with pearls the dropping trees appear, Their faded honours fcatter'd on her bier. See, where on earth the flow'ry glories lie, With her they flourish'd, and with her they die. Ah what avail the beauties nature wore ? Fair Daphne's dead, and beauty is no more! For her the flocks refuse their verdant food, The thirsty heifers fhun the gliding flood, VARIATIONS. VER. 29. Originally thus in the MS. 'Tis done, and nature's chang'd since you are gone; 30 35 The filver fwans her hapless fate bemoan, 41 In notes more fad than when they fing their own; Shall lift'ning in mid air fufpend their wings; Or hufh'd with wonder, hearken from the sprays: 50 55 60 65 Swell'd with new paffion, and o'erflows with tears; The winds and trees and floods her death deplore, Daphne, our grief! our glory now no more! ! 70 But fee! where Daphne wond'ring mounts on high Above the clouds, above the ftarry sky! Eternal beauties grace the fhining scene, Fields ever fresh, and groves for ever green There while you reft in Amaranthine bow'rs, Or from thofe meads felect unfading flow'rs, Behold us kindly, who your name implore, Daphne, our Goddefs, and our grief no more! LYCID A S. 75 80 How all things liften, while thy Muse complains! Such filence waits on Philomela's strains, In fome ftill ev'ning, when the whisp'ring breeze Pants on the leaves, and dies upon the trees. To thee, bright goddefs, oft a lamb fhall bleed, If teeming ewes encrease my fleecy breed. While plants their shade, or flow'rs their odours give, Thy name, thy honour, and thy praise fhall live! VARIATIONS. VER. 83. Originally thus in the MS. While vapours rife, and driving snows defcend, VER. 69, 70, IMITATIONS. miratur limen Olympi, Sub pedibufque videt nubes et fydera Daphnis. Virg. Sæpe tener noftris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus. Virg. THYR SI S. 85 But fee, Orion sheds unwholefome dews; Arife, the pines a noxious fhade diffufe; Sharp Boreas blows, and Nature feels decay, Time conquers all, and we must Time obey. Adieu, ye vales, ye mountains, ftreams and groves, Adieu, ye fhepherd's rural lays and loves; Adieu, my flocks; farewell, ye fylvan crew; Daphne, farewell; and all the world adieu! NOTES. 90 VER. 89, etc.] These four laft lines allude to the feveral fubjects of the four Pastorals, and to the several scenes of them, particularized before in each. Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori. |