KING'S-BATH nam'd, beneath thy feet
Boiling ay with mineral heat:
Or, whether from his car on high
Phoebus faw with amorous eye
The fountain-nymph, with humid train,
,Light of foot, trip o'er the-plain;
Strait the god, inflam'd with love,
Swift defcending from above,
All in fervors bright array'd
Prefs'd her bofom; and the maid
Gladly to his warm embrace
Yielded whence the happy place,
Where the nymph he woo'd and won,
Was call'd the WATERS OF THE SUN.
FAME that title widely fpred;
Yet, ere Roman legions fled
The wrath of sturdy British knights,
Pallas claim'd religious rights;
British PALLADOUR then rofe,
From the goddefs nam'd, who chose
Near the favourite ftreams to dwell,
Guardian of the facred well.
b WATERS OF THE SUN.] Aquæ folis. Bath. Sol in hac urbe templum habuit, et nomen quod exhibet Antoninus, loco dedit. Antonini Iter XIV. publifh'd by Gale. PALLADOUR.] Pallas etiam, tefte Solino, fontibus hifce fuit præful, fuamque habuit edem, ubi et perpetuos ignes. Ab eâ, appellabatur Britannis, Caer PALLADOUR: Urbs aquæ Palladiæ.
But long fince HYGEIA fair Under her peculiar care
Receiv'd the springs; for well fhe knows Each falubrious rill that flows
Forth from fubterranean vaults,
Stor❜d by NATURE's hand with falts,
Steel, or fulphur: for her ufe
NATURE opens every fluice,
Which HYGEIA gives in charge
To fev'ral nymphs: herself at large
Roams o'er hill, and dale, and plain,
Lacky'd by a duteous train ;
Oreads, Naiads, Dryads pay
Service glad fome smooth her way,
Or mists difperfe, or brush the trees;
Others waft the morning-breeze
From mountain-tops: adown the hills
Others pour refreshing rills,
Or bathe her limbs in fountain neat,
Aiding, all, her influence fweet.
SHE with fmiling eye furveys
Ruftic labours, and conveys
STRENGTH to the active thresher's arm,
To village-maidens BEAUTY's charm.
Happy are the fons of earth
Whom the goddess at their birth
HYGEIA.] The goddess of health.
Shin'd on. Yet, her heavenly ray
Numbers, not refpecting, Aray
From her presence, and pursue
LUXURY's paths, whose fordid crew,
LUST inordinate, and SLOTH,
And GLUTTONY's unwieldy growth,
Lead them on to SHAME, and PAIN,
And MALADIES, an endless train.
Oft with pangs distracting torn
They HYGEIA's absence mourn ;
Bitter change! their languid eyes
Feel not joy in funny skies;
Nor doth NIGHT, with flumber bleft,
Close them at the hour of rest.
And oft with fighs, and tears, and pray'r
Half-fupprefs'd by fad despair,
They the queen of health implore
Her wish'd prefence to restore.
Nor unmindful of their woes
Is the goddess; for the chofe
Thee, LAURENTIA, lovelieft maid
Among thy fifter nymphs, who play'd
On the banks of Avon, Thee,
Bright-ey'd nymph, fhe chose to be
Her fubftitute, and pow'r fhe gave
Sov'reign o'er the healing wave
Avon.] The river which runs by Bath,
Which thou rul'ft with gentle fway.
Thee the smoaking tides obey
Joyous; and at thy command
Wash thy rofy-finger'd hand ;
Thence in crystal cups convey'd
Yield their falutary aid
To all, whom Thou with look benign
Smil'ft on round HYGEIA's shrine;
All of appetite deprav'd,
Those whom pale-ey'd SPLEEN enflav'd,
Cripples bent with gouty pain,
Whom JAUNDICE ting'd with muddy ftain,
Or whofe frame of nerves, with stroke
Benumming, tremulous PALSY broke.
These the balmy, cordial stream
Quaff, rejoicing; Thee, their theme
Of praife, extol; thy tender care,
Thy foft addrefs, and courteous air:
And while HARMONY, the friend
Of HEALTH, delights to recommend
Thy miniftry, thy charms infpire
Love and joy, and gay defire:
For the goddess, when she gave
Rule imperial o'er the wave,
To adorn the gift, and grace thy state,
On Thee bade YOUTH and BEAUTY wait.
f Rofy-finger'd.] The effects of the hot water.
HARMONY.] The mufic in the pump-room,
Nor doft thou not taste delight
Where thou fit'ft in duteous plight ;
For the joy, thy hand bestows,
Back to thee redounding flows,
When the cheek of faded hue,
Thou feeft difplaying rofes new.
'Thee fufpended crutches please,
Signal trophies from DISEASE
Won to HEALTH victorious. Hail,
Comfort, and fupport of frail
Human ftate! Hail, blooming maid!
Nymph belov'd! without thy aid,
He, who, greeting thee, his lays
Now attunes to notes of praise,
Mute had been, opprefs'd with pain
Offpafm rheumatic. Hail again,
Prieftefs of HYGEIA's fhrine!
Sitll difpenfe her gift divine,
Still her vot'ries lead to HEALTH;
Elfe, what profits. Marlborough's wealth,
1 Eliza's form, and Stanhope's wit,
And all the eloquence of Pitt?
Crutches.] Over Bladud's image in the king's bath hang
Eliza.] Lady Betty Spencer.
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