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 fleecy care, Fresh as the morn, and as the season fair: The dawn now blushing on the mountain's side, Thus Daphnis spoke, and Strephon thus replied: DAPHNIS. Hear how the birds on every blooming spray With joyous music wake the dawning day! Why sit we mute, when early linnets sing, When warbling Philomel salutes the spring? Why sit we sad, when Phosphor shines so clear, And lavish nature paints the purple year? STREPHON. Sing, then, and Damon shall attend the strain, DAPHNIS. And I this bowl, where wanton ivy twines, DAMON. Then sing by turns, by turns the Muses sing; Now hawthorns blossom, now the daisies spring; Now leaves the trees, and flowers adorn the ground: Begin, the vales shall every note rebound. STREPHON. Inspire me, Phœbus, in my Delia's praise, DAPHNIS. O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, STREPHON. Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain, DAPHNIS. The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green, STREPHON. O'er golden sands let rich Pactolus flow, DAPHNIS. Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves; If Windsor-shades delight the matchless maid, STREPHON. All nature mourns, the skies relent in showers, Hush'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flowers; If Delia smile, the flowers begin to spring, DAPHNIS. All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The sun's mild lustre warms the vital air; If Sylvia smiles, new glories gild the shore, And vanquish'd nature seems to charm no more. STREPHON. In spring the fields, in autumn hills I love, DAPHNIS. Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as May, STREPHON. Say, Daphnis, say, in what glad soil appears DAPHNIS. Nay, tell me first, in what more happy fields DAMON. Cease to contend; for, Daphnis, I decree well! 2 An allusion to the Royal Oak, in which Charles II. had been hid from the pursuit after the battle at Worcester. 3 Alludes to the device of the Scottish monarchs, the thistle, worn by Queen Anne; and to the arms of France, the fleurde-lys. The two riddles are in imitation of those in Virg. Ecl. iii. Now rise, and haste to yonder woodbine bowers, II. SUMMER; OR, ALEXIS. TO DR. GARTH. A SHEPHERD's boy (he seeks no better name) Accept O Garth! the muse's early lays, Ye shady beeches, and ye cooling streams, Defence from Phoebus', not from Cupid's beams, Το you I mourn; nor to the deaf I sing, The woods shall answer, and their echo ring. |