V. Gloomy Pluto, King of Terrors,

Arm'd in adamantine Chains, Lead me to the Crystal Mirrors,

Wat'ring soft Elysian Plains.

VI. Mournful Cypress, verdant Willow,

Gilding my Aurelia's Brows, Morpheus hov’ring o'er my Pillow, Hear me pay my dying Vows.

VII. Melancholy smooth Meander,

Swiftly purling in a Round, On thy Margin Lovers wander,

With thy flow'ry Chaplets crown'd.

I

Know the thing that's most uncommon;

(Envy be filent, and attend !)
I know a reasonable Woman,

Handsome and witty, yet a Friend.
Not warp'd by Passion, aw'd by Rumour,

Not grave thro' Pride, or gay thro' Folly,
An equal mixture of good Humour,

And sensible foft Melancholy.
" Has she no faults then (Envy says) Sir?”

Yes, she has one, I must aver;
When all the World conspires to praise her,

The Woman's deaf, and does not hear.

On his GROTTO at Twickenham,

COMPOSED OF

Marbles, Spårs, Gemms, Ores, and

Minerals.

Shines a broad Mirrour thro' the shadowy Cave;
Where ling'ring drops from min'ral Roofs distill,
And pointed Crystals brcak the sparkling Ril,
Unpolish'd Gemms no ray on Pride bestow,
And latent Metals innocently glow :

5

VARIATION S. After v. 6. In the MS.

You see that Island's wealth, where, only free,

Earth to her entrails feels not Tyranny. i. e. Britain is the only place on the globe which feels not Tyranny even to its very entrails. Alluding to the condemnation of Criminals to the Mines, one of the inflictions of civil justice in most Countries. The thought was exceeding natural and proper in this place, whicre the Poet was describing a Groito incrusted and adorned with all sorts of Minerals collected from the four quarters of the Globe.

Nores. On his Grotto.] The improving and finishing this Grott was the favourite amusement of his declining Years; and the beauty of his poetic genius, in the disposition and ornaments of this romantic recess, appears to as much advantage as in his best contrired Poems. 6

Approach

Approach. Great Nature studiously behold!
And eye the Mine without a wish for Gold.
Approach : But awful! Lo! th' Ægerian Grott, 9
Where, nobly-pensive, St. John fate and thought ;
Where British sighs from dying WYNDHAM stole;
And the bright fame was shot thro' MARCHMONT'S

Soul.
Let fuch, such only, tread this facred Floor,
Who dare to love their Country, and be poor.

VARIATION S. Ver. 11. Where British highs from dying Wyndham fole.] in his MS. it was thus,

To Wyndham's breast the patriot-passions stole, which made the whole allude to a certain Anecdote of not much consequence to any but the parties concerned.

NOTES. Ver. 9. Ægerian Grott,] Alluding to Numa's projecting his system of Politics in this Grott, affifted, as he gave out, by the Goddess Ægeria.

To

1

TO

Mrs. M. B. on her Birth-Day.

1

H be thou bleft with all that Heav'n can send,
Long Health, long Youth, long Pleasure, and

a Friend :
Not with those Toys the female world admire,
Riches that vex, and Vanities that tire.
With added years if Life bring nothing new, 5
But like a Sieve let ev'ry blessing thro',
Some joy still loft, as each vain year runs o’er,
And all we gain, fome fad Reflection more;
Is that a Birth-day? 'tis alas! too clear,
"Tis but the Fun'ral of the former year.

Let Joy or Ease, let Affluence or Content,
And the gay Conscience of a life well spent,
Calm ev'ry thought, inspirit ev'ry grace,
Glow in thy heart, and smile upon thy face.
Let day improve on day, and year on ycar, IS
Without a Pain, a Trouble, or a Fear;
Till Death unfelt that tender frame destroy,
In some foft Dream, or Extasy of Joy,
Peaceful sleep out the Sabbath of the Tomb,
And wake to Raptures in a Life to come.

I

VARIATIONS.
Ver. 15. Originally thus in the MS.

And oh since Death must that fáir frame destroy,
Dye, by some sudden Extasy of Joy;
In some fofc dream may thy mild soul remove,
And be thy lateit gasp a Sigh of Love.