Next on a Cliff a Fisher-man you'll view,
Who his lov'd Sport does eagerly pursue.
His gather'd Net juft hov'ring o'er the Sea,
He labours at the Caft on his half bended Knee,
You'd fwear his active Limbs work'd to and fro,
So tight he is, fo fitted for the Throw.

His Neck enlarg'd with fwelling Veins appears:
Much is his Strength, tho' many are his Years.
Not far from hence a feeming Vineyard grows,
The Vines all neatly fet in graceful Rows,
Whose weighty Clufters bend the yielding Boughs.
And a young Lad on a Tree's neighb'ring Root
Sits idlely by, to watch the ripening Fruit,
By him, two Foxes unregarded steal:
Each craftily designs a diff'rent Meal.

One tow'rds the Vineyard cafts a longing Eye;
Looks to, and fro; and then creeps foftly by:
Whilft t'other couch'd in a close Ambufcade
To intercept the Scrip and Vict❜als laid,
Refolves not firft to quit the deftin'd Prey,
'Till he has fent the Younker Supperlefs away.
Mean while with both his Hands, and both his Eyes,
He's plaiting Straws, and making Traps for Flies.
With Art and Care he the fine Play-thing twines,
Surveys it, and applauds his own Designs:
Unmindful of his Bag, or of his Vines.

The Cup befides a Wood-bine does contain,
Which round the Bottom wreaths its leafie Train,
Admir'd and envy'd by each gazing Swain!
I know, you'll fay your felf, 'tis ftrangely fine!
The Workman, and the Workmanship Divine!
I bought it when I croft th' Ætolian Seas,

The Price a dainty Kid, and a large New-milk Cheese;
Unus'd it lyes, unfully'd, neat and trim:

Nor have my Lips once touch'd the fhining Brim,
With this I'd willingly reward thy Pains,
Would't thou but fing those my beloved Strains.
Nor envy I thy Skill: No---- envious Death
Too foon (alas!) will ftop that charming Breath &

Come on then, Sing, dear Shepherd, while you may. THIRSI S.

Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay. 'Tis Thyrfis fings, Thyrfis on Aina born : The grateful Hills do his lov'd Notes return. Where were the Nymphs? Where, in that fatal Day, When Daphnis, lovely Daphnis, pin'd away? Did ye by Peneus, or on Pindus stray? (For fure ye were not by Anapus fide, Nor Aina's Top, nor Acis Silver Tide.) Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay. For him the Panthers and the Tygers mourn'd: They came, they faw; and with fwoln Eyes return'd. Lions themfelves did uncouth Sorrows bear, Their Savage Fierceness foftning to a Tear. Close by his Feet the Bulls and Heifers lay; The Calves forgot their Feeding, and their Play; Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay. Swift Hermes firft came down to his Relief: Daphnis, he cry'd, from whence this foolish Grief? What Nymph, what Goddess steals thy Heart away ♪ Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay.

}

Next him the Shepherds, and the Goat-herds came:
All ask'd the Reafon of fo ftrange a Flame.
Priapus came too-----

He came, and ask'd him with a pitying Eye,
Why all this Grief? Ah! wretched Daphnis, why?
While the falfe Nymph, unmindful of thy Pains,
Now climbs the Hills, now skims it o'er the Plains,
Where-e'er blind Chance or Fancy leads the way:
Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay.

Ah! foolish and impatient of the Smart,

With which the wanton Boy hath pierc'd thy Heart! An Herdfman thou wert thought; a Goat-herd fure thou art.

The Goat-herd, when from fome old craggy Rock He views the sportful Paftimes of his Flock,

* Βούτας μὲν ἐλέγει: νιῦ δ ̓ αἰπόλῳ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικας,

And fees 'em how they frisk, and how they play, Grieves that he's not a Goat, as well as they :

Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay.

And you too, when you fee the Nymphs advance
Their nimble Feet in a well-order'd Dance, [smile,
And hear 'em how they talk, and fee 'em how they
Are griev'd that you must ftand neglected all the
while.

All this, without an Answer, heard the Swain;
Still he went on, and nourish'd ftill the Pain.
He found his Love increase, and Life decay:
Begin, Sweet Muse, begin the Rural Lay.

Then Venus came, and rais'd his drooping Head:
Forc'd an infulting Smile, and thus fhe faid.
You thought,fond Swain, that you could Love fubdue;
But Love, it seems, at laft has conquer'd you.
Strong are his Charms, and mighty is his Sway:
Begin, fweet Mufe, begin the Rural Lay.

She fpake-----And thus the mournful Swain reply'd.
Ah! Foe to me, and all Mankind befide!
Ah! cruel Goddefs! fpare thy Taunts at laft;
Nor urge a Death that's drawing on fo faft.
Too well I know my fatal Hour is come,
My ↑ Sun declining to its Western Home.
Yet ev'n in Death thy Scorns I will repay:
Begin, Sweet Muse, begin the Rural Lay..
Hence, Cyprian Queen, to Ida's Tops repair,
Anchifes, lov'd Anchifes waits you there.
There fpreading Oaks will cover you around:
Here humble Shrubs fcarce peep above the Ground;
And bufie Bees are humming all the Day.
The aoife is great, 'twill spoil your am'rous Play:
Begin, Sweet Muse, begin the Rural Lay.

Adonis too!----the Boy is lovely fair!
He feeds his Flocks, he hunts the nimble Hare;
And boldly chases ev'ry Beast of Prey:

Begin, fweet Muse, begin the Rural Lay.

† Ἤδη γδ φράσδει πάνθ' άλις ἅμμι δεδύκειν.

Ye Panthers, Lions, and ye Wolves adieu !
Who now fhall traverse the thick Woods with you?
No more fhall you be chas'd, no more fhall I purfue.
Hail Arethusa, lovely Fountain hail ! [Vale!
Farewel ye Streams that flow thro' Tyber's flow'ry
Farewel!----The Gods forbid my longer Stay:

Leave off, fond Mufe, leave off the Rural Lay. Pan, Pan, where-e'er your wandring Footsteps Whether on Lyce's airy Tops you rove, [move; Or fporting in the vast Menalian Grove:

Hafte, quickly hafte; leave the high Tomb, that nods
O'er Helick's Cliff, the wonder of the Gods!
And to fair Sicily thy Steps convey:

Leave off, fond Mufe, leave off the Rural Lay..
Here take my waxen Pipe, well join'd, and fit;
An useless Pipe to me! and I to it!
For Love and Fate have fummon'd me away :
Leave off, fond Mufe, leave off the Rural Lay.
On Brambles now let Violets be born,
And op'ning Roses blush on ev'ry Thorn:
Let all things Nature's Contradiction wear,
And barren Pine-trees yield the mellow Pear.
Since Daphnis dies, what can be strange, or new?
Hounds now shall fly, and trembling Fawns purfue;
Screech-Owls fhall'fing, and Thrushes yield the Day:
Leave off, fond Muse, leave off the Rural Lay..
Thus Daphnis fpake, and more he would have fung:
But Death prevail'd upon his trembling Tongue.
Fair Venus ftrove to raise her drooping Son:
In vain the ftrove, for his laft Thread was fpun.
Black Stygian Waves furround the darling Boy
Of every Nymph, and every Mufe's Joy.
Lifeless he lies, and ftill as harden'd. Clay,
Who was fo Young, fo Lovely, and fo Gay:

Leave off, fond Mufe, leave off the Rural Lay. The Cup and Goat you cannot now refuse: I'll milk her, and I'll offer to my Muse,

All hail, ye Muses, that inspire my Tongue!
A better Day fhall have a better Song.

GOAT-HERD.

}

May dropping Combs on thofe fweet Lips diftil, And thy lov'd Mouth with Attick Honey fill. For much, much fweeter is thy tuneful Voice, Than, when on funny Days with chearful noife, The Vocal Infects of the Spring rejoice. Here, take the promis'd Cup: How bright the look How fine the Smell! fure from fome fragrant Brook, The bath of fmiling Hours, it the gay tincture took! Here Ciffy, hitherward,---Come, milk her now: My Kids, forbear to leap: for if you do, The Goat may chance to leap as well as you.

::

}

The REA PER S. The Tenth Idyllium of THEOCRITUS. Englished by Mr. William Bowles, of King's College in Cambridge.

Μ.

'A'

MILO. BATTU S.

RE you grown lazy, or does fome Disease, Oh Battus, bind your Hands, and Sinews feize, That like a Sheep prickt by a pointed Thorn, Still you're behind, and lag at ev'ry Turn? What in the Heat and Evening will you do, Who early in the Morning loiter fo?

B. Milo, thou piece of Flint, thou all of Stone, Did'ft never yet an absent Friend bemoan?

M. Who, but fuch Fools as thou, the Abfent mind! Sure what concerns you more, you here may find. B. Did Love ne'er yet thy Senfes waking keep, Trouble thy Dreams, or interrupt thy Sleep?

Kizgaidas the Name of the Goat.