Malice never taught to treasure, Cenfure never taught to bear: Love is all the fhepherd's pleasure ; Love is all the damfel's care.

How can they of humble ftation
Vainly blame the pow'rs above?

Or accuse the dispensation

Which allows them all to love?

Love like air is widely given;

Pow'r nor chance can these restrain ; Trueft, nobleft gifts of heaven! Only pureft on the plain!

Peers can no fuch charms discover,
All in stars and garters drest,

As, on Sundays, does the lover

With his nosegay on his breast.

Pinks and rofes in profufion,

Said to fade when CHLOE's near; Fops may use the fame allufion; But the fhepherd is fincere.

Hark to yonder milk-maid finging
Chearly o'er the brimming pail ;
Cowflips all around her springing
Sweetly paint the golden vale.

Never yet did courtly maiden
Move so sprightly, look so fair;
Never breaft with jewels laden
Pour a fong fo void of care.

Would indulgent heav'n had granted
Me fome rural damfel's part!

All the empire I had wanted

Then had been my fhepherd's heart.

Then, with him, o'er hills and mountains,
Free from fetters, might I rove:

Fearless tafte the crystal fountains ;
Peaceful fleep beneath the grove.

Ruftics had been more forgiving;
Partial to my virgin bloom :

None had envy'd me when living ;'

None had triumph'd o'er my tomb."

ettetetett tett.

betetetett

ODE to a Young LADY,

Somewhat too follicitous about her manner of

expreffion.

URVEY, my fair! that lucid stream

SURVEY,

Adown the smiling valley ftray;

Would art attempt, or fancy dream,

To regulate its winding way?

So

So pleas'd I view thy fhining hair
In loofe difhevel'd ringlets flow:
Not all thy art, not all thy care

Can there one fingle grace bestow.

Survey again that verdant hill,

With native plants enamel'd o'er ;
Say, can the painter's utmost skill
Inftruct one flow'r to please us more?

As vain it were, with artful dye,

To change the bloom thy cheeks difclofe; And oh may LAURA, ere fhe try,

With fresh vermilion paint the rose.

Hark, how the wood-lark's tuneful throat
Can every study'd grace excel;

Let art conftrain the rambling note,

And will fhe, LAURA, pleafe to well?

Oh ever keep thy native cafe,

By no pedantic law confin'd!

For LAURA's voice is form'd to please,
SO LAURA's words be not unkind.

NANCY

********

NANCY of the VALE

A BALLA D.

Nerine Galatea! thymo mihi dulcior Hyblæ
Candidior cygnis! hederâ formofior albâ!

T

HE western fky was purpled o'er
With every pleafing ray:

And flocks reviving felt no more
The fultry heats of day:

When from an hazle's artless bower

Soft warbled STREPHON's tongue ;He bleft the scene, he bleft the hour, While NANCY's praise he fung.

"Let fops with fickle falfhood range
The paths of wanton love,

While weeping maids lament their change,
And fadden every grove:

But endless bleffings crown the day

I faw fair ESHAM'S dale!

And every bleffing find its way

TO NANCY of the Vale.

"Twas from AVONA's banks the maid
Diffus'd her lovely beams;
And every fhining glance display'd
The naiad of the streams.

Soft as the wild-duck's tender young,
That float on Avon's tide;
Bright as the water-lily, fprung,
And glittering near its fide.

Fresh as the bordering flowers, her bloom:
Her eye, all mild to view;
The little halcyon's azure plume

Was never half fo blue.

Her shape was like the reed fo fleek,

So taper, ftrait, and fair

;

Her dimpled fmile, her blushing cheek,
How charming sweet they were!

And shadowing rocks, and woods confpir'd

To fence her beauties round.

That nature in fo lone a dell

Should form a nymph fo fweet!
Or fortune to her fecret cell

Conduct my wandering feet!
VOL. I.
I

Gay