STREPHON. Inspire me, Phoebus, in my Delia's praife, 45 With Waller's strains, or Granville's moving lays! A milk-white bull fhall at your altars stand, That threats a fight, and fpurns the rifing fand. DAPHNIS. O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, And make my tongue victorious as her eyes; eyes; 50 No lambs or sheep for victims I'll impart, Thy victim, Love, fhall be the fhepherd's heart. STREPHON. Me gentle Delia beckens from the plain, Then hid in shades, eludes her eager fwain; But feigns a laugh, to fee me search around, 55 And by that laugh the willing fair is found. VARIATIONS. VER. 49. Originally thus in the MS. Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays, Thy Parian ftatue fhall be chang'd to gold. REMARK S. VER. 46. Granville-] George Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdown, known for his Poems, moft of which he compos'd very young, and propos'd Waller as his model. P. Ver. 47. IMITATIONS. A milk-white Bull.] Virg.-Pafcite taurum, Qui cornu petat, et pedibus jam fpargat arenam. P. DAPHNI S. The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green, She runs, but hopes fhe does not run unfeen; How much at variance are her feet and eyes! 60 STREPHON. O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow, And trees weep amber on the banks of Po; Bleft Thames's fhores the brightest beauties yield, Feed here my lambs, I'll feek no diftant field. VARIATIONS. VER. 61. It stood thus at first: Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boaft, P. VER. 61. Originally thus in the MS. Go, flow'ry wreath, and let my Sylvia know, DAPHNIS. Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods fo long, To Heav'n arifing then her notes convey, For Heav'n alone is worthy fuch a lay. IMITATIONS. VER. 58. She runs, but hopes.] Imitation of Virgil, Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videri. P. DAPHNIS. Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves į If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid, STREPHON. 65 All nature mourns, the skies relent in showr's, Hush'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs; If Delia smile, the flow'rs begin to fpring, The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing, DAPHNIS. 71 All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air; If Sylvia fmiles, new glories gild the shore, And vanquish'd nature feems to charm no more. STREPHON. In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the fhady grove, VARIATIONS. VER. 69. etc. These verses were thus at first : VER. 69. All nature mourns,] Virg. Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc. Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit. P, 75 But Delia always; abfent from her fight, Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80 DAPHNIS. Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as may, More bright than noon, yet fresh as early day; Ev'n fpring displeases, when she shines not here; But bleft with her, 'tis fpring throughout the year. STREPHON. Say, Daphnis, fay, in what glad foil appears, A wond'rous Tree that facred Monarchs bears: Tell me but this, and I'll disclaim the prize, And give the conqueft to thy Sylvia's eyes. DAPHNI S. Nay tell me first, in what more happy fields The Thistle springs, to which the Lily yields: And then a nobler prize I will refign; For Sylvia, charming Sylvia fhall be thine. REMARK S. 88 VER. 86. A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears.] An allufion to the Royal Oak, in which Charles II. had been hid from, the purfuit after the battle of Worcester. P. IMITATIONS. VER. 90. The Thistle Springs to which the Lily yields,] Alludes to the device of the Scots Monarchs, the Thistle, worn by Queen Anne; and to the arms of France, the Fleur de lys. The two riddles are in imitation of thofe in Virg. Ecl. iii. Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum DAPHNI S. Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves; If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid, STREPHON. 65 All nature mourns, the skies relent in showr's, Hush'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs; If Delia smile, the flow'rs begin to spring, The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing, DAPHNIS. 71 All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air ; If Sylvia fmiles, new glories gild the shore, And vanquish'd nature feems to charm no more. STREPHON. In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the fhady grove, VARIATIONS. VER. 69. etc. These verfes were thus at first: VER. 69. All nature mourns,] Virg. Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc. Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit. P. 75 |