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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,
Of Parian ftone thy ftatue will I raise;
But if I conquer and augment my fold,

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;
While a kind glance at her purfuer flies,

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,
Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coaft,
Bleft Thames's fhores, etc.

P.

VER. 61. Originally thus in the MS.

Go, flow'ry wreath, and let my Sylvia know,
Compar'd to thine how bright her beauties fhow:
Then die; and dying teach the lovely maid
How foon the brightest beauties are decay'd.

DAPHNIS.

Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods fo long,
Of Amaryllis learn a fweeter fong:

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,
Malo me Galatea petit, lafciva puella,

Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videri. P.

DAPHNIS.

Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves į
Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves;

If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windfor-shade.

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 :
All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Nor wafted brooks the thirsty flow'rs fupply;
If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing. P.
IMITATIONS.

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

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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
Nafcantur Flores, & Phyllida folus habeto. P.

DAPHNI S.

Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves;
Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves;

If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windfor-shade.

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:
All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Nor wafted brooks the thirsty flow'rs fupply;
If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to fpring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing. P.
IMITATIONS.

VER. 69. All nature mourns,]

Virg. Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc.

Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit. P.

75

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