II.

"But I nought ftrive, poor Colin, to compare "My Hobbin's or my Thenot's rustic skill "To thy deft fwains, whofe dapper ditties rare "Surpass ought else of quaintest shepherd's quill. "Ev'n Roman Tityrus, that peerless wight, "Mote yield to thee for dainties of delight.

III.

"Eke when in Fable's flow'ry paths you stray'd, "Masking in cunning feints truth's fplendent face; "Ne Sylph, ne Sylphid, but due tendance paid, "To fhield Belinda's lock from felon base, "But all mote nought avail such harm to chace. "Then Una fair 'gan droop her princely mien, "Eke Florimel, and all my faery race:

"Belinda far furpaft my beauties sheen, Belinda, fubject meet for fuch foft lay I ween.

IV.

"Like as in village troop of birdlings trim, "Where Chanticleer his red creft high doth hold, "And quaking Ducks, that wont in lake to swim,

And Turkeys proud, and Pigeons nothing bold;"

If chance the Peacock doth his plumes unfold, "Eftfoons their meaner beauties all decaying, "He glift'neth purple and he glift'neth gold, "Now with bright green, now blue himself arraying. Such is thy beauty bright, all other beauties swaying.

V.

"But why do I defcant this toyish rhyme, "And fancies light in fimple guife pourtray ? Lifting to chear thee at this rueful time, "While as black Death doth on thy heartstrings prey. “Yet rede aright, and if this friendly lay Thou nathlefs judgest all too flight and vain, "Let my well-meaning mend my ill effay : So may I greet thee with a nobler ftrain, When foon we meet for aye, in yon ftar-sprinkled “ plain.”

Last came a bard of more majestic tread,

And * THYRSIS hight by Dryad, Fawn, or Swain, Whene'er he mingled with the fhepherd train;

NOTE.

* Thyrfis bight.] i. e. MILTON. Lycidas and the Epitaphium Damonis are the only Paftorals we have of Milton's; in the latter of which, where he laments Car. Deodatus under the name of Damon, he calls himself Thyrfis.

But feldom that; for higher thoughts he fed ;
For him full oft the heav'nly Mufes led
To clear Euphrates, and the fecret mount,
To Araby, and Eden, fragrant climes,
All which the facred bard would oft recount :
And thus in ftrain, unus'd in fylvan shade,
To fad MusÆUS rightful homage paid.

"Thrice hail, thou heav'n-taught Warbler! last and best "Of all the train! Poet, in whom conjoin'd

All that to ear, or heart, or head, could yield "Rapture; harmonious, manly, clear, fublime. "Accept this gratulation: may it chear

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Thy finking foul; nor these corporeal ills

Ought daunt thee, or appall. "Fame blooms eternal o'er that

"Who builds immortal verfe.

Know, in high heav'n

spirit divine,

There thy bold Mufe,

"Which while on earth could breathe Mæonian fire,

"Shall foar feraphic heights; while to her voice

"Ten thousand Hierarchies of Angels harp

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Symphonious, and with dulcet harmonies "Ufher the fong rejoicing. I mean while, "To footh thee in these irksome hours of pain, "Approach thy vifitant, with mortal praise

"To

"To praise thee mortal. First, for Rhyme fubdued ;

“Rhyme, erst the minstrel of primæval Night, "And Chaos, Anarch old: She near their throne "Oft taught the rattling elements to chime "With tenfold din; till late to earth upborn "On ftrident plume, what time fair Poefie "Emerg'd from Gothic cloud, and faintly fhot "Rekindling gleams of luftre. Her the fiend "Oppreft; forcing to utter uncouth dirge, "Runic, or Leonine; and with dire chains "Fetter'd her scarce-fledg'd pinion. I fuch bonds "Aim'd to destroy, hopeless that Art could cafe "Their thraldom, and to liberal use convert. "This wonder to achieve MUSAUS came; "Thou cam'ft, and at thy magic touch the chains “Off dropt, and (paffing strange!) soft-wreathed bands

Of flow'rs their place supply'd: which well the Muse "Might wear for choice, not force; obftruction none, "But lov'heft ornament. Wond'rous this, yet here "The wonder refts not; various argument

"Remains for me, uncertain, where to cull

"The leading grace, where countless graces charm. "Various this peaceful cave; this mineral roof; This 'femblage meet of coral, ore, and fhell;

"There pointed crystals thro' the shadowy clefts

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Bright glift'ring; all these flowly-dripping rills, "That tinkling wander o'er the pebbled floor: "Yet not this various peaceful cave, with this "Its mineral roof; nor this affemblage meet "Of coral, ore, and fhell; nor mid the shade These pointed crystals, glift'ring fair; nor rills, "That wander tinkling o'er the pebbled floor; "Deal charms more various to each raptur'd sense, "Than thy mellifluous lay

"Ceafe, friendly swain;

(Museus cry'd, and rais'd his aching head)

"ALL PRAISE IS FOREIGN, BUT OF TRUE DESERT; "PLAYS ROUND THE HEAD, BUT COMES NOT TO

"THE HEART.

"Ah! why recall the toys of thoughtless youth?
"When flow'ry fiction held the place of truth?
"Ere found to fense refign'd the filken rein,
"And the light lay ran mufically vain.
"Oh! in that lay had richest fancy flow'd,

"The fyrens warbled, and the graces glow'd;

"Had livelieft nature, happieft art combin'd;

"That lent each charm, and this each charm refin'd, "Alas! how little were my proudest boast!

"The sweetest trifler of my

tribe at moft.

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