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DAPHNI S.

And I this bowl, where wanton ivy twines,

And swelling clusters bend the curling vines;
Four figures rifing from the work appear,
The various seasons of the rowling year;

35

And what is that, which binds the radiant sky, Where twelve fair figns in beauteous order lie? 40

DAMON.

Then fing by turns, by turns the Muses fing, Now hawthorns bloffom, now the daifies spring, Now leaves the trees, and flow'rs adorn the ground; Begin, the vales fhall ev'ry note rebound,

VARIATIONS.

VER. 36. And clusters lurk beneath the curling vines.

VER. 35, 36.

IMITATIONS.

Lenta quibus torno facili fuperaddita vitis,

Diffufos edera veftit pallente corymbos.

Virg.

VER. 38. The various feafons] The fubject of these Pastorals engraven on the bowl is not without its propriety. The Shepherd's hesitation at the name of the Zodiac, imitates that in Virgil,

Et quis fuit alter,

Defcripfit radio totum qui gentibus orbem?

VER. 41. Then fing by turns,] Literally from Virgil,
Alternis dicetis, amant alterna Camœnæ :

Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos,
Nunc frondent fylvæ, nunc formofiffimus annus,

STREP HON.

45

Infpire me, Phoebus, in my Delia's praise, With Waller's ftrains, or Granville's moving lays! A milk-white bull fhall at your altars ftand, That threats a fight, and fpurns the rifing fand.

DAPHNI S.

O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, And make my tongue victorious as her eyes; No lambs or sheep for victims I'll impart, Thy victim, Love, fhall be the fhepherd's heart.

STREP HON.

Me gentle Delia beckens from the plain, Then hid in fhades, eludes her eager fwain; But feigns a laugh, to fee me fearch around, 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 stone thy ftatue will I raife;

But if I conquer and augment my fold,

Thy Parian statue shall be chang'd to gold.

NOTES.

50

55

VER. 46. Granville-] George Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdown, known for his Poems, most of which he compos'd very young, and propos'd Waller as his model.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 47. A milk-white bull] Virg.-Pascite taurum,
Qui cornu petat, et pedibus jam fpargat arenam.

60

DAPHNI S.

The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green,
She runs, but hopes fhe does not run unfeen;
While a kind glance at her pursuer flies,
How much at variance are her feet and eyes!

STREP HON.

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 seek no distant field.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 61. It ftood thus at firft:

Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boaft,
Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coast,
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 show:
Then die; and dying teach the lovely maid
How foon the brightest beauties are decay'd.

DAPHNI S.

Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods fo long,

Of Amaryllis learn a sweeter 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,
VOL. I.

C

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 Windsor-shade.

STREP HON.

6;

All nature mourns, the skies relent in show'rs, Hufh'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs; If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring, The fkies to brighten, and the birds to fing.

DAPHNI S.

71

All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air;

If Sylvia smiles, new glories gild the shore,
And vanquish'd nature feems to charm no more.

STREP HON.

In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the fhady grove,

VARIATIONS.

VFR. 69, etc. Thefe verfes were thus at first:
All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Nor wafted brooks the thirty flow'rs supply;
If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 69. All nature mourns,]

Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba, etc.
Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit.

75

Virg.

But Delia always; abfent from her fight,

Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80

DAPHNI S.

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.

STREP HON.

Say, Daphnis, fay, in what glad foil appears, A wond'rous Tree that facred Monarchs bears: 86 Tell me but this, and I'll disclaim the prize, And give the conqueft to thy Sylvia's eyes.

DAPHNI S.

Nay tell me firft, in what more happy fields The Thistle springs, to which the Lily yields: 90 And then a nobler prize I will resign;

For Sylvia, charming Sylvia shall be thine.

NOTES.

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.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 90. The Thifile springs to which the Lily yields,] Alludes to the device of the Scots Monarchs, the Thiftle, 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.

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