O early loft! what tears the river shed,
When the fad pomp along his banks was led?
His drooping fwans on ev'ry note expire,
And on his willows hung each Mufe's lyre.

271

Since fate relentless stop'd their heav'nly voice,
No more the forefts ring, or groves rejoice;
Who now shall charm the fhades, where CowLEY
ftrung

His living harp, and lofty DENHAM fung?
But hark! the groves rejoice, the foreft rings!
Are these reviv'd? or is it GRANVILLE fings! 280
"Tis yours, my Lord, to blefs our foft retreats,
And call the Muses to their antient feats;

To paint anew the flow'ry fylvan fcenes,
To crown the forefts with immortal

greens,

Make Windfor-hills in lofty numbers rife, 285

And lift her turrets nearer to the skies;

To fing thofe honours you deferve to wear,
And add new luftre to her filver star.

VER. 273.

VARIATIONS.

What fighs, what murmurs fill'd the vocal fhore!

His tuneful fwans were heard to fing no more. P.

VER. 288. her filver ftar.] All the lines that follow were not added to the poem till the year 1710. What immediately fol lowed this, and made the conclufion, were thefe,

My humble Mufe in unambitious ftrains

295

Here noble SURREY felt the facred rage, SURREY, the GRANVILLE of a former age: 290 Matchless his pen, victorious was his lance, Bold in the lifts, and graceful in the dance: In the fame shades the Cupids tun'd his lyre, To the fame notes, of love, and soft defire : Fair Geraldine, bright object of his vow, Then fill'd the groves, as heav'nly Mira now. Oh would'st thou fing what heroes Windfor bore, What kings first breath'd upon her winding shore, Or raise old warriours, whofe ador'd remains In weeping vaults her hallow'd earth contains! With Edward's acts adorn the shining page, 301 Stretch his long triumphs down thro' ev'ry age, Draw monarchs chain'd, and Creffi's glorious field, The lilies blazing on the regal shield:

VARIATIONS.

Where I obfcurely pass my careless days,
Pleas'd in the filent fhade with empty praise,
Enough for me that to the lift'ning fwains
First in these fields I fung the fylvan strains.

REMARKS.

P.

VER. 289. Here noble Surrey] Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, one of the first refiners of the English poetry; who flourish'd in the time of Henry VIII. P.

VER. 301. Edward's acts] Edward III. born here. P.

appear,

310

Then, from her roofs when Verrio's colours fall,
And leave inanimate the naked wall,
Still in thy fong fhould vanquish'd France
And bleed for ever under Britain's fpear.
Let fofter strains ill-fated Henry mourn,
And palms eternal flourish round his urn.
Here o'er the Martyr-King the marble weeps,
And, faft befide him, once-fear'd Edward fleeps:
Whom not th' extended Albion could contain,
From old Belerium to the northern main,
The grave unites; where ev'n the Great find reft,
And blended lie th'oppreffor and th' oppreft! 316
Make facred Charles's tomb for ever known,
(Obfcure the place, and un-infcrib'd the stone)
Oh fact accurft! what tears has Albion shed,
Heav'ns, what new wounds! and how her old have
bled?

VARIATIONS.

VER. 305. Originally thus in the MS.

When Brafs decays, when Trophies lie o'er-thrown,

And mould'ring into duft drops the proud stone.

VRR. 319. Originally thus in the MS.

Oh fact accurft! oh facrilegious brood,

Sworn to Rebellion, principled in blood!

Since that dire morn what tears has Albion fhed,
Gods! what new wounds, etc.

REMARKS.

VER. 309. Henry mourn] Henry VI.

P.

She faw her fons with purple deaths expire, 321
Her facred domes involv'd in rolling fire,
A dreadful series of inteftine wars,

Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars,

324

At length great ANNA faid--" Let Discord cease!'' She said, the world obey'd, and all was Peace!

In that bleft moment from his oozy bed Old father Thames advanc'd his rev'rend head. His treffes drop'd with dews, and o'er the stream His shining horns diffus'd a golden gleam: 330 Grav'd on his urn appear'd the moon, that guides His fwelling waters, and alternate tides; The figur'd streams in waves of filver roll'd, And on her banks Augufta rofe in gold.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 325. Thus in the MS.

Till Anna rofe and bade the Furies ceafe;

Let there be peace---fhe faid, and all was Peace.

Between Verse 328 and 329, originally stood thefe lines,
From shore to shore exulting fhouts he heard,
O'er all his banks a lambent light appear'd,

With sparkling fames heav'n's glowing concave shone,
Fictitious stars, and glories not her own.

He faw, and gently rofe above the stream;
His fhining horns diffuse a golden gleam:
With pearl and gold his tow'ry front was dreft,
The tributes of the diftant Eaft and Weft, P.

Around his throne the fea-born brothers flood, 335
Who fwell with tributary urns his flood!
First the fam'd authors of his ancient name,
The winding Isis and the fruitful Tame:
The Kennet swift, for filver eels renown'd; 339
The Loddon flow, with verdant alders crown'd;
Cole, whose dark streams his flow'ry iflands lave;
And chalky Wey, that rolls a milky wave:
The blue, transparent Vandalis appears;
The gulphy Lee his fedgy treffes rears;

And fullen Mole, that hides his diving flood; 345
And filent Darent, ftain'd with Danish blood.
High in the midst, upon
his urn reclin'd,
(His fea-green mantle waving with the wind)
The God appear'd: he turn'd his azure eyes 349
Where Windfor-domes and pompous turrets rife;
Then bow'd and fpoke; the winds forget to roar,
And the hush'd waves glide foftly to the shore.
Hail, facred Peace! hail long-expected days,
That Thames's glory to the stars fhall raife! 354
Tho' Tyber's streams immortal Rome behold,
Tho' foaming Hermus fwells with tides of gold,
From heav'n itself tho' fev'n-fold Nilus flows,