Sweet is the nightingale's love-foothing strain, *Heard by still waters on the moonlight plain! 'But not the gales that thro' green ofiers play, 'Nor lark's nor nightingale's melodious lay,

'Please like smooth numbers by the Muse in

ECLOGUE III.

ARMYN; or, THE DISCONTENTED.

SCENE, a Valley:

Seafon, SUMMER; Time, AFTERNOON,

UMMER o'er heav'n diffus'd ferenest blue,

SUM

And painted earth with many a pleafing hue; When ARMYN mus'd the vacant hour away, Where willows o'er him wav'd their pendent spray. Cool was the fhade, and cool the paffing gale, And sweet the prospect of the adjacent vale:

The fertile foil, profufe of plants, beftow'd

The crowfoot's gold, the trefoil's purple show'd, And spiky mint rich fragrance breathing round, And meadfweet tall with tufts of flowrets crown'd,

And comfry white, and hoary filver-weed,

The bending ofier, and the rustling reed.

There,

There, where clear streams about green islands

fpread,

Fair flocks and herds, the wealth of ARMYN, fed;

There, on the hill's foft flope, delightful view! Fair fields of corn, the wealth of ARMYN, grew; His sturdy hinds, a flow laborious band,

Swept their bright scythes along the level land:
Blithe youths and maidens nimbly near them past,
And the thick fwarth in careless wind-rows caft.

Full on the landscape shone the westering fun,
When thus the Swain's foliloquy begun:

'Hafte down, O Sun! and close the tedious day:

Time, to the unhappy, flowly moves away.

'Not fo to me, in Roden's fylvan bowers,

'Pafs'd Youth's short blissful reign of careless hours; When to my view the fancy'd future lay,

A region ever tranquil, ever gay.

* O then, what ardors did my breast inflame!

"What thoughts were mine, of friendship, love, and

• fame!

• How

How tasteless life, now all its joys are try'd,

And warm pursuits in dull repofe fubfide!' He paus'd: his clofing words ALBINO heard, As down the stream his little boat he steer'd; His hand releas'd the fail, and dropt the oar,

And moor'd the light fkiff on the fedgy shore.

Ceafe, gentle Swain,' he faid; no more, in

‹ vain,

Thus make paft pleasure caufe of prefent pain!

Ceafe, gentle Swain,' he said; 'from thee, alone,

'Are youth's bleft hours and fancy'd prospects flown?

Ah, no!-remembrance to my view restores

• Dear native fields, which now my foul deplores;

Rich hills and vales, and pleasant village fcenes Ofoaks whofe wide arms ftretch'do'er daified greens,

And wind-mill's fails flow-circling in the breeze,

And cottage walls envelop'd half with trees

Sweet fcenes, where Beauty met the ravish'd

'fight,

And Mufic often gave the ear delight;

Where

s Where DELIA's fmile, and MIRA's tuneful fong, And DAMON's converfe, charm'd the youthful

throng!

'How chang'd, alas, how chang'd!-O'er all our

' plains,

• Proud NORVAL, now, in lonely grandeur reigns; His wide-fpread park a waste of verdure lies, • And his vast villa's glittering roofs arise.

For me, hard fate!-But fay, fhall I complain?

These limbs yet active Life's fupport obtain.

Let us, or good or evil as we share,

That thankful prize, and this with patience bear." The foft reproach touch'd ARMYN's gentle breaft;

His alter'd brow a placid fmile expreft.

'Calm as clear ev'nings after vernal rains,

When all the air a rich perfume retains,

'My mind,' faid he, its murmurs driv'n away, 'Feels Truth's full force, and bows to Reafon's fway!' He ceas'd: the fun, with horizontal beams,

Gilt the green mountains, and the glittering ftreams.