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VIII.

Two virgins mild his train fupport,
In fnowy spotless robes array'd,
One guides his will to actions pure,
And e'er by one his table's spread ;

IX.

These virgins twain, were ever nam'd,
Sweet TEMPERANCE, with eye ferene;
And CHASTITY, whofe heav'nly birth,
Was pictur'd in her modeft mein.

X.

Still, as Aurora onward moves,

His fleecy flocks the fhepherd-fwain Drives from their folds, in jovial glee, And whitens all the verdant plain.

XI.

The fawns, with nimble-footed fpeed,
(Fleet as the winged paffing gale)
Bound o'er the mountains flow'ry fide,
Or fweep the low-defcending vale.

XII. In

XII.

In yonder gay-enamell'd mead,

The ftarling plumes his golden wings, Then tow'ring up the azure height,

He mounts fublime, and foaring fings.

XIII.

The yellow finch, and linnet blue,
In mattins wild falute the day,
While their sweet fongs, by echo caught,
In double-founding notes decay.

XIV.

A limpid fountain gurgling flows,
From 'midft yon ivy-twisted cave;

And lo! the lovely Chloe cools

Her limbs in its tranflucent wave!

XV.

Deep in yon old fequeft'red grove,
Where the down-dashing torrents roll,

Afcends on fancy's roving wing,
The rapture-breathing poet's foul!

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XVI.

Lo! foaming o'er the rough cafcade,

The lab'ring billows force their way, Then mingling with the fnow-white flood, In curling eddies onward stray;

XVII.

While down the fmooth-meand'ring ftream,.
The fhining fishes, sportive, glide;
The perch with filver-glitt'fing fcales,
And trout with gold-befprinkled fide.

XVIII.

Thefe are your bleffings, Sylvan maids-
The funny hills and fhady woods,

Delightful vallies, pleasant plains,

Clear skies, sweet air, and crystal floods

XIX.

For hills ye have, (tho' loft to fame)

That fair as thymy Hybla fhow,

And fields that would with Tempe vie,

Streams that might with † Patolus flow.

† A river in Lydia, faid to flow on golden fands; mentioned by Horace, Juvenal, &c.

XX. Here

XX.

Here could I ever, ever rove,

And quit the world's contentious fcenesWhat joy, with innocence and truth,

To wrap me in your charming greens?

XXI.

But fate and fortune adverfe call,

And fnatch me to the bufy throng!

Adieu then, rural fweets, adieu !

And ceafe, thou dear-deluding fong!

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Quem tu Melpomene, femel

Nafcentem placido lumine videris, &c.

I.

HOR.

THE

HRICE bleft is he, whose placid birth
The warbling Muses hover'd round;

Novice to all the ills of earth,

While wrapt in mufic's foothing found.

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II.

If ftern Bellona's thund'ring ire,

Hurls the proud Monarch from his throne,

He whom the facred Nine infpire

Shall make each fleeting hour his own.

III.

Let Gaul with Belgia's arms unite,

And haughty Spain resume her rage; He whom Caftalia's ftreams delight, Shall ev'ry rifing fear affuage.

IV.

If hoftile favages alarm,

And threat'ning warriors fill each plain,
Sweet poefy his grief fhall charm,
And sportive breezes steal his pain,

V.

If grifly death, with terrors crown'd,
His heav'n-attender'd foul difmay;
Hark! he awakes th' enchanting found,
And ev'ry spectre shrinks away.

VI. But

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