The winds, and trees, and floods her death deplore,
Daphne, our grief! our glory now no more!

But fee! where Daphne wond'ring mounts on high Above the clouds, above the ftarry sky! Eternal beauties grace the fhining scene,

70

Fields ever fresh, and groves for ever green!
There while you reft in Amaranthine bow'rs,
Or from those meads felect unfading flow'rs,
Behold us kindly, who your name implore,
Daphne, our Goddess, and our grief no more!
LYCIDA S.

75

How all things liften, while thy Muse complains! Such filence waits on Philomela's strains,

In some still ev'ning, when the whisp'ring breeze
Pants on the leaves, and dies upon the trees.

To thee, bright goddess, oft a lamb fhall bleed,
If teeming ewes encrease my fleecy breed.

80

While plants their shade, or flow'rs their odours give, Thy name, thy honour, and thy praise fhall live!

THYRS I S.

But fee, Orion fheds unwholesome dews;

Arife, the pines a noxious fhade diffufe;

VARIATIONS.

VER. 83. Originally thus in the MS.

While vapours rife, and driving fnows defcend,
Thy honour, name, and praise fhall never end.

85

IMITATION S.

illius aram

VER. 81.

VER. 86.

Juniperi gravis umbrą.

Sæpe tener noftris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus. Virg. P. folet effe gravis cantantibus umbra,

Virg. P.

Sharp Boreas blows, and Nature feels decay,
Time conquers all, and we muft Time obcy.
Adieu, ye vales, ye mountains, streams, and groves,
Adieu, ye shepherds' rural lays and loves;
Adieu, my flocks; farewell, ye fylvan crew;
Daphne, farewell; and all the world adieu !

REMARK S.

90

VER. 89, etc.] These four last lines allude to the feveral fubjects of the four Paftorals, and to the several scenes of them, particularized before in each. P.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 88. Time conquers all, etc.]

Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori.
Vid. etiam Sannazarii Ecl. et Spencer's Calendar.

MESSIAH,

A

Sacred Eclogue,

In IMITATION of

VIRGIL'S POLLIO.

IN

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N reading feveral paffages of the Prophet Ifaiah, which foretell the coming of Chrift and the felicities attending it, I could not but obferve a remarkable parity between many of the thoughts, and those in the Pollio of Virgil. This will not seem surprifing, when we reflect, that the Eclogue was taken from a Sibylline prophecy on the fame fubject. One may judge that Virgil did not copy it line by line, but felected fuch ideas as beft agreed with the nature of paftoral poetry, and difpofed them in that manner which ferved moft to beautify his piece. I have endeavoured the fame in this imitation of him, though without admitting any thing of my own; fince it was written with this particular view, that the reader, by comparing the feveral thoughts, might see how far the images and defcriptions of the prophet are fuperior to thofe of the Poet. But as I fear I have prejudiced them by my management, I shall subjoin the paffages of Ifaiah, and thofe of Virgil, under the fame difadvantage of a literal tranflation. P.