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Gay France fhall make the Fan her artist's care,
And with the coftly trinket arm the fair.
As learned orators, that touch the heart,
With various action raise their foothing art,
Both head and hand affect the liftening throng,
And humour each expreffion of the tongue;
So fhall each paffion by the Fan be feen,
From noify anger to the fullen fpleen.

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While Venus fpoke, joy fhone in Strephon's eyes;

Proud of the gift, he to Corinna flies.

But Cupid (who delights in amorous ill,

Wounds hearts, and leaves them to a woman's will)
With certain aim a golden arrow drew,
Which to Leander's panting bofom flew.
Leander lov'd; and to the sprightly dame
In gentle fighs reveal'd his growing flame :
Sweet fmiles Corinna to his fighs returns,
And for the fop in equal paffion burns.

Lo, Strephon comes! and, with a fuppliant bow,
Offers the present, and renews his vow.

When the the fate of Niobe beheld,

Why has my pride against my heart rebell'd?
She fighing cry'd. Difdain forfook her breast,
And Strephon now was thought a worthy gueft.
In Procris' bofom when she saw the dart,
She juftly blames her own fufpicious heart,
Imputes her difcontent to jealous fear,
And knows her Strephon's conftancy fincere.
When on Camilla's fate her eye fhe turns,
No more for show and equipage fhe burns:

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She learns Leander's paffion to defpife,
And looks on merit with difcerning eyes.

Narciffus' change to the vain virgin fhows,
Who trufts to beauty, trufts the fading rose.
Youth flies apace, with youth your beauty flies;
Love then, ye virgins, ere the bloffom dies.

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Thus Pallas taught her. Strephon weds the dame; And Hymen's torch diffus'd the brightest flame.

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THE PROE ME

TO THE

COURTEOUS READER.

GREAT marvel hath it been (and that not un

worthily) to diverfe worthy wits, that in this our Island of Britain, in all rare fciences fo greatly abounding, more especially in all kinds of Poefy highly flouTithing, no Poet (though otherwife of notable cunning in roundelays) hath hit on the right fimple Eclogue after the true ancient guife of Theocritus, before this mine attempt.

Other Poet travailing in this plain highway of Pastoral know I none. Yet, certes, fuch it behoved a Paftoral to be, as Nature in the country affordeth; and the manners, alfo meetly copied from the ruftical folk therein. In this alfo my love to my native country Britain much pricketh me forward, to defcribe aright the manners of our own honest and laborious ploughmen, in no wife fure more unworthy. a British Poet's imitation, than those of Sicily or Arcadie; albeit, not ignorant I am, what a rout and rabblement of critical gallimawfry hath been made of late days by certain

young

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