Happy next him, who to these shades retires, 235 Whom Nature charms, and whom the Muse in fpires; Whom humbler joys of home-felt quiet pleafe, He gathers health from herbs the forest yields, 240 245 Or looks on heav'n with more than mortal eyes, Bids his free foul expatiate in the skies, 250 255 Ye facred Nine! that all my foul poffefs, Whofe raptures fire me, and whofe vifions blefs, Bear me, oh bear me to fequefter'd fcenes, The bow'ry mazes, and furrounding greens: 260 To Thames's banks which fragrant breezes fill, Or where ye Mufes fport on COOPER'S HILL. IMITATIONS. VER. 249, 50. Servare modum finemque tenere, VER. 259. O qui me gelidis, etc. Lucr. Virg. (On (On COOPER'S HILL eternal wreaths fhall grow, While lafts the mountain, or while Thames fhall flow) I feem thro' confecrated walks to rove, I hear foft mufic die along the grove: Led by the found, I roam from fhade to shade, Here his first lays majestic DENHAM fung; 265 There the laft numbers flow'd from CoWLEY'S tongue. O early loft what tears the river fhed, When the fad pomp along his banks was led? 27x His drooping fwans on ev'ry note expire, And on his willows hung each Mufe's lyre. Since fate relentless stop'd their heav'nly voice, 276 No more the forefts ring, or groves rejoice; ftrung His living harp, and lofty DENHAM fung? But VER. 270. There the laft numbers flow'd from Cowley's tongue] Mr. Cowley died at Chertfey, on the borders of. the foreft, and was from thence convey'd to Westminfter. P. VARIATIONS. VER. 265. It flood thus in the MS. Methinks around your holy scenes I rove, VER. 273 What fighs, what murmurs fill'd the vocal fhore ! P. But hark! the groves rejoice, the foreft rings! 285 290 Here noble SURREY felt the facred rage, SURREY, the GRANVILLE of a former age: Matchlefs 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 firft breath'd upon her winding fhore, Or raise old warriours, whofe ador'd remains In weeping vaults her hallow'd earth contains! 295 With 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. VARIATIONS. VER. 288. her filver ftar] All the lines that follow were not added to the poem till the year 1710. What immediately followed this, and made the Conclufion, were these, My humble Mufe in unambitious strains Where With Edward's acts adorn the fhining page, Stretch his long triumphs down thro' ev'ry age, 301 Draw Monarchs chain'd, and Creffi's glorious field, Then, from her roofs when Verrio's colours fall, 306 Still in thy fong should vanquifh'd France appear, 310 Let fofter ftrains ill-fated Henry mourn, Make facred Charles's tomb for ever known, (Obfcure the place, and un-infcrib'd the stone) 316 Oh VER. 301. Edward's acts] Edward III. born here. P. VARIATIONS. Where I obfcurely pafs my careless days, VER. 305. Originally thus in the MS. P. When Brafs decays, when Trophies lie o'erthrown, 4 Oh fact accurft! what tears has Albion shed, Heav'ns, what new wounds! and how her old have bled? She faw her fons with purple death expire, Her facred domes involv'd in rolling fire, 320 A dreadful series of inteftine wars, Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars. 324 At length great ANNA faid-"Let Difcord ceafe !" VARIATIONS. The VER. 319. Originally thus in the MS. VER. 315. 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 these lines, From fhore to fhore exulting fhouts he heard, Fictitious ftars, and glories not her own. P. |