With trembling hand he threw. "Bathe on, my fair, "Yet unbeheld save by the sacred eye "Of faithful love: I go to guard thy haunt; "To keep from thy recess each vagrant foot, So stands the statue that enchants the world; 1350 1345 RECOVERING, swift she flew to find those robes Which blissful EDEN knew not; and, array'd 1350 In careless haste, th' alarming paper snatch'd. Her terrors vanish'd, and a softer train Of mixt emotions, hard to be describ'd, Her sudden bosom seiz'd: shame void of guilt; 1355 The charming blush of innocence; esteem And admiration of her lover's flame, By modesty exalted: ev'n a sense Of self-approving beauty stole across Her busy thought. At length, a tender calm 1360 Hushed by degrees the tumult of her foul; And on the spreading beech, that o'er the stream Of rural lovers this confession carv'd, Which soon her DAMON kiss'd with weeping joy: 1365 "Dear youth! sole judge of what these verses mean; "By fortune too much favour'd, but by love, "Alas! not favour'd less; be still as now THE sun has lost his rage: his downward orb 1370 Shoots nothing now but animating warmth, And vital lustre; that, with various ray, Lights up the clouds, those beauteous robes of HEAVen, The dream of waking fancy! Broad below, 1375 1380 Now call'd abroad enjoy the falling day: To Nature's vast LYCEUM, forth they walk; 1395 By that kind School where no proud master reigns, 1399 1405 WHICH WAY, AMANDA, shall we bend our course? The choice perplexes. Wherefore should we chuse ? All is the same with thee. Say, shall we wind Along the streams? or walk the smiling mead? Or court the forest-glades? or wander wild Among the waving harvests? or ascend, While radiant SUMMER opens all its pride, Thy hill, delightful Shene? Here let us sweep The boundless landskip: now the raptur'd eye, Exulting swift, to huge AUGUSTA send; Now to the Sister-Hills that skirt her plain; To lofty Harrow now, and now to where Majestic Windfor lifts his princely brow. 1410 1415 In lovely contrast to this glorious view, Beneath whose shades in spotless peace retir'd, 1420 The worthy QUEENSB'RY yet laments his GAY; 1425 In Twitnam's bowers, and for their POPE implore By the soft windings of the silent Mole, 1430 From courts and senates PELHAM finds repose. Inchanting vale! beyond whate'er the Muse Has of Achaia or Hesperia sung! O vale of bliss! O softly-swelling hills! On which the power of cultivation lies, 1435 And joys to see the wonders of his toil. HEAVENS! what a goodly prospect spreads around, Of hills, and dales, and woods, and lawns, and spires, And glittering towns, and gilded streams, till all The stretching landskip into smoke decays! Happy BRITANNIA! where the QUEEN of ARTS, Inspiring vigour, LIBERTY abroad Walks, unconfin'd, even to thy farthest cots, And scatters plenty with unsparing hand. 1440 RICH is thy soil, and merciful thy clime; 1445 Thy streams unfailing in the the SUMMER's drought; 1450 Unmatch'd thy guardian-oaks; thy valleys float Pleas'd and unwearied in his guarded toil. 1455 FULL are thy cities with the sons of art; And trade and joy, in every busy street, Mingling are heard: even Drudgery himself, As at the car he sweats, or dusty hews The palace-stone, looks gay. Thy crowded ports, BOLD, firm, and graceful, are thy generous youth, By hardship sinew'd, and by danger fir'd; Scattering the nations where they go; and first Or on the listed plain, or stormy seas. Mild are thy glories too, as o'er the plans 1470 Of thriving peace thy thoughtful fires preside; In genius, and substantial learning, high; |