Let vernal airs thro' trembling ofiers play, REMAR 5 and others. All these gave our Author the greatest encouragement, and particularly Mr. Wah, whom Mr. Dryden, in his Poftfcript to Virgil, calls the beft Critic of his age, "The Author (fays he) feems to have a parti"cular genius for this kind of Poetry, and a judgment "that much exceeds his years. He has taken very freely from the Ancients. But what he has mixed of his own with theirs is no way inferior to what he has "taken from them. It is not flattery at all to fay "that Virgil had written nothing fo good at his Age. "His Preface is very judicious and learned." Letter to Mr. Wycherley, Ap. 1705. The Lord Lanfdown about the fame time, mentioning the youth of our Poet, fays (in a printed Letter of the Character of Mr. Wycherley) "that if he goes on as he hath begun in the Pastoral way, as Virgil firft tried his ftrength, we may hope to "fee English Poetry vie with the Roman," &c. Notwithstanding the early time of their production, the Author esteemed the fe as the moft correct in the verfification, and musical in the numbers, of all his works. The reafon for his labouring them into fo much foftnefs, was, doubtlefs, that this fort of poetry derives almoft its whole beauty from a natural ease of thought and smoothness of verfe; whereas that of moft other kinds confifts in the frength and fulness of both. In a letter of his to Mr. Walh about this time we find an enumeration of feveral niceties in Verfification, which perhaps have never been ftrictly obferved in any English poem, except in these Paftorals. They were not printed till 1709. P. 66 IMITATIONS. A Shepherd's Boy (he feeks no better name)Beneath the fhade a fpreading beach displays, Thyrfis, the Mufic of that murm'ring Spring,are manifeftly imitations of -A Shepherd's Boy (no better do him call) -Tityre, tu patulæ recubans fub tegmine fagi. - Αυτι τὸ ψιθυρισμα καὶ οἱ πίτες, αἰπόλε, τήνα. P. You, that too wife for pride, too good for pow'r, Enjoy the glory to be great no more, And carrying with you all the world can boast, O let my Mufe her flender reed infpire, 10 15 Soon as the flocks fhook off the nightly dews, Two Swains, whom Love kept wakeful, and the Muse, Pour'd o'er the whit'ning vale their fleecy care, Fresh as the morn, and as the season fair: The dawn now blufhing on the monntain's fide, Thus Daphnis spoke and Strephon thus reply'd. REMARKS. 20 Sir William Trumbal.] Our Author's friendfhip with this gentleman commenced at very unequal years; he was under fixteen, but Sir William above fixty, and had lately refign'd his employment of Secretary of State to King William. P. VER. 12. in your native Shades] Sir W Trumbal was born in Windfor foreft, to which he retreated, after he had refigned the poft of Secretary of State to King Wil liam III. P. VER. 17, etc.] The Scene of this Paftoral a Valley, the Time the Morning. It flood originally thus, Daphnis and Strephon to the fhades retir'd, Both warm'd by Love, and by the Muse infpir'd, Fresh as the morn, and as the season fair, In flow'ry vales they fed their fleecy care; And while Aurora gilds the mountain's fide, Thus Daphnis fpoke, and Strephon thus reply'd. VOL. I. D DAPHNI S. Hear how the birds, on ev'ry bloomy spray, With joyous music wake the dawning day! Why fit we mute, when early linnets fing, When warbling Philomel falutes the spring? Why fit we fad, when Phosphor shines fo clear, And lavish Nature paints the purple year? STREP HON. 25 Sing then, and Damon shall attend the ftrain, While yon' flow oxen turn the furrow'd plain. 30 Here the bright crocus and blue vi'let glow, Here western winds on breathing roses blow. I'll stake yon' lamb, that near the fountain plays, And from the brink his dancing shade surveys. DAPHNI S. And I this bowl, where wanton ivy twines, VARIATIONS. VER. 34. The first reading was, And his own image from the bank furveys. 35 VER. 36. And clusters lurk beneath the curling vines. P. VER. 28. purple year?] Purple here used in the Latin fenfe of the brighteft moft vivid colouring in general, not of that specific tint fo called. VER. 35, 36. Lenta quibus torno facili fuperaddita vitis, Diffufos edera veftit pallente corymbos. Virg. P. VER. 38. The various feafons] The subject of these Paftorals engraven on the bowl is not without its propriety. And what is that, which binds the radiant sky, Where twelve fair figns in beauteous order lie? 40 DAMON. Then fing by turns, by turns the Muses fing, Now hawthorns bloffom, now the daifies fpring, Now leaves the trees, and flow'rs adorn the ground; Begin, the vales fhall ev'ry note rebound. STREP HON. 45 Infpire me, Phoebus, in my Delia's praife, With Waller's ftrains, or Granville's moving lays! A milk white bull fhall at your altars ftand, That threats a fight, and spurns the rifing fand. DAPHNI S. O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize, And make my tongue victorious as her eyes: VARIATIONS. VER. 49. Originally thus in the MS. Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays, REMARKS. 50 VER. 46. Granville-] George Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdown, known for his Poems, most of which he compos'd very young, and propos`d Waller as his mo del. P. IMITATIONS. The Shepherd's hefitation at the name of the Zodiac, imitates that in Virgil, Et quis fuit alter, Defcripfit radio totum qui gentibus orbem? P. P. Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos, Nunc frondent fylvæ nunc formofiffimus annus. VER. 47. A milk white Bull. Virg. ---Pafcite taurum, Qui cornu petat, et pedibus jam fpargat arenam. P. No lambs or sheep for victims I'll impart, Thy victim, Love, shall be the shepherd's heart. STREP HON. Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain, The sprigthly Sylvia trips along the green, STREP HON. O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow, And trees weep amber on the banks of Po; VARIATIONS. But if I conquer and augment my fold, Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boast, VER. 61. Originally thus in the MS. Go, flow'ry wreath, and let my Sylvia know, IMITATIONS. VER. 58. She runs, but hopes] Imitation of Virgil, Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videre. P. 55 60 |