Her lover and beloved, forgot his chains,

His loft dominions, and for her alone

Wept out his tender foul; fudden the heart

Of this young, conqu`ring, loving, godlike Roman,
Felt all the great divinity of virtue.

His wishing youth ftood check'd, his tempting power,
Restrain'd by kind humanity. At once

He for her parents and her lover call'd.

The various scene imagine. How his troops
Look'd dubious on, and wonder'd what he meant ;
While, ftretch'd below, the trembling fuppliants lay,
Rack'd by a thousand mingling paffions-fear,
Hope, jealoufy, difdain, fubmiffion, grief,
Anxiety, and love in every thape.

To these as different fentiments fucceeded,
As mix'd emotions, when the man divine
Thus the dread filence to the lover broke.

"We both are young; both charm'd. The right of 66 war

"Has put thy beauteous mistress in my power;
"With whom, I could, in the most facred ties,
"Live out a happy life. But, know, that Romans,
"Their hearts, as well as enemies, can conquer.
"Then, take her to thy foul: and, with her, take
"Thy liberty and kingdom. In return,

"I ask but this-When you behold these eyes,
"These charms with tranfport, be a friend to Rome."
Ecftatic wonder held the lovers mute;

While the loud camp, and all the cluft'ring croud
That hung around, rang with repeated shouts.
Fame took the alarm, and through refounding Spain
Blew faft the fair report; which, more than arms,
Admiring nations to the Romans gain'd.

IV.

LADY RANDOLPH'S SOLILOQUY.

Y

E woods and wilds! whofe melancholy gloom Accords with my foul's sadness, and draws forth The voice of forrow from my bursting heart-Farewell a while. I will not leave you long: For, in your shades, I deem some spirit dwells; Who, from the chiding ftream, or groaning oak, Still hears, and anfwers to Matilda's moan. Oh, Douglas! Douglas! if departed ghosts Are e'er permitted to review this world, Within the circle of that wood thou art ; And, with the paffion of immortals, hear it My lamentation: hear'ft thy wretched wife Weep, for her husband flain, her infant loft. My brother's timeless death I feem to mourn, Who perifhed with thee on this fatal day. To thee I lift my voice; to thee addrefs The plaint, which mortal ear has never heard. Oh! difregard me not. Though I am call'd Another's now, my heart is wholly thine. Incapable of change, affe&ion lies Buried my Douglas, in thy bloody grave. sister sd

V.

THE COUNTRYMAN AND JUPITER,
ERSPENT with toil, beneath the fhade,
A peafant refted, on his fpade.

OF

"How hard," he cries, "it is to bear "This load of life froin year to year!

"Soon

"Soon as the morning streaks the skies,

"Industrious labour bids me rise;
"With sweat I earn my homely fare,
"And every day renews my care."

JOVE heard the difcontented ftrain,
And thus rebuk'd the murm'ring fwain. -
Speak out your wants, then, honeft friend
Unjuft complaints the gods offend.

If you repine at partial fate,

"Inftru&t me what could mend your ftate,

Mankind, in every flation, fee.

"What with you? Tell me what you'd be."
So faid, upborne upon a cloud,

The clown furvey'd the anxious crowd.
"Yon face of care," fays Jove," behold:
"His bulky bags are fill'd with gold.
"See with what joy he counts it o'er !

"That fum, to-day, hath fweell'd his ftore."
"Were I that man," (the peafant cry'd)
"What blefling could I ask befide?"

Hold," fays the god; "firft, learn to know "True happiness from outward show.

"This optic glafs of intuition

"Here, take it, view his true condition,"
He look'd, and faw the mifer's breaft,
A troubled ocean, ne'er at reft ;
Want ever ftares him in the face,
And fear anticipates difgrace.

With confcious guilt, he faw him ftart;
Extortion gnaws his trobbing heart;
And never, or in thought or dream,

His breaft admits one happy gleam.

66

May Jove," he cries," reject my pray'r,
And guard my life from guilt and care.
N 4

"My

My foul abhors that wretch's fate : "Oh! keep me in my humble ftate. "But, fee, amidst a gaudy crowd, "Yon minister so gay and proud; "On him what happiness attends,

"Who thus rewards his grateful friends !”—
First take the glafs," the god replies;
"Man views the world with partial eyes."
"Defend me from this hideous fight,"
Exclaims aloud the ftartled wight:
"Corruption, with corrofive fmart,
"Lies cank'ring on his guilty heart:
"I fee him, with polluted hand,
"Spread the contagion o'er the land.
"Now av'rice, with infatiate jaws,
"Now rapine, with her happy claws,
"His bofon tears. His confcious breaft
"Groans, with a load of crimes oppreft.
"See him, mad and drunk with power,
"Stand tott'ring on ambition's tower.
"Sometimes, in fpeeches vain and proud,
"His boafts infult the nether crowd
"Now, feiz'd with giddinefs and fear,
"He trembles left his fall is near.
"Was ever wretch like this? he cries:
"Such mifery, in fuch difguife!

"The change, O Jove, I difavow;
"Still be my lot the fpade and plough."
He, next, confirm'd by fpeculation,
Rejects the lawyer's occupation;
For, he the statesman seem'd in part,
And bore fimilitude of heart.

Nor did the Soldier's trade inflame

His hopes with thirst of spoil and fame :

The

The miseries of war he mourned;
Whole nations into deferts turn'd.

THUS, weighing life in each condition,
The clown withdrew his rafh petition.
WHEN thus the god-" How mortals err !
"If you true happiness prefer,

"Tis to no rank of life confin'd,

"But dwells in every honeft mind.
"Be juftice, then, your fole purfuit ;
"Plant virtue, and content's the fruit."
So Jove, to gratify the clown,
Where firft he found him, fet him down.

VI.

INVOCATION

ΤΟ

PARADISE

F man's firft difobedience, and the fruit

OF

Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With lofs of Eden, till one greater man
Reftore us, and regain the blissful feat,
Sing heav'nly mufe! that, on the fecret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didft infpire

That shepherd, who firft taught the chofen feed,
In the beginning, how the heav'ns and earth
Rofe out of chaos: or, if Sion hill

i

Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Faft by the oracle of God; I thence

Invoke thy aid to my adventrous fong,

That, with no middle flight, intends to foar
Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in profe or rhime.
N5

LOST.