BELINDA AT THE BATH. WHILE in these fountains bright Belinda laves, No more let Tagus boast, whose beds unfold THE COY: AN ODE. Love is a noble rich repast, But seldom should the lover taste; To move the nymph, he tears bestows, Free from the guards and brazen tower, Think then, O fairest of the fairer race, What fatal beauties arm thy heavenly face, Whose very shadow can such flames inspire; We see 'tis paint, and yet we feel 'tis fire. See! with false life the lovely image glows, And every wondrous grace transplanted shows; Fatally fair the new creation reigns, Charms in her shape, and multiplies our pains: Hence the fond youth, that ease by absence found, Views the dear form, and bleeds at every wound; Thus the bright Venus, though to Heaven she soar'd, Reign'd in her image, by the world ador'd. Oh! wondrous power of mingled light and shades! Where beauty with duinb eloquence persuades, Where passions are beheld in picture wrought, And animated colours look a thought: Rare art! on whose command all nature waits! It copies all Omnipotence creates : Here crown'd with mountains earth expanded lies, There the proud seas with all their billows rise: If life be drawn, responsive to the thought The breathing figures live throughout the draught; The mimic bird in skies fictitious moves, Or fcied beasts in imitated groves: Ev'n Heaven it climbs; and from the forming hands An angel here, and there a Townshend' stands. Yet, painter, yet, though Art with Nature strive, Though ev'n the lovely phantom seem alive, Submit thy vanquish'd art! and own the draught, Though fair, defective, and a beauteous fault: Charms, such as hers, inimitably great, He only can express, that can create, Thus in the limpid fountain we descry TO MR. POPE. ON HIS WORKS. 1726. LET vulgar souls triumpal arches raise, If aught on Earth, when once this breath is fled, With human transport touch the mighty dead; Now lady Cornwallis. Thus when thy draughts, O Raphael, Time inAnd the bold figure from the canvas fades ; A rival hand recalls from every part Some latent grace, and equals art with art; Transported we survey the dubious strife, While the fair image starts again to life. How long untun'd had Homer's sacred lyre Jarr'd grating discord, all extinct his fire! This you beheld; and, taught by Heaven to sing, Call'd the loud music from the sounding string. Now wak'd from slumbers of three thousand years, Once more Achilles in dread pomp appears, Towers o'er the field of Death; as fierce he turns, Keen flash his arms, and all the hero burns; His plume nods horrible, his helm on high With checks of iron glares against the sky; With martial stalk, and more than mortal might, He strides along, he meets the God in fight: Then the pale Titans, chain'd on burning floors, Start at the din that rends th' infernal shores; Tremble the towers of Heaven; Earth rocks her coasts; And gloomy Pluto shakes with all his ghosts. But when from high it rolls with many a bound, Jumping it thundering whirls, and rushes to the ground: Swift flows the verse, when winged lightnings fly, How long Ulysses, by unskilful hands *The author translated eight books of the Odyssey. See the 16th Odyssey, ver. 186, and 476. Nor longer in his heavy eye-ball shin'd This labour past, of heavenly subjects sing, PART OF THE TENTH BOOK OP Now high advanc'd the night, o'er all the host As when with rising vengeance gloomy Jove Of fife, or pipe, and the loud hum of hosts With equal care was Menelaus toss'd: ▲ soul, resolv'd to pass the gloom of night, Ourself the Pylian sage, to keep the guards "But say," rejoins the prince," these orders borne, There shall I stay, or measuring back the shores, To thee return?" "No more return," replies The king of hosts, "lest treading different ways We meet no more; for through the camp the ways Lie intricate and various: but aloud Wake every Greek to martial fame and arms; He spoke, and to the tent of Nestor turns His arms, the shield, the spears, the radiant helin, Sudden the monarch starts, and half uprais'd, On me the cares of all the host are mine! "But if thy wakeful cares (for o'er thy head To whom the Pylian: "Think not, mighty king, Jove ratifies vain Hector's haughty views; A sudden, sad reverse of mighty woes Waits that audacious victor, when in arms Dreadful Achilles shines. But now thy steps Nestor attends. Be it our care to wake Sage Ithacus, and Diomed the brave, Meges the bold, and in the race renown'd Oilean Ajax. To the ships that guard Outmost the camp, some other speed his way To raise stern Ajax and the Cretan king, But love, nor reverence to the mighty name Of Menelaus, nor thy wrath, O king, Shall stop my free rebuke: sleep is a crime When Agamemnon wakes; on him it lies To share thy martial toils, to court the peers To act the men: this hour claims all our cares." "Reserve," rejoins the king, "for future hours Thy generous anger. Seems the royal youth Remiss? 'tis not through indolence of soul, But deference to our power; for our commands He waits, and follows when we lead the way. This night, disdaining rest, his steps he bent To our pavilion: now th' illustrious peers, Rais'd at his call, a chosen synod stand Before the gates: haste, Nestor, haste away." To whom the sage well pleas'd: "In such brave No Greek will envy power: with loyal joy [hands Subjects obey, when men of worth command." He added not, but o'er his manly breast Flung a rich robe: beneath his royal feet The glittering sandals shone: a soft, large vest, Florid with purple wool, his aged limbs Graceful adorn'd: tipt with a star of brass A ponderous lance he grasp'd, and strode away To wake sage Ithacus. Aloud his voice He rais'd: his voice was heard, and from his tent Instant Ulysses sprung; and, "Why," he cry'd, Why thus abroad in the chill hours of night? What new distress invades ?"-"Forgive my cares, Reply'd the hoary sage; "for Greece I wake, Greece and her dangers bring me to thy tent: But haste, our wakeful peers in council meet 3 This, this one night determines flight or war." Swift at the word he seiz'd his ample shield, And strode along; and now they bend their way To wake the brave Tydides: him they found Stretch'd on the earth, array'd in shining arms, And round, his brave companions of the war: Their shields sustain'd their heads; erect their spears Shot through th' illumin'd air a streaming ray, Keen as Jove's lightning wing'd athwart the skies. Thus slept the chief: beneath him on the ground A savage bull's black hide was roll'd; his head A splendid carpet bore. The slumbering king The Pylian gently with these words awakes: "Rise, son of Tydeus! ill, a whole night's rest Suits with the brave! and sleep'st thou, while proud Troy Hangs o'er our tents, and from yon joining hill Prepares her war? Awake, my friend, awake!" Sudden the chief awoke, and mildly gave This soft reply: "Oh! cruel to thy age, Thou good old man! ne'er wilt thou, wilt thou cease To burthen age with cares? Has Greece no youths To wake the peers? unweary'd man, to bear At once the double load of tuils, and years!" ""Tis true," he cry'd, “my subjects and my sons Might ease a sire and king: but rest's a crime When on the edge of fate our country stands: Ere yet a few hours more have run their course, Important space! Greece triumphs, or Greece falls! But, since an old man's cares thy pity moves, Haste, generous youth, with speed to council call Meges the brave, and in the race renown'd Oilean Ajax."Strait the chief obey'd, Strait o'er his shoulders flung the shaggy spoils Of a huge tawny lion; with dire grace Down to his feet they hung: fierce in his hand He grasp'd a glittering spear, and join'd the guards. Wakeful in arms they sate, a faithful band, As watchful dogs protect the fleecy train, When the stern lion, furious for his prey, Rushes through crashing woods, and on the fold Springs from some mountain's brow, while mingled Of men and hounds alarm: to every sound [cries Faithful they turn: so through the gloom of night They cast their view, and caught each noise of Troy. Now met th' illustrious synod; down they sate, Down on a spot of ground unstain'd with blood, Where vengeful Hector from the slaughter stay'd His murderous arm, when the dark veil of night Sabled the pole: to whom thus Nestor spoke: "Lives there a son of Fame so nobly brave, That Troy-ward dares to trace the dangerous way, To scize some straggling foe? or learn what Troy. Now ineditates? to pour the flood of war Fierce on our fleet, or back within her walls Lead her proud legions? Oh! what fame would crown The hero thus triumphant, prais'd o'er Earth Above the sons of men! And what rewards Should he receive! From every grateful peer A sable ewe, and lamb, of highest worth Memorial; to a brave, heroic heart The noblest prize! and at the social feast Amongst the great, be his the seat of Fame." Abash'd they sate, and ev'n the brave knew fear. Not so Tydides: unappall'd he rose, And nobly spoke! "My soul! Oh! reverend sage, Fires at the bold design; through yon black host Venturous I bend my way; but if his aid Some warrior lend, my courage might arise To nobler heights: the wise by mutual aid Instruct the wise, and brave men fire the brave.” Fierce at the word upstarted from the ground The stern Ajaces, fierce bold Merion rose, And Thrasymedes, sons of War: nor sate The royal Spartan, nor great Nestor's heir, Nor greater Ithacus; his manly heart Swell'd at the view of fame.Elate with joy Atrides saw; and, "Oh! thou best of friends, Brave Diomed," he cries, "of all the peers Chuse thou the valiantest: when merit pleads, Tities no deference claim; high birth and state To valour yield, and worth is more than power." Thus, fearing for his brother, spoke the king, Not long for Diomed dispels his fears. "Since free my choice, can I forget a friend, The man, for wisdom's various arts renown'd; The man, whose dauntless soul no toils dismay, Ulysses, lov'd by Pallas? through his aid, Though thousand fires oppose, a thousand fires Oppose in vain, his wisdom points the way." "Nor praise, nor blame," the hero strait replies; "You speak to Greeks, and they Ulysses know: ་་ | But haste; swift roll the hours of night, the mera Already hastens to display her beams, And in the vault of Heaven the stars decay." Swift at the word they sheathe their manly limbs Horrid in arms: a two-edg'd sword and shield Nestor's bold son to stern Tydides gave; A tough bull's hide his ample helmet form'd, No cone adorn'd it, and no plumy crest Wav'd in the air: a quiver and a bow, And a huge faulchion, great Ulysses bears, The gift of Merion on his head an helm Of leather nodded, firm within, and bound With many a thong; without, in dreadful rows The snowy tusks of a huge savage boar Grinn'd, horrible. Thus arm'd, away they stalk Undaunted: o'er their heads the martial maid Sends on the right an her'n; the ambient gloom Conceals him from the view, but loud in air They hear the clangor of his sounding wings, Joyful the prosperous sign Ulysses hail'd. And thus to Pallas: "Offspring of dread Jove, Who hurls the burning bolts! O guardian power, Present in all my toils, who view'st my way Where'er I move, now thy celestial aid, Now, goddess, lend! may deeds this night adorn, Deeds that all Troy may weep: may we return In safety by thy guidance, heavenly maid!" 66 Tydides caught the word; and, “Oh!" he cries, As to my sire. He by the gulphy flood Thus pray the chiefs, and Pallas hears their prayera "See! o'er the plain some Trojan bends this way, Perhaps to spoil the slain! or to our host Comes he a spy? Beyond us o'er the field 'Tis best he pass, then sudden from behind Rush we precipitant; but if in flight His active feet prevail, thy spear employ To force him on our lines, lest hid in shades, Through the dusk air he re-escape to Troy." Then conching to the ground, ambush'd they lay Behind a hill of slain, onward the spy Incessant mov'd: he pass'd, and now arose The fierce pursuers. Dolon heard the sound Of trampling feet, and panting, listening stood; Now reach'd the chiefs within a javelin's throw, Stern foes of Dolon! swift along the shores He wing'd his flight, and swift along the shores They still pursued: as when two skilful hounds Chase o'er the lawn the hare or bounding roe, Still from the sheltering brake the game they turn Stretch every nerve, and bear upon the prey! V. 339, So ran the chiefs, and from the host of Troy With ample wealth, with steel, with brass, with gold." To whom Ulysses artfully: "Be bold : Far hence the thought of death! but instant say Why thus alone in the still hours of night While every eye is clos'd? to spoil the slain Com'st thou rapacious? or some nightly spy By Hector sent? or has thy venturous mind Impell'd thee to explore our martial bands ?” "By Hector sent, and by rewards undone," Returns the spy, (still as he spoke he shook) "I come unwilling: the refulgent car He promis'd, and immortal steeds that bear Of adverse Greece, and learn if now they stand To whom with smiles of scorn the sage returns: * Bold were thy aims, O youth! But those proud fires Blaze frequent, Trojans wake to guard their Troy; Venturous you bend to search the host of Troy, He spoke terrific: and as Dolon rais'd [head, Strait they despoil the dead: the wolf's grey hide Then fierce o'er broken arms, through streams of blood They move along: now reach the Thracian bands By every Thracian stood: Rhesus their king He whirls his wrathful blade, now furious gores The sage unbinds, and instant with his bow |