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Four figures rifing from the work appear,
The various seasons of the rolling year;
And what is that, which binds the radiant sky,
Where twelve fair figns in beauteous order lie?

DAMON.

40

Then fing by turns, by turns the Mufes fing, Now hawthorns bloffom, now the daifies spring, Now leaves the trees, and flow'rs adorn the ground; Begin, the vales fhall ev'ry note rebound.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 36. And clusters lurk beneath the curling vines. POPE. This line was probably rejected from its resembling too nearly Dryden. The "Grapes in clusters lurk beneath the vines." Dryden's Translation of Virgil's Eclogues.

REMARKS.

VER. 38. The various feafons, &c.] The fubject of these Pasftorals engraven on the bowl is not without its propriety.

WARBURTON.

My friend Mr. William Collins, author of the Perfian Eclogues and Odes, affured me that Thomson informed him, that he took the first hint and idea of writing his Seafons, from the titles of Pope's four Paftorals. So that these Pastorals have not had only the merit of fetting a pattern for correct and mufical verfification; but have given rife to fome of the truest poetry in our language. WARTON.

Ver. 35, 36.

IMITATIONS.

"Lenta quibus torno facili fuperaddita vitis,

Diffufos edera veftit pallente corymbos." Virg.

POPE.

The Shepherd's hefiration at the name of the Zodiac imitates that

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STREPHON.

Inspire me, Phœbus, in my Delia's praise, With Waller's brains, or Granville's moving lays! A milk-white Bull fhail at your altars ftand, That threats a fight, and fpurns the rifing fand.

DAPHNIS.

O Love! for Sylvia let me gain the prize,
And make my tongue victorious as her eyes:
No lambs or fheep for victims I'll impart,
Thy victim, Love, fhall be the fhepherd's heart.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 49. Originally thus in the MS.

Pan, let my numbers equal Strephon's lays,
Of Parian stone thy ftatue will I raise;

But if I conquer and augment my fold,

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50

Thy Parian ftatue fhall be chang'd to gold. WARBURTON

REMARKS.

VER. 41. fing by turns,] Amabæan verfes, and the custom of vying in extempore verfes, by turns, was derived from the old Sicilian fhepherds, and fpread over all Italy; and is, as Mr. Spence obferves, exactly like the practice of the Improvisatori at prefent in Italy. They are furprizingly ready in their anfwers, and go on, octave for octave, and fpeech for fpeech alternately, for a contiderable time. At Florence they have even had Improvifo Comedies. It is remarkable that the celebrated Triffino, Leonardi da Vinci, Bramante, and the charming dramatic poet Metaftafio, were all Improvifatori. WARTON.

VER. 46. Granville-] George Granville, afterwards Lord Lanfdown, known for his Poems, mott of which he compos'd very young, and propos'd Waller as his model.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 41. Then fing by turns,] Literally from Virgil, "Alternis dicetis, amant alterna Camoenae :

POPE.

"POPE.

Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos, Nunc frondent fylvae, nunc formofiffimus annus.' VER. 47. A milk-white Bull.] Virg.-" Pafcite taurum, Qui cornu petat, et pedibus jam fpargat arenam."

Me

STREPHON.

Me gentle Delia beckons from the plain, Then hid in fhades, eludes her eager fwain; But feigns a laugh, to see me search around, And by that laugh the willing fair is found.

DAPHNIS.

The fprightly Sylvia trips along the green, She runs, but hopes she does not run unseen; While a kind glance at her purfuer flies,

How much at variance are her feet and eyes!

STREPHON.

O'er golden fands let rich Pactolus flow,

And trees weep amber on the banks of Po;

VARIATIONS.

VER. 61. It flood thus at first,

Let rich Iberia golden fleeces boast,

Her purple wool the proud Affyrian coaft,

Bleft Thames's fhores, &c.

VER. 61. Originally thus in the MS.

Go, flow'ry wreath, and let my Sylvia know,

Compar'd to thine how bright her Beauties flow;
Then die; and dying teach the lovely Maid
How foon the brightest beauties are decay'd.

DAPHNIS.

Go, tuneful bird, that pleas'd the woods fo long,

Of Amaryllis learn a fweeter fong;

To Heav'n arifing then her notes convey,
For Heav'n alone is worthy fuch a lay.

REMARKS.

55

бо

POPE.

WARBURTON.

VER. 60. How much at variance] A very trifling and falfe conceit, and too witty for the occafion.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 58. She runs, but hopes] Imitation of Virgil, "Malo me Galatea petit, lafciva puella,

Et fugit ad falices, fed fe cupit ante videri."

F 3

WARTON.

POPE.

Bright

Bright Thames's fhores the brightest beauties yield,

Feed here my lambs, I'll feek no diftant field.

DAPHNIS.

Celestial Venus haunts Idalia's groves;
Diana Cynthus, Ceres Hybla loves;

If Windfor-fhades delight the matchless maid,
Cynthus and Hybla yield to Windfor-fhade.

STREPHON.

65

All nature mourns, the skies relent in fhow'rs, Hush'd are the birds, and clos'd the drooping flow'rs; If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to fpring,

The skies to brighten, and the birds to fing.

DAPHNIS.

All nature laughs, the groves are fresh and fair, The Sun's mild luftre warms the vital air;

If Sylvia fmiles, new glories gild the shore,

And vanquish'd nature seems to charm no more.

STREPHON.

In fpring the fields, in autumn hills I love, At morn the plains, at noon the fhady grove, But Delia always; abfent from her fight,

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75

Nor plains at morn, nor groves at noon delight. 80

VARIATIONS.

VER. 69, &c. Thefe verfes were thus at firft:

All nature mourns, the birds their fongs deny,
Nor wasted brooks the thirsty flow'rs supply;
If Delia fmile, the flow'rs begin to spring,
The brooks to murmur, and the birds to fing.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 69. All nature mourns,]

"Aret ager, vitio moriens fitit aëris herba," &c.

POPE

"Phyllidis adventu noftræ nemus omne virebit," Virg. POPE.

Sylvia's

DAPHNIS.

Sylvia's like autumn ripe, yet mild as May, More bright than noon, yet fresh as early day; Ev'n spring displeases, when she shines not here; But bleft with her, 'tis fpring throughout the year.

STREPHON.

Say, Daphnis, fay, in what glad foil appears, A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears ; Tell me but this, and I'll disclaim the prize, And give the conqueft to thy Sylvia's eyes.

DAPHNIS.

Nay tell me first, in what more happy fields
The Thistle springs, to which the Lily yields:
And then a nobler prize I will resign ;
For Sylvia, charming Sylvia fhall be thine.

DAMON.

Cease to contend, for, Daphnis, I decree, The bowl to Strephon, and the lamb to thee:

REMARKS.

85

90

VER. 86. A wondrous Tree that facred Monarchs bears ;] An allufion to the Royal Oak, in which Charles II. had been hid from the purfuit after the battle at Worcester.

POPE.

This is one of the moft trifling and puerile conceits in any of our author's works; except what follows of the Thistle and the Lily. WARTON. VER. 93. Ceafe to contend,] An author of ftrong fenfe, Dr. Johnson, fays, "That every intelligent reader fickens at the

IMITATIONS.

mention

VER. 90. The Thistle springs, to which the Lily yields :] Alludes to the device of the Scots Monarchs, the Thistle, worn by Queen Anne; and to the arms of France, the Fleur de lys. The two riddles are in imitation of those in Virg. Ecl. iii.

"Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina Regum
Nafcantur Flores, et Phyllida folus habeto." POPE.

F 4

Bleft

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