The project pleas'd; the fun's unwelcome light 507 (That slowly seem'd to move, and flack his flight) Sunk in the feas; from the same seas arose the fable

night;

When, ftealing through the dark, the crafty fair
Unlock'd the door, and gain'd the open air ;
Love gave her courage; unperceiv'd she went,

Wrapp'd in a veil, and reach'd the monument.
Then fat beneath th' appointed tree alone ;
But, by the glimmering of the shining moon,
She fat not long, before from far she spy'd
A lionefs approach the fountain-fide;

Fierce was her glare, her foamy paws in blood
Of flaughter'd bulls befmear'd, and foul with food;
For reeking from the prey, the favage came,

55

60

To drown her thirst within the neighbouring ftream.
Affrighted Thisbe, trembling at the fight,
Fled to a darkfome den, but in her flight

Her veil dropp'd off behind. Deep of the flood
The monster drank, and, fatiate, to the wood
Returning, found the garment as it lay,

65

And, torn with bloody feet, difpers'd it in her

way.

Belated Pyramus arriv'd, and found

The mark of favage feet along the fandy ground:
All pale he turn'd; but foon as he beheld
The crimson'd vesture scatter'd o'er the field,
One night, he cry'd, two lovers fhall deftroy!
She worthy to have liv'd long years of joy,

70

75

But

But mine's the forfeit life; unhappy maid!
"Twas I that flew thee, I th' appointment made;
To places full of death thy innocence betray'd,
And came not first myself-O hither haste,
Ye lions all, that roam this rocky waste !
Tear my devoted entrails, gnaw, divide,

And

gorge your famine in my open'd fide!

But cowards call for death!-Thus having spoke,
The fatal garment from the ground he took,
And bore it to the tree; ardent he kiss'd,
And bath'd in flowing tears the well-known vest:
Now take a second stain, the lover faid,
While from his fide he snatch'd his sharpen'd blade,
And drove it in his groin; then from the wound
Withdrew the steel, and staggering fell to ground:
As when, a conduit broke, the streams shoot high,
Starting in fudden fountains through the sky,
So fpouts the living ftream, and sprinkled o'er
The tree's fair berries with a crimson gore,
While, fapp'd in purple floods, the conscious root
Tranfmits the stain of murder to the fruit.

The fair, who fear'd to disappoint her love,
Yet trembling with the fright, forfook the grove,
And fought the youth, impatient to relate
Her new adventure, and th' avoided fate.

She faw the vary'd tree had loft its white,
And doubting ftood if that could be the right,
Nor doubted long; for now her eyes beheld
A dying perfon fpurn the fanguine field.

}

80

85

90

95

100

105

Aghaft

Aghaft she started back, and shook with pain,
As rifing breezes curl the trembling main.
She gaz'd awhile entranc'd; but when she found
It was her lover weltering on the ground,
She beat her lovely breast, and tore her hair,
Clafp'd the dear corpfe, and, frantic in despair,
Kifs'd his cold face, fupply'd a briny flood
To the wide wound, and mingled tears with blood.
Say, Pyramus, oh fay, what chance severe
Has fnatch'd thee from my arms?

'Tis thy own Thisbe calls, look up and hear!
At Thibe's name he lifts his dying eyes,
And, having feen her, clos'd them up, and dies.
But when the knew the bloody veil, and spy'd
The ivory fcabbard empty by his fide,
Ah! wretched youth, faid fhe, by love betray'd!
Thy haplefs hand guided the fatal blade.
Weak as I am, I boaft as ftrong a love;
For fuch a deed, this hand as bold shall prove.
I'll follow thee to death; the world shall call
Thisbe the caufe, and partner of thy fall;
And ev'n in death, which could alone disjoin
Our perfons, yet in death thou shalt be mine.
But hear, in both our names, this dying prayer,
Ye wretched parents of a wretched pair!
Let in one urn our ashes be confin'd,

Whom mutual love and the fame fate have join'd.
And thou, fair tree, beneath whose friendly fhade,
One lifeless lover is already laid,

115

120

125

130

And

And foon fhall cover two; for ever wear
Death's fable hue, and purple berries bear!
She faid, and plunges in her breaft the sword,
Yet warm, and reeking from its slaughter'd lord.
Relenting Heaven allows her laft request,
And pity touch'd their mournful parents breast.
The fruit, when ripe, a purple dye retains;
And in one urn are plac'd their dear remains.

135

140

THE

TRIUMPH OF LOVE.

IN IMITATION OF OVID, AMORUM LIB. I.
ELEG. 2.

TELL me, fome god, whence does this change

arife ;

Why gentle fleep forfakes my weary eyes?
Why, turning often, all the tedious night
In pain I lie, and watch the fpringing light?
What cruel dæmon haunts my tortur'd mind?
Sure, if 'twere Love, I should th' invader find;
Unlefs difguis'd he lurks, the crafty boy,
With filent arts ingenious to destroy.
Alas! 'tis fo-'tis fix'd the fecret dart;
I feel the tyrant ravaging my heart.
Then, fhall I yield; or th' infant flame oppose?
I yield!-Refiftance would increase my woes:

5

IQ

For ftruggling flaves a fharper doom fuftain,
Than fuch as ftoop obedient to the chain.
I own thy power, almighty Love! I'm thine;
With pinion'd hands behold me here refign!
Let this submission then my life obtain;

15

Small praife 'twill be, if thus unarm'd I'm flain.
Go, join thy mother's doves; with myrtle braid thy
hair;

The god of war himself a chariot shall prepare;
Then thou triumphant through the shouting throng
Shalt ride, and move with art the willing birds along ;
While captive youths and maids, in folemn ftate,
Adorn the scene, and on thy triumph wait.
There I, a later conqueft of thy bow,

20

30

In chains will follow too; and as I go,
To pitying eyes the new-made wound will show.
Next, all that dare Love's fovereign power defy,
In fetters bound, inglorious fhall pass by :
All shall submit to thee-Th' applauding crowd
Shall lift their hands, and fing thy praise aloud.
Soft looks fhall in thy equipage appear,
With amorous play, mistake, and jealous fear.
Be this thy guard, great Love! be this thy train;
Since these extend o'er men and gods thy reign; 35
But robb'd of thefe, thy power is weak and vain.
From heaven thy mother fhall thy pomp furvey,
And, smiling, scatter fragrant showers of roses in thy

way;

Whilft thou, array'd in thy unrival'd pride,
On golden wheels, all gold thyfelf, halt ride:

}

40

Thy