Beneath yon Dryad's lonely fhade
A ruftic altar fhall be paid,
Of turf with laurel fram'd:
And thou the infeription wilt approve;
"This for the peace which, loft by love,
"By friendship was reclaim'd."
TO-NIGHT retir'd the queen of heaven
With young Endymion ftrays:
And now to Hefper is it given
Awhile to rule the vacant sky,
Till the shall to her lamp fupply
A ftream of lighter rays.
II.
O Hefper, while the starry throng
: With awe thy path furrounds,
Oh liften to my fuppliant fong,
If haply now the vocal sphere
Can fuffer thy delighted ear
To stoop to mortal founds.
So may the bridegroom's genial strain
Thee ftill invoke to fhine:
So may the bride's unmarried train
To Hymen chaunt their flattering vow,
Still that his lucky torch may glow
With luftre pure as thine.
Far other vows must I prefer
To thy indulgent power.
Alas, but now I paid my tear
On fair Olympia's virgin tomb:
And lo, from thence, in queft Froam
Of Philomela's bower.
Propitious fend thy golden ray,
Thou purest light above:
Let no falfe flame seduce to ftray
Where gulph or fteep lie hid for harm:
But lead where mufic's healing charm
May footh afflicted love.
To them, by many a grateful fong
In happier seasons vow'd,
Thefe lawns, Olympia's haunt, belong:
Oft by yon filver ftream we walk'd,
Or fix'd, while Philomela talk'd,
Beneath yon copfes stood.
Nor feldom, where the beachen boughs
That rooflefs tower invade,
We come while her inchanting Muse
The radiant moon above us held:
Till by a clamorous owl compell'd
She fled the folemn fhade.
But hark; I hear her liquid tone.
Now, Hefper, guide my feet.
Down the red marle with mofs o'ergrown,
Through yon wild thicket next the plain,
Whofe hawthorns choke the winding lane
Which leads to her retreat.
See the green space on either hand
Inlarg'd it fpreads around
See, in the midft fhe takes her stand,
Where one old oak his awful shade
Extends o'er half the level mead
Inclos'd in woods profound.
Hark, how through many a melting note
She now prolongs her lays :
How fweetly down the void they float!
The breeze their magic path attends:
The ftars fhine out: the foreft bends :
The wakeful heifers gaze.
Whoe'er thou art whom chance may bring
To this fequefter'd ipot,
If then the plaintive Syren fing,
Oh foftly tread beneath her bower,
And think of heaven's difpofing power,
Of man's uncertain lot.
Oh think, o'er all this mortal stage,
What mournful scenes arife:
What ruin waits on kingly rage:
How often virtue dwells with woe:
How many griefs from knowledge flow
How fwiftly pleasure flies.
O facred bird, let me at eve,
Thus wandering all alone,
Thy tender counsel oft receive,
Bear witness to thy pensive airs,
And pity nature's common cares
Till I forget my own.
WITH fordid floods the wintery * Urn
Hath ftain'd fair Richmond's level green:
Her naked hill the Dryads mourn,
No longer a poetic fcene.
No longer there thy raptur'd eye
The beauteous forms of earth or sky
Surveys as in their Author's mind:
And London fhelters from the year
Thofe whom thy focial hours to fhare
The Attic Muse defign'd.
From Hampstead's airy fummit me
Her gueft the city shall behold,
What day the people's ftern decree
To unbelieving, kings is told,
When common men (the dread of fame)
Adjudg'd as one of evil name,
Before the fun, the anointed head.
Then feek thou too the pious town,
With no unworthy cares to crown
That evening's awful fhade.
Deem not I call thee to deplore
The facred martyr of the day,
By faft and penitential lore
To purge our ancient guilt away.
For this, on humble faith I reft
That ftill our advocate, the priest,
From heavenly wrath will fave. the land:
Nor afk what rites our pardon gain,
Nor how his potent founds restrain
The thunderer's lifted hand.
No, Hardinge: peace to church and state!!
That evening, let the Mufe give law :
While I anew the theme relate
Which my firft youth inamor'd faw.
Then will I oft explore thy thought,
What to reject which Locke hath taught,
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