Hark, how they warble in that brambly bush,
The gaudy goldfinch, and the speckly thrush,
The linnet green, with others fram'd for skill,
And blackbird fluting through his yellow bill:
In fprightly concert how they all combine,
Us prompting in the various fongs to join:
Up, Argol, then, and to thy lip apply

Thy mellow pipe, or voice more founding try:
And fince our ewes have graz'd, what harms if they
Lie round and liften while the lambkins play?

ARGOL.

Well, Myco, can thy dainty wit express
Fair Nature's bounties in the fairest dress:
'Tis rapture all ! the place, the birds, the sky;
And rapture works the finger's fancy high.
Sweet breathe the fields, and now a gentle breeze
Moves every leaf, and trembles through the trees:
Il fuch incitements fuit my rugged lay,

Befitting more the music thou canst play.

MY CO.

No kill of mufic kon I, fimple swain,
No fine device thine ear to entertain:

76

20

24

28

Albeit fome deal I pipe, rude though it be,
Sufficient to divert my fheep and me;

33

Yet Colinet (and Colinet hath skill)

Oft guides my fingers on the tuneful quill,

And fain would teach me on what founds to dwell,
And where to fink a note, and where to fwell.

36

ARCOL.

ARGOL.

Ah, Myco! half my flock would I bestow,
Should Colinet to me his cunning fhow:
So trim his fonnets are, I pr'ythee, fwain,
Now give us, once, a fample of his strain :
For wonders of that lad the fhepherds fay,
How fweet his pipe, how ravishing his lay!
The fweetness of his pipe and lay rehearse;
And ask what boon thou willeft for thy verfe.

MY CO.

Since then thou lift, a mournful fong I chufe:
A mournful fong relieves a mournful Muse.
Fast by the river on a bank he fate,

To weep the lovely maid's untimely fate,
Fair Stella hight: a lovely maid was she,
Whofe fate he wept, a faithful shepherd he.

Awake, my pipe; in every note express
Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's diftrefs.

1

"O woeful day! O, day of woe to me! "That ever I fhould live fuch day to see ! "That ever she could die! O, most unkind,

40

44

$2

"To go and leave thy Colinet behind!

56

*From blameless love, and plighted troth to go,

"And leave to Colinet a life of woe!"

Awake, my pipe; in every ncte express

Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's distress.

60

"And yet, why blame I her? Full fain would fhe "With dying arms have clafp'd herself to me;

"I clafp'd

"I clafp'd her too, but death prov'd over-strong; "Nor vows nor tears could fleeting life prolong: 64 "Yet how fhall I from vows and tears refrain? "And why fhould vows, alas! and tears be vain ?” Awake, my pipe; in every note express Fair Stella's death, and Collinet's diftrefs.

68

"Aid me to grieve, with bleating moan, my sheep, "Aid me, thou ever-flowing ftream, to weep;

72

Aid me, ye faint, ye hollow winds, to figh, "And thou, my woe, affift me thou to die. "Me flock nor ftream, nor winds nor woes, relieve; "She lov'd through life, and I through life will grieve." Awake, my pipe; in every note express

Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's difirefs.

76

"Ye gentler maids, companions of my fair, "With down-caft look, and with difhevel'd hair, "All beat the breast, and wring your hands and moan; "Her hour, untimely, might have prov'd your own: So "Her hour, untimely, help me to lament;

"And let your hearts at Stella's name relent."

Awake, my pipe; in every note express

Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's distress.

84

"In vain th' indearing luftre of your eyes "We dote upon, and you as vainly prize. "What though your beauty bless the faithful fwain, "And in th' enamour'd heart like queens ye reign; 88 "Yet in their prime does death the fairest kill, “As ruthless winds the tender blossoms fpill."

Aawaki,

Awake, my pipe; in every note exprefs Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's diftrefs.

"Such Stella was; yet Stella might not live!
<< And what could Colinet in ransom give?
Oh! if or mufic's voice, or beauty's charm,
"Could milden death, and stay his lifted arm,

My pipe her face, her face my pipe might fave,
Redeeming each the other from the grave."
Awake, my pipe; in every note express
Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's diftrefs.

"Ah, fruitlefs wifh! fell death's uplifted arm'
"Nor beauty can arreft, nor mufic charm.
* Behold! oh, baleful fight! fee where the lies!
"The budding flower, unkindly blafted, dies:
"Nor, though I live the longest day to mourn,
"Will she again to life and me return."

Awake, my pipe; in every note express Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's diftrefs.

"Unhappy Colinet! what boots thee now, "To weave fresh girlonds for thy Stella's brow} "No girlond ever more may Stella wear,

Nor fee the flowery season of the year, "Nor dance, nor fing, nor ever fweetly fmile, "And every toil of Colinet beguile."

Awake, my pipe; in every note exprefs Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's diftrefs.

"Throw by the lily, daffodil, and rose;

* Wreaths of black yew, and willow pale, compose,

120

"With baneful hemlock, deadly nightshade, drefs'd, "Such chaplets as may witness thine unreft, "If aught can witness: O, ye fhepherds tell, "When I am dead, no shepherd lov'd so well!” Awake, my pipe; in every note express Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's diftrefs.

724

"Alack, my fheep! and thou, dear spotless lamb, "By Stella nurs'd, who wean'd the from the dam, "What heed give I to aught but to my grief, "My whole employment, and my whole relief! 128 "Stray where ye lift, fome happier master try : "Yet once, my flock, was none fo blefs'd as I." Awake, my pipe ; in every note exprefs

Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's distress.

332

"My pipe, whofe foothing found could paffion move, "And firft taught Stella's virgin-heart to love, "Shall filent hang upon this blasted oak,

"Whence owls their dirges fing, and ravens croak: 136 "Nor lark, nor linnet, fhall my day delight, "Nor nightingale fufpend my moan by night: "The night and day fhall undistinguish'd be, "Alike to Stella, and alike to me."

No more, my pipe; here ceafe we to express Fair Stella's death, and Colinet's distress.

140

Thus, forrowing, did the gentle fhepherd fing,

And urge the valley with his wail to ring.
And now that sheep-hook for my fong I crave.

144.

ARGOLA