A

THOUGHT IN A

GARDEN.

WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1704.

ELIGHTFUL manfion! bleft retreat!

DE

Where all is filent, all is fweet!
Here Contemplation prunes her wings,
The raptur'd Mufe more tuneful fings,
While May leads on the chearful hours,
And opens a new world of flowers.
Gay Pleasure here all dreffes wears,
And in a thoufand fhapes appears.
Purfued by Fancy, how the roves
Through airy walks, and mufeful groves;
Springs in each plant and bloffom'd tree,
And charms in all I hear and fee!

In this elyfium while I ftray,

And Nature's fairelt face furvey,

Earth feems new-born, and life more bright; 15
Time steals away, and smooths his flight;
And thought 's bewilder'd in delight.
Where are the crowds I faw of late?
What are those tales of Europe's fate ?
Of Anjou, and the Spanish crown;
And leagues to pull ufurpers down?
Of marching armies, diftant wars;
Of factions, and domestic jars;

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Sure

Sure these are laft night's dreams, no more;
Or fome romance, read lately o'er;

Like Homer's antique tale of Troy,
And powers confederate to destroy
Priam's proud house, the Dardan name,
With him that ftole the ravifh'd dame,
And, to poffefs another's right,
Durft the whole world to arms excite.
Come, gentle Sleep, my eye-lids close,
Thefe dull impreffions help me lofe :
Let Fancy take her wing, and find
Some better dream to footh my mind;

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Not fwell'd too high, nor funk too low:

Such let my life's smooth current be,

Till, from Time's narrow fhore fet free,
It mingle with th' eternal sea;

And, there enlarg'd, fhall be no more

That trifling thing it was before.

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Since all that's paft no vows can e'er rettore,

But joys and griefs alike, once hurry'd o'er,
No longer now deferve a smile or tear ;
Clofe the fantastic fcenes-but grace
With brightest aspects thy foreface
While time's new offspring haftens to appear.
With lucky omens guide the coming hours,
Command the circling feafons to advance,

And form their renovated dance,

With flowing pleasures fraught, and blefs'd by friendły powers.

II.

Thy month, O Janus! gave me first to know

A mortal's trifling cares below;

My race of life began with thee.

Thus far, from great misfortunes free,

Contented, I my lot endure,

Nor nature's rigid laws arraign,

Nor fpurn at common ills in vain,

Which folly cannot fhun, nor wife reflection cure.

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III.

III.

But oh!--more anxious for the year to come,
I would foreknow my future doom.
Then tell me, Janus, canft thou spy.
Events that yet in embryo lie
For me, in time's myfterious womb?
Tell me-nor fhall I dread to hear
A thousand accidents fevere;
I'll fortify my foul the load to bear,

If love rejected add not to its weight,

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To finish me in woes, and crush me down with fate.

IV.

But if the goddess, in whose charming eyes,
More clearly written than in fate's dark book,
My joy, my grief, my all of future fortune lies;
If he must with a lefs propitious look
Forbid my humble sacrifice,

Or blaft me with a killing frown;

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If, Janus, this thou feeft in ftore,

Cut fhort my mortal thread, and now

Take back the gift thou didst bestow!

Here let me lay my burden down,

And ceafe to love in vain, and be a wretch no more. 40

CAN

CAN T A T A.

Set by Mr. GALLIAR D.

WHILE on your blooming charms I gaze,

Your tender lips, your foft enchanting eyes,
And all the Venus in your face,

I'm fill'd with pleasure and surprize :
But, cruel goddefs! when I find
Diana's coldness in your mind,

How can I bear that fix'd difdain?
My pleasure dies, and I but live in pain.

AIR.

Tyrant Cupid! when, relenting,
Will you touch the charmer's heart?
Sooth her breaft to foft confenting,
Or remove from mine the dart!
Tyrant Cupid! when, relenting,
Will you touch the charmer's heart?

RECITATIVE.

But fee while to my paffion voice I give,

Th' applauded beauty, doubly bright, Seems in the moving tale to take delight,

And looks, as fhe would let me live;

And yet fhe chides, but with fo sweet an air,

That while fhe Love denies, the yet forbids Despair.

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