Or that her fond heart would not grieve,
To forfake the fine folk of the town ;
To think that a beauty fo gay,

So kind and fo conftant would prove;
Or go clad like our maidens in grey,
Or live in a cottage on love?

7.1

What though I have skill to complain,
Tho' the mufes my temples have crown'd,
What tho', when they hear my soft strains,
The virgins fit weeping around?
Ah, Colin thy hopes are in vain,
Thy pipe and thy laurel refign,
Thy fair one inclines to a swain,
Whofe mufic is fweeter than thine.

All you, my companions fo dear,
Who forrow to see me betray'd,
Whatever I fuffer, forbear,

Forbear to accufe the falfe maid.
Tho' thro' the wide world I fhou'd range,
'Tis in vain from my fortune to fly;
"Twas hers to be falfe and to change,
'Tis mine to be conftant and die.

If while my hard fate I sustain,
In her breaft any pity is found,
Let her come with the nymphs of the plain,
And fee me laid low in the ground:
The laft humble boon that I crave,

Is to fhade me with cyprefs and yew ;
And when she looks down on my grave,
Let her own that her fhepherd was true.

Then to her new love let her go,

And deck her in golden array ;
Be finest at every fine show,

And frolic it all the long day:
While Colin, forgotten and gone,
No more fhall be talk'd of or feen,
Unless when beneath the pale moon,
His ghost shall glide over the green.

X 2.

SONG

SONG XXI.

Was when the feas were roaring,.
With hollow blasts of wind,

"T"

A damfel lay deploring,

All on a rock reclin'd. Wide o'er the roaring billows,

She caft a wifhful look;

Her head was crown'd with willows,
That trembled o'er the brook.

Twelve months were gone and over,
And nine long tedious days;
Why didft thou, vent'rous lover,
Why didst thou trust the seas ?
Ceafe, cease then, cruel ocean,
And let my lover rest :
Ah! what's that troubled motion,
To that within my breaft?

7

When

When o'er the white waves stooping,

His floating corpfe she spy'd ;
Then, like a lily drooping,
She bow'd her head, and dy'd..

R

Emember, Damon, you did tell,
In chastity you lov'd me well;
But now, alas! I am undone,
And here am left to make my moan
To doleful fhades I will remove,
Since I'm defpis'd by him I love,
Where poor forfaken nymphs are seen,
In lonely walks of willow green.

Upon my dear's deluding tongue,
Such foft perfuafive language hung,
That when his words had filence broke,
You wou'd have thought an angel spoke.
Too happy nymph, who'er the be,
That now enjoys my charming he ;
For oh! I fear it to my coft,

She's found the heart that I have loft.

Beneath the faireft flower on earth,
A fnake may hide, or take its birth;
So his falfe breast, conceal it did
His heart, the snake that there lay hid..
'Tis falfe to fay, we happy are,
Since men delight thus to enfnare;
In man no woman can be blefs'd,
Their vows are wind, their love a jeft..

Ye gods, in pity to my grief,.

Send me my Damon, or relief;
Return the wild delicious boy,

Whom once I thought my fpring of joy :
But whilft I'm begging of this blifs,
Methinks I hear you anfwer thus,
When Damon has enjoy'd, he flies,
Who fees him, loves; who loves him, dies.

X 3

There

There's not a bird that haunts the grove,
But is a witness of my love :
Now all the bleaters on the plain
Seem fympathifers in my pain;
Echoes repeat my plaintive moans;
The waters imitate my groans;

The trees their bending boughs recline,
And droop their heads as I do mine.

Ο

SONG XXIII.

Na bank, befide a willow,

Heaven her covering, earth her pillow,

Sad Amynta figh'd alone:

From the chearlefs dawn of morning,

Till the dews of night returning,
Singing, thus fhe made her moan,
Hope is banish'd,

Joys are vanifh'd,
Damon my belov'd is gone.

Time, I dare thee to difcover
Such a youth and fuch a lover:"
Oh! fo true, fo kind was he!
Damon was the pride of nature,
Charming in his every feature;
Damon liv'd alone for me:
Melting kiffes,
Murm'ring bliffes,

Who fo liv'd and lov'd as we ?

Never fhall we curfe the morning,
Never bless the night returning,
Sweet embraces to restore;
Never fhall we both lie dying,
Nature failing, love fupplying
All the joys he drain'd before:
To befriend me,

Death, come, end me,
Love and Damon are no more.

A

SONG XXIV.

Lexis fhunn'd his fellow-fwains,
Their rural sports and jocund ftrains,
(Heaven guard us all from Cupid's bow);
He loft his crook, he left his flocks,

And wand'ring through the lonely rocks,
He nourish'd endless wo.

The nymphs and fhepherds round him came,
His grief fome pity, others blame;
The fatal caufe all kindly feek:
He mingled his concern with theirs,
He gave them back their friendly tears,
He figh'd; but could not speak.

Clarinda came among the reft,
And she tookind concern expreft,
And afk'd the reafon of his wo;
She ask'd; but with an air and mien,
As made it eafily foreseen,

She fear'd too much to know.

The shepherd rais'd his mournful head,
And will you pardon me, he said,
While I the cruel truth reveal;
Which nothing from my breaft fhould tear,
Which never should offend your ear,
But that you bid me tell?

"Tis thus I rove, 'tis thus complain,
Since you appear'd upon the plain
You are the caufe of all my care:
Your eyes ten thousand dangers dart ;
Ten thousand torments vex my heart;
I love, and I despair.

Too much, Alexis, I have heard,
"Tis what I thought, 'tis what I fear'd;
And yet I pardon you, fhe cry'd ;
But you fhall promife, ne'er again
To breathe your vows, or fpeak your pain.
He bow'd, obey'd, and dy'd.