Ye fportive elves, as faithful I relate,
Th' entrusted mandates of your fairy state,
Vifit thefe wilds again with nightly care,
So fhall my kine, of all the herd, repair,
In healthy plight, to fill the copious pail ;
My fheep be penn'd with fafety in the dale;
My poultry fear no robber in the rooft:
My linen more than common whiteness boaft;
Let order, peace, and housewifery be mine:
Shenftone? be tafte, and fame, and fortune thine!

COTSWOULDIA..

To Mr. S. upon his desiring her to paint his character. Dec. 30, 176C

TH

By Miss Loggin.

HO' you flatter my genius, and praise what I write,
Sure this whimsical talk was impos'd out of fpite,
Because this poor head, with much fcratching and thinking,
Made fome little reflections on raking and drinking ;
To clip my weak wings with malicious intention-
You prefent me a theme that defies all invention.

Your picture! Lord blefs me! Where can one begin?

To fpeak truth, were infipid; to lie, were a fin,

You might think me in love, fhould I paint your perfections;
Should I fketch out your faults, you might make worse objections,
Should I blend in one piece of fuperlative merit, ...
Good-nature with wit, condefcenfion with fpirit;
Should, with modefty, eafe and politeness be join'd;
Unlimited freedom, with manners refin'd;

Courage, tenderness, honour, enthron'd in one heart;
With franknefs, referve; and with honefty, art:
With thefe glaring good qualities plac`d in full view.
Do you think any
foul would believe it was you?
Why then turn t'other fide, fays ill-nature, and find him,
In fome few modifh faults, leave, his fex all behind him.
For levity, flattery, and fo forth, he's fam'd-

Pr'ythee, peace, fool; and let no fuch trifles be nam'd:
If his failings be fuch, time will certainly cure 'em,
And the ladies till then

will with pleasure endure 'em,

My mind in fearch of pleasure roves?

With hopes of happiness beguil'd,
Tow'rds every fond amusement moves.
But fond amufements-all are vain,
The wifh'd for happiness to gain.

Free from Ambition's restless fire
My humble foul could dwell at ease;
Nor can the thirft of gold inspire
A with injurious to my peace.
Honour and wealth in vain allure
A heart contented to be poor.

Not the whole world, with all its charms,
Could my regardless mind entice;
Beauty alone my heart difarms,
Proof to the other baits of vice.
Yet here, a lovely Mira's name
Infpires me with the pureft flame.

Pleasures in thefe foft colours dreft,
Attract my unexperienc'd eyes;
Until within my youthful breaft
Warm expectations quickly rife,
And with delufive hopes controul
Each wifh of my unwary foul.
Thus, while on earthly blifs my mind
Is fix'd with fancy'd joy elate;
Soon all my hopes I fadly find
Dafh'd by fome fudden turn of fate,
Thus all my hopes I find are vain;
I only rife to fall again.

No more, fond youth, direct thy aims
At what thou ne'er muft truly know;
A love fo pure heav'n only claims,

Unrival'd by the joys below,

There thou wilt find-what here thou'lt mifs,

A lafting portion and fubftantial blifs.

The Answer, by a Lady.

I.

HE tender friendship ftill has charms,
The foothing tear and plaintive figh;

Grateful and generous thofe alarms

That fwell my heart when thou art nigh.
II.

Then ceafe, Vill'roy, fuch gentle care,
Nor feek thy Mira's life to fave:
Rather fend forth thy pious pray'r,
To take her peaceful to the grave.

III. There

III.

There fafely fhelter'd in the tomb,
Secure from all the ftorms of fate,
She'll wait you in a world to come,
Where love and friendship know no date.
IV.

Accept, my Vill'roy, the laft Mufe
Which fhall tranfpire your Mira's pen;
Don't her laft anxious gift refufe,
But take her praise, thou best of men.
V.

Like mine, thy vows, beyond the grave,
With truth unwearied, muft extend:
To all things loft beyond retrieve,
With facred force of patience bend.

Wrote to an admirable Lady under misfortunes and undeserved con

T

finement.

O meet affliction with a scorn divine,

Befits, oh! P—————1, a foul like thine;
Calm to encounter calumny and pain,
While fixt in conscious virtue you remain.
So much in fentiments your mind tranfcends,
That few have sentiments to be your friends.
Amidft that few-oh! let the Mufe be plac'd,
In fortune humble, but refin'd in taste.

I fee your worth, your merit I adore,

And court your fmile-when fortune fmiles no more.
Can there be anguish where fuch sweetness dwells,
Where Phoebus vifits our fequefter'd cells;

Where fenfe, and worth, and elegance can chufe,
To kill one moment with the fuff'ring Muse?
Let this to reptiles be the fcourge of vice,
While you enrich it, 'tis a paradife.
Permit this tribute, when the hand of fate
Shall waft my fpirit to it's wifh'd for state:
When perfecution, with an iron rod,

Frees me from man, and gives me to my God.
Let this convince th' abject of human race,
I honour dignity, and fcorn the base.

Not all the glitt'ring mammon of Peru
Could force thefe lays that Nature gives to you.
And when your bard, unbidden, I commence,
I raise one monument to prove my fenfe.

An

An Ode to Solitude.

H! Solitude! Celeftial maid!
Wrap me in thy fequefter'd fhade,
And all my foul employ!

From folly, ignorance, and ftrife,
From all the giddy whirls of life!
And loud unmeaning joy!
While in the ftatefman's glowing dream,
Fancy pourtrays the high-wrought scheme,
And plans a fature fame;
What is the phantom he purfues!
What the advantage that accrues!
Alas! an empty name!

To him, the grove no pleafure yields,
Nor moffy bank, nor verdant fields,
Nor daify-painted lawns;

In vain the ambrofial gale invites,
In vain all Nature sheds delights;

Her genuine charms he fcorns!
Pleasure allures the giddy throng,
The gay, the vain, the fair, the young,
All bend before her thrine!"
She fpreads around delufive fnares,
The borrow'd garb of blifs fhe wears,
And tempts in form divine!
Fafhion, with wild tyrannie fway,
Directs the bufinefs of the day,

And reigns without control;

The beaux and fparkling belles confefs,
She animates the modes of drefs,
And chains the winning foul!

Can thefe, the flaves of fashion's pow'r,
Enjoy the filent, tranquil hour,

And bloom with Nature's glow?

Or, to the votaries of fenfe

Can Solitude her fweets difpenfe,
And happiness beftow?

How wretched that unfurnish'd mind,
Which, to each vain purfuit inclin'd,
Is ever bent to roam?

Oh! be that reftlefs ftate abhorr'd,
Seek not for happinefs abroad,

She's only found at home!

Ye

Ye

e fages, who with anxious care,
Rov'd thro' the fleeting tracts of air,
A vacuum to find;

Wifer had ye employ'd your skill,
With folid fenfe, and worth, to fill
The vacuum of the mind!

Let choice, not wrinkled spleen engage
The mind, to quit the world's gay ftage,
Where folly's fcenes are play'd;
Sour difcontent, and pining care,
Attaint the fragrance of the air,
Disturb the filent fhade.

Not wounded by misfortune's dart,
I feek to eafe the rankling fmart
Of thorny-feft'ring woe;

But far remote from crowds and noise,
To reap fair virtue's placid joys;
In wifdom's foil they grow.

I afk not pageant pomp nor wealth,
For bleft with competence and health,
'Twere folly to be great!

May I thro' life ferenely flide,

As yon clear streams, which filent glide,
Nor quit this fov'd retreat.
Beneath this leafy arch reclin'd,
- I taste more true content of mind,
Than frolick mirth can give ;
Here, to the bufy world unknown,
I feel each blifsful hour my own,
And learn the art to live!
While turning nature's volume o'er,
Fresh beauties rife, unfeen before,
To ftrike th' aftonifh'd foul!
Our mental harmony improves,
To mark each planet how it moves,
How all in order roll!

From nature's fix'd unerring laws,
I'm lifted to th' Eternal Caufe,

Which moves this lifelefs clod!
This wond'rous frame, this vaft design,
Proclaims the workmanship divine,
The architect, a God!

Oh! facred blifs; thy paths to trace,
And happieft they of human race,
To whom this pow'r is given.
Each day, in fome delightful fhades,
By contemplation's foft'ring aid,

To plume the foul for heaven!

Wrote