IRST in these fields I try the fylvan strains, FIR Norblush to sport on Windfor's blissful plains: Fair Thames, flow gently from thy facred spring, While on thy banks Sicilian Muses fing; REMARK S. These Pastorals were written at the age of fixteen, and then paft thro' the hands of Mr. Walsh, Mr. Wycherley, G. Granville afterwards Lord Lanfdown, Sir William Trumbal, Dr. Garth, Lord Hallifax, Lord Somers, Mr. Mainwaring, and others. All thefe gave our Author the greatest encourage ment, and particularly Mr. Walsh, whom Mr. Dryden, in his Poftfcript to Virgil, calls the beft Critic of his age. "Author (fays he) feems to have a particular genius for this "kind of Poetry, and a judgment that much exceeds his years. He has taken very freely from the Ancients. But 66 6 "The Let vernal airs thro' trembling ofiers play, And Albion's cliffs refound the rural lay. 5 You, that too wise for pride, too good for pow'r, Enjoy the glory to be great no more, REMARKS. "what he has mixed of his own with theirs is no way infe"rior to what he has taken from them. It is not flattery at "all to say that Virgil had written nothing fo good at his Age. His Preface is very judicious and learned." Letter to Mr. Wycherley, Ap. 1705. The Lord Lanfdown about the fame time, mentioning the youth of our Poet, fays (in a printed Letter of the Character of Mr. Wycherley)" that if he goes on as he hath begun in the Paftoral way, as Vir"gil firft tried his ftrength, we may hope to fee English "Poetry vie with the Roman," &c. Notwithstanding the early time of their production, the Author esteemed these as the most correct in the verfification, and mufical in the numbers, of all his works. The reafon for his labouring them into so much softness, was, doubtless, that this fort of poetry derives almoft its whole beauty from a natural ease of thought and smoothnefs of verfe; whereas that of most other kinds confifts in the strength and fulness of both. In a letter of his to Mr. Walsh about this time we find an enumeration of several niceties in Verfification, which perhaps have never been strictly obferved in any English poem, except in these Pastorals. They were not printed till 1709. P. Sir William Trumbal.] Our Author's friendship with this gentleman commenced at very unequal years; he was under fixteen, but Sir William above fixty, and had lately resign'd his employment of Secretary of State to King William. P. IMITATIONS. VER. 1. Prima Syracofio dignata est ludere versu, Noftra nec erubuit fylvas habitare Thalia. This is the general exordium and opening of the Paftorals, in imitation of the fixth of Virgil, which fome have therefore not improbably thought to have been the first originally. In And carrying with you all the world can boast, ΙΟ To all the world illustriously are loft! Soon as the flocks fhook off the nightly dews, Two Swains, whom Love kept wakeful, and the Mufe, REMARK S. VER. 12. in your native Shades.] Sir W. Trumbal was born in Windfor-foreft, to which he retreated, after he had refigned the poft of Secretary of State to King William III. P. VER. 17, etc.] The Scene of this Pastoral a Valley, the Time the Morning. It ftood originally thus, Daphnis and Strephon to the fhades retir'd, IMITATIONS. the beginnings of the other three Paftorals, he imitates exprefly those which now stand first of the three chief Poets in this kind, Spencer, Virgil, Theocritus. A Shepherd's Boy (he feeks no better name)- -A Shepherd's Boy (no better do him call) Αδύ τι τὸ ψιθύρισμα καὶ ὁ πίτυς, αιπόλε, τήνα. Ρ. 20 Pour'd o'er the whit'ning vale their fleecy care, DAPHNI S. Hear how the birds, on ev'ry bloomy spray, With joyous mufic wake the dawning day! Why fit we mute, when early linnets fing, 25 When warbling Philomel falutes the spring? Why fit we fad, when Phosphor shines fo clear, And lavish Nature paints the purple year ? STREP HON. Sing then, and Damon shall attend the strain, While yon' flow oxen turn the furrow'd plain. 30 Here the bright crocus and blue vi'let glow, Here western winds on breathing roses blow. I'll stake yon' lamb, that near the fountain plays, And from the brink his dancing shade surveys. VARIATIONS. VER. 34. The first reading was, And his own image from the bank furveys. REMARK S. VER. 28. purple year?] Purple here ufed in the Latin fenfe of the brightest most vivid colouring in general, not of that specific tint so called. DAPHNI S. And I this bowl, where wanton ivy twines, 35 And fwelling clusters bend the curling vines: Four figures rifing from the work appear, The various seasons of the rowling year; And what is that, which binds the radiant sky, Where twelve fair figns in beauteous order lie? DAMON. 40 Then fing by turns, by turns the Muses fing, Now hawthorns bloffom, now the daifies fpring, Now leaves the trees, and flow'rs adorn the ground; Begin, the vales fhall ev'ry note rebound, VARIATIONS. VER. 36. And clusters lurk beneath the curling vines. P. VER. 35, 36. REMARK $. Lenta quibus torno facili fuperaddita vitis, Diffufos edera veftit pallente corymbos. Virg. P. VER. 38. The various feafons.] The fubject of these Pastorals engraven on the bowl is not without its propriet IMITATIONS. The Shepherd's hefitation at the name of the Zodiac, imitates that in Virgil, Et quis fuit alter, Defcripfit radio totum qui gentibus orbem? P. Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos, |