(87) WINTER: THE FOURTH PASTORAL. OR DAPHNE. TO THE MEMORY OF MRS. TEMPEST. LYCIDAS. THYRSIS, the music of that murm'ring spring WINTER.] This was the poet's favourite pastoral. 5 THIR Mrs. Tempest.] This lady was of an ancient family in Yorkshire, and particularly admired by the author's friend Mr. Walsh, who having celebrated her in a pastoral elegy, desired his friend to do the same, as appears from one of his letters, dated Sept. 9, 1706. "Your last Eclogue being on the same subject with mine, on Mrs. Tempest's death, I should take it very kindly in you to give it a little turn, as if it were to the memory of the same lady." Her death having happened on the night of the great storm in 1703, gave a propriety to this Eclogue, which in its general turn alludes to it. The scene of the pastoral lies in a grove; the time at midnight. VER. 1. Thirsis, the music, &c.] Adú 71, &c. Theocr. Id. i. THIRSIS. Behold the So LYCIDAS. may And swell the future harvest of the field. kind rains their vital moisture yield, Begin; this charge the dying Daphne gave, And said, "Ye shepherds sing around my grave !" Sing, while beside the shaded tomb I mourn, And with fresh bays her rural shrine adorn. THYRSIS. 15 20 Ye gentle Muses, leave your crystal spring, Let nymphs and sylvans cypress garlands bring, Ye weeping loves, the stream with myrtles hide, And break your bows, as when Adonis dy'd ; And with your golden darts, now useless grown, 25 Inscribe a verse on this relenting stone: "Let nature change, let heav'n and earth deplore, "Fair Daphne's dead, and love is now no more!" 'Tis done, and nature's various charms decay, See gloomy clouds obscure the cheerful day! Now hung with pearls the dropping trees appear, Their faded honours scatter'd on her bier. See, where on earth the flow'ry glories lie, With her they flourish'd, and with her they die. Ah Ah what avail the beauties nature wore? Fair Daphne's dead, and beauty is no more! For her the flocks refuse their verdant food, In notes more sad than when they sing their own; Her name with pleasure once she taught the shore, No grateful dews descend from ev'ning skies, 45 Nor morning odours from the flow'rs arise; 50 - No more the mounting larks, while Daphne sings, Shall list'ning in mid-air suspend their wings; No more the birds shall imitate her lays, 55 Or hush'd with wonder, hearken from the sprays: No more the streams their murmurs shall forbear, Her fate is whisper'd by the gentle breeze, бо The trembling trees, in ev'ry plain and wood, Swell'd with new passion, and o'erflows with tears; 65 70 ! But see! where Daphne wond'ring mounts on high, Above the clouds, above the starry sky! Eternal beauties grace the shining scene, Fields ever fresh, and groves for ever green There while you rest in amaranthine bow'rs, Or from those meads select unfading flow'rs, Behold us kindly, who your name implore, Daphne, our Goddess, and our grief no more! LYCIDAS. How all things listen, while thy Muse complains! Such silence waits on Philomela's strains, In some still ev'ning, when the whisp❜ring breeze 75 80 While plants their shade, or flow'rs their odours give, Thy name, thy honour, and thy praise shall live! THYRSIS. But see, Orion sheds unwholesome dews; 85 Arise, the pines a noxious shade diffuse; Adieu, ye vales, ye mountains, streams, and groves, 90 VER. 89, &c.] These four last lines allude to the several subjects of the four Pastorals, and to the several scenes of them, particularized before in each. |