Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/442

 ^,8 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

Verfa 'written at the Garden: of W.lliam ShenstoNE, Efq', mar Ltrmingham, I7l(^-

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Jlle terrarum mihi pr iter cmnes

Angulus ridet. Ho R.

OULD you ihefe lovM recefTes trace. And view fair Nature's inodeft face f See her it» ev'iy field-How'r bloom i O'er cv'ry thicket Ihed perfume? By verdant groves, and vocal hills. By nioffy grots near purling rills. Where'er you turn your woiidering eyes. Behold her win without diiguife !

What tho' no pageant trifles here. As in the glare of courts, appear ; Tho' rarely here be heard the name Of rank, of title, pow'r, or fame ; Yet, if ingenuous be your mind, A blifs more pure and unconiin'd ^ Your fteps attend — Draw freely nigh. And meet the bard's benignant eyei On him no pendant forms await : No proud referve fhuts up his gate: No fpleen, no party-views controul That warm benevolence of foul. Which prompts the candid friendly part; Regardlefs of each gainful art ; Regardlefs of the world's acclaim ; And courteous with no felfifh aim. Draw freely nigh, and welcome find. If rot the coftly, yet the kind : O I he will lead you to the cells Where every Mufe and Virtue dwells ; Where the green Dryads guard his woods ; "Where the blue Naiads guide his floods ; Where all the fifter traces, gay. That Ihap'd his walk's meand'ring way. Stark naked, or but wreath'd with flow'rs. Lie numbering foft beneath his bow'rs.

Wak'd by the llock-dove's melting flrain Behold them rife ! and, with the train Of nymphs that haunt the llream or grove. Or o'er the flow'ry champain rove.

Join hand in hand, attentive gaze

And mark the Dance's myrtic maze.

" Such is the iva'ving line, they cry, " For ever dear to Fancy's eye ;

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