182 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN aUIDE. 



Near this obelisk, opposite a clashing 

 fall of water, was a scat addressed to tlie 

 poet Thomson, author of the " Seasons," 

 bearing a Latin inscription with a quo- 

 tation from the 5 Ec Virgil, thus Eng- 

 lished— 



" To the celebrated Poet 



James Thomso:^, 



Xear those Fountains in -n hich he delighted, 



William Siiexstone 



Raised this Seat." 



"What present worth thy verse can Mopsus find, 

 Not the soft whispers of the southern wind, 

 That play thro' tremblins trees, dcliaht me more, 

 Nov murmuring billows on the sounding shore, 

 Nor wending strcamsthat through the valley glide, 

 And the scarce cover'd pebbles gently chide." 



JDri/den, 

 Every object combined its force to de- 

 light the eye and bewilder tlie imagination. 

 On the left was seen the distant prospect 

 of a foaming cascade, throwing its silver 

 sheets of water over eragsy rocks ; be- 

 neath was a rustic bridge, of simple con- 

 struction, and on an opposite bank to the 

 right appeared a dropping fountain, creep- 

 ing through the mossy veins of a wild 

 stony mass, and stealing down the shelv- 

 ing bounds into the opaque glen, charm- 

 ingly interwoven with stately trees, and 

 brushing underwood. In this sequestered 

 retreat the poet Thomson delighted to 

 sing 



" The Seasons and their change." 



The path from heucc approached a 

 secluded spot whereon was a bench over- 

 hung with these lines — 



" O let me haunt this peaceful shade. 

 Nor let ambition e'er invade 

 The tenant of this leafy bower 

 That shuns her path, and slights her power. 



"Hither the peaceful halcyon flies 

 I'rom social meads and open skies, 

 Pleas'd by this rill her course to steer 

 And hide her sapphire plumage here. 



" The trout, bedropt with crimson stains, 

 Forsakes the river's proud domains — 

 Forsakes the sun's unwelcome gleam, 

 To lurk within this humble stream. 



" And sure I heard the Naiad say, 

 ' Mow, flow, my stream, this devious war; 

 Though lovely ^oft thy murmurs are, 

 Thy water's Uvely, cool, and fair.' 



"Flow, gentle stream, nor let the vain 

 Thy small, unsullied stores disdain • 

 Nor let the pensive sai;e repine ' 

 Whose latent course resembles thine.'' 



Returning to the obelisk, a winding 

 path led through a beanteous glen to' the 

 cascade, which bursting at once fully on 

 the view, arrested the spectator with sud- 

 den admiration. At the bottom of the 

 fall, in a rocky excavation, was a stone 

 seat and recess, and on the other side of 

 the stream a figure of Venus appeared as 

 if rising out of the white foaming surge of 



the cascade. The pedestal of the figure 

 bore these lines : — 



" Semi Edueata Venus." 

 " Tenus, half abashed, reveals 

 Those charms her blush in vain conceals." 



It was, no doubt, the recollection of 

 this beautiful figure that elicited from the 

 poet of the "Seasons" the elegant de- 

 scription of tl)c "Bathing JN^yniph," so 

 graphically portrayed in his poem on 

 Summer. A tablet against a venerable 

 oak was thus inscribed : — 



"Sweet Nniad, in tliis crystal wave. 

 Thy beauteous limbs with Jreedom lave. 

 By friendly shades encompassed, fly 

 The rude approach of vulgar eye. 

 Yet grant the courteous and the kind 

 To trace thy footsteps unconfined ; 

 And grant the swain thy charms to sec, 

 Vv'ho form'd these Irieudly shades for thee." 



Pursuing our way, on the left of the 

 cascade was a small stream highly im- 

 pregnated with mineral particles ; it issued 

 from under a square stone, bearing this 

 inscription : — 



" Fons Ferrugineus, 



Divae Qude Secessu Isto, 



Frui Conccdit, 



Salati." 



"This Mineral Spring, 



Dedicated to the Goddess of Health, 



In thisKetreat." 



A gloomy path led to a root-house, 

 concealed in a secluded nook. The fol- 

 lowing beauteous lines, by Slicnstone, 

 were inscribed within, which, from their 

 being set to music by the Earl of Moru- 

 ington, father of the late Duke of "Welling- 

 ton, are popular amongst all true lovers of 

 harmony : — 



" Here, in cool grot and mossy cell, 

 We rural lays and fairies dwell; 

 Though rarely seen by mortal eye. 

 When the pale moon, ascending high. 

 Darts through yon limes her quivering beams. 

 We frisk it nea'r thefe crystal streams. 



" Her beams, reflected from the wave, 

 Aftbrd thi; light our revels crave ; 

 The turf with daisies bordered o'er. 

 Exceeds, we wot, the Parian floor ; 

 Nor yet for artful strains we call. 

 But listen to the water's fall. 



" U'"ould you th^ n taste our tranquil scene, 

 Be sure your bosoms be serene — 

 Devoid o"f hate, devoid of strife. 

 Devoid of all that poisons life ; 

 And much it 'vails you in this place 

 To graft the love of human race ; 



"And tread with awe these favour'd bowers. 

 Nor wound the shrubs, i,or bruise the flowers. 

 So may your path with sweets abound ! 

 So Uiay your c uoh with rest be crown'd ! 

 But harm betide the wayward swain 

 Who dares oiu: hallow'd haunts pro.'ane." 



William Shenstone, Esq., was born 

 A. D. 1714. He was removed from his 

 earthly paradise, we trust, to the enjoy- 



