•402 Epigrams, Fragments, ^c. /rem the Greek. [Dec. 1, 



his perfon.* The poet has given his 

 fancy yet a wider range in the diftribution 

 of flowers which Perdita makes at the 

 paltoral-feaft in the " Winter's Tale." — 

 How beautifully the fame cuftoui with 

 that prevalent among the ancients of 

 ftrewing the gravts of the deceafed with 

 fljwers is introduced in the following 

 lines : 



O Proferpiiia ! 

 For the flowers now that, frighted, thou let'ft 



fall 

 From Dis's waggon ! daftbdils, 

 That come before the fwallow dares, and 



take 

 The winds of March with beauty ; violets 



dim, 

 But fweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes, 

 Or Cytherta's breath ; pale primrofes. 

 That die unmarried, ere they can behold 

 Bright Pbo»bus in his ftrcngth ; gold tulips, 



and 

 Ihe crown imperial ; lilies of all kinds. 

 The fleur-de lis being one ; oh ! thefe I 



lack 

 To make you garlands of ; and, my fweet 



friend, 

 To flrow liim o'er and o'er. 



f/oWaeA] What, likeacorfe? 



Ferditj ] No ; like a bank for love to lie 



and play on ; 

 Not like a corfe ; or if — not to be burled. 

 But quick, and in mine arms. 



Aft 4. Sc. 3. 



Among Burns's Scnttifli Poems is alfo 

 a very beautiful one defciibing with (he 

 fame mi.utentfs of det.iil a garland 

 woven for his miftiefs. But it would be 

 cndlefs to furn fh inftances cf this iia^ire 

 from the ftores of paftrril or naturally- 

 defcriptive poetry. In the ages ard in the 

 lards of chivalry no kfs were fl iwers 

 adopted as the emblems ot love or cor- 

 (laricy. 



" Julia Je Gonzaga, the wifeof Vtfpa- 

 fian Culonna, after her hulband's deaih 

 took for htT device an amaranth, which 

 l,trbs'ilt.' call " flower of love,' wiili a mntio 

 ♦.' i}oii tnoriturn,'' jjy wh.ch fhe meant to 

 *.,prefs that hsr firft love (houM be ete- n^il ; 

 and {he niaintaiaed her relolution ; for 

 fi.oUgh in the prime of youth and beauty, 

 and I'ought afier by the moll noble lords 

 t,: Italy, (he fent them all off with this 

 iliiemma: — "It the man I marry turns 

 cut a good hulband, I fliall he always 

 afraid of lofing him ; if a bad one, I 

 fhall not be able to end, ire him." She 

 laid, with the unfortunate Q^ieen of Car- 

 thage, but with a firmer niuid to fupport 

 her de:erminativ;n, 



* While fummer lafts, and I live here, 



FC.ele. 



Ille meos, primus qui me fibi junxit, amores 

 Abrtulit ; ille habeat feciim, fervetque fcpul- 

 chro. 



Bayle mod ungallantly fuppofes that 

 had t I.e Lady Julia met with an ..ffineas, 

 flie wjulil not have maintained her favou- 

 r^lte device longer than Dido did her oath j 

 but this is a moft impudent piece of fcur- 

 rility worthy of the author, but which 

 calls for the utter contempt of all who 

 pretend to the honour and lofty fpirit of 

 chivalry. 



But by far the greateft number of the 

 amorous poein? prelerved in tne Anih"lo- 

 giaareln praile of the fa^r, defcriptive of 

 the ia^)tiiits ol I'^ve or me charms of the 

 adorc>; object. Here the It lian (nnnet, 

 the ca. zone cf the Troub-douis- ai'd the 

 Englilh long, are but fo many fliades of 

 tlu old Greek epigram. Wnen Br n, in 

 the true language of romance, ex. kirns 



Who fees the heav'ily Rofilire, 

 That, like a ru.!e and f.ivage m<>n of In-)*, 

 At the firft opening of the gorgeous eaft, 

 Bows not his vafVal head, and, ftrucken 

 blind, 

 KilTes the bafe ground with obedient 

 breaft .> 

 What peremj-tory eagle-fighted eye 



Dares lo.'k upon the heaven of her brow 

 That is not blinded by her Majelly ? 



His addrefs is in the fame fpirit with 

 that of the Grecian courtier. 



Paul. iiii.ENT, 

 We alk no fiow'rs to crown the blulhing rofe. 

 Nor glittering gens thy beauteous form to 

 deck. 

 The pearl, in Perfia's precious gulpli that 

 glows. 

 Yields to the dazzling whiteriefs of thy 

 neck. 

 Gold adds not to the luftre of thine hair, 

 But, vanquifh'd, fheds a fainter radiancp 

 ihere. 



The Indian hyacintli's celeftial hue 



Shrinks from the pure effulgence of thiaff. 

 eye ; 



The P.iphidn ceftus br.thc; thy tips in dew. 

 And gives thy form celcftial harmony ; 



My foul would perilh in the melting blaze. 



But for thine eyes where Hope for ever pl^ys. 



And what is Dumain's elegant fonnet 

 in the fame romantic play (Love's La- 

 bour's Loll). 



On a day (alack the day !) 

 Love, whofe month is ever May, 

 Spied a bloffom paiTlng fair 

 Playing in the wanton air : 

 Tliro' the velvet leaves the wind 

 (All unfcen) 'gan paflage find, 



Th«t 



