; ) : ( 380 } 
= 
_ EMay; 
ORIGINAL POETRY. 
FROM TASSO’s AMINTA. » 
Act l—CuHorus or SHEPHERDS, 
1. 
EGAPPY;, happy age of gold! 
—Not becaufe ia copious itream, 
Rich the milky rivers roll’d ; 
—Not becaufe with lufcious gieam, 
Honey from the woods ditilP’d5 
While aleng the unfurrowed plain, 
Spontaneous wav'd the golden grain 3 
And no black envenom’d fnake, 
Hisling from the tangl’d brake, 
"The reaper’s heart with horror thrill’d ; 
~—Not becaufe no dark’ning cioud 
Sail’d along the blue ferene, 
But fuiling Spring on earth beftow’d 
A vefture of eternal green; 
=—Nor yet becaufe no vent’rous bark convey’d 
Fhe fierce affault of war, or trickful arts of 
trade : 
Tf. 
But becaufe that empty name—< 
Esror's ido!-—gaudy cheat— - ° Ses 
Rais’d by the vulgar breath to Fame— 
‘Phe gilded goddefs of Deceit ; 
Honour, the tyrant of our joys, 
O Pleafure ! in thy mantling bow], 
W hofe tafte exhilarates the foal, 
Enfus’d no bitter dregs of pain; 
But, free from care, the amorous train, 
Enyaptur’d, clafp’d the beauteous prize. 
‘hen, from rigorous trammels free, . 
Fron» blifs to blifs the fhepherds rov’d, 
Aad fung the tweets of Liberty: 
Loving fill—and till belov’d— 
No cold reftraint congeal’d the foul with awe, 
inftinét their only guide, and will their only 
law. 
Ht. 
Then, tripping o’er the fragrant flow’rs, 
By the murmuring rivuiet’s fide, 
While frolic wing’d the pafing hours, 
Ang through the mazy dance they hied, 
The lovelings bore no fatal bow— 
No blazing torch they wav’c around——= 
But feated on th’ enamell’d ground, 
Nymphs and {waists in pairs array’d, 
Gently breath’d the ardent vow ; 
‘—Murmurs bland c:reffes kind, 
- Melung looks provoxe the bhis, 
While lips of coral, thrice refin’d, 
Tmbibe the ioft tenacious kils: 
No envious ftole the virgin’s beauties fhade, 
—One glafiy fountain laves the youth and 
tportive maid. 
IV. 
But never, never to return! 
Too foon is fled this blifsful age! 
— With amorous thirit when lovers burn, 
And fancy kindles into rage, 
Seal'd is the fountain of delight. 
—Aw'd by Honour’s fern controul, 
The lips no longer breathe the foul 5 
No longer from the eye of fire 
Beams the glance of fond defires 
Blazing with refiftiefs light. 
The locks that floated on the breeze, 
No longer wanton unconfin’d 5 
Reftrain’d,. the namelefs winning ways 
The index of the melting mind’; 
Relentlefs Honour! by thy fiern command, 
Furtive and f-ant the joys once dealt with 
lib’ral hand. 
Wi 
Author of our bittereft. pains—~ 
Tyrant of Nature—bane of Love== 
Wherefore, ’mid the rural plains, » 
Thy fway éhould fimple fhepherds prove ? 
Haiie! away! with turbid dream 
Diftra& the flumbers of the great, 
And pall the joys of kingly fate: 
*—But let Nature’s darling child, 
The tenant of the Sy van wild, 
Sail fmoothly down Time’s rapid ftream = 
Our moments fpeed ther hafty flight, 
And brief is life’s uncertain day; 
Then let us fnatch the dear delight, 
And tate Love’s raptures while we may. 
The fetting fun remounts the Eaftern wave— - 
But, ah! no fun: illumes the darknefs of the 
grave. Bev 
Gateacre. W. SHEPHERD, 
a 
LAT RE Ss 
By CHarres Lioyp, 
Written on the 12th of February, 1797» 
THE AUTHOR’S BIRTH-DAY. 
"THIS is my Natat Day! To me, the 
+=. thought 
_ Awalgens ferious mufings, and the figh 
»OF fofen’d recoll-ction. Heretofore, 
This’ dy has ne’er return’d, fince manhood 
fhap’d 
My wayward heart, not finding me the dupe” 
Of feverihh day-dreams, and the very flave 
Of Hope’s delicious phantafies. This day 
Has ne’er return’d, not finding me pofieft 
Of ner, whofe parent-claims to love were lof 
In Friendhip’s mightier atiributes ! O God! 
_ And aim I doom’d this very day to know 
Thofe dreams, Hope’s phantafies, and my firf, 
friend, 
For ever gone ! 
—It boots not to complain 5 
Therefore will I, with meek and bowed 
thoughts, ah 
Mufe calmly on life’s defolated path! 
As the way-wanderer, who the onward track 
Gazes unanxious, tho’ the bleak day fade— 
Tho’ the wet winds fweep chilly ; aid the bark 
4 QF 
