50 
Etiam suaviorl, 
Habitiori, 
Venusttori, 
Solidz magis, et mag's succiplere, 
Quam cum ipsa in vivis fuerit! _ 
O fortunatum virum, et invidendum ! 
Cui proprium hoc, et peculiare, contigit, 
Apud se habere fceminam. 
Eandem semper ‘nee mutabilem. 
SES 
VERSES, 
WNDRESSED TO DR. THORNTON, ON HIS 
BEAUTIFUL GROUP OF ROSES, PUB- 
LISHED IN NUMBER XXX. OF HIS 
6* TEMPLE OF FLORA.” 
THE CONSECRATION OF THE ROSES, 
HEN first, as ancient bards:have sung, 
. The queen of love from ocean sprung ; 
To grace her head, to deck her bow’rs, 
The earth produc’d the queen of flow’rs ; 
Coéval, and congenial charms, _ 
With the same living blush that warms 
Her mantling cheek, thy petal glows 5 
Emblem of Venus, beauteotis Rose, 
The raptur’d gods her form survey’dy 
Reclin’d beneath a myrtle’s shade ; 
Whose boughs, of ever-during green, 
Thy new-born blossoms smii’d between. 
Mark! whilst thy prototype they greet, 
And spread their chaplets at her feet 5 
Mix’d with the myrtle’s polish’d leaves, 
Flora a gayer garland weaves ; 
Cull’d from thy blooming beds most fair, 
To decorate her silken hair; 
It’s glossy ringlets they entwine, 
Yet humid from the sparkling brine; 
And, as the lovely locks they meet, 
To form a symbol more complete ; 
Lo! crisped curls their heads adorn, 
Wet with the-glitt’ring dews cf morn; 
© ! flow’r, with peerless gifts elate, 
Like Venus form’d to captivate ; 
Her dazzling influence round thee flows: 
Fav’rite of Flora! Mossy Rose ! 
Now Bacchus gathers from the ground, 
The purple gems his brows that crowa’d 5 
And now a roseate branch he crops, 
‘Then bathes the sprigs with ruby drops, 
Distilling from the nect’reous vine 3 
And bids them with its clusters twine: 
Thus, thus we find the Damask Rose, 
Theruddy flush of Bacchus shows. 
To seize the trophies of the bush, 
Wext, see the ged of battles rush ! 
As from the trembling tree he tears 
His sternly-smiling forehead bears - 
Their tenderstems. Oh, haste too fierce! 
The vengeful thorns his temples pierce! 
And with his blood, the flow’rs retain 
‘Th’ entwisting laurel’s sanguine stain: 
Sweet spoil of Mars, the Blocd-red Rose, 
Array’d in deep-dy’d crimson grows. 
The festive deities convene, 
2While Phebus smiles upon the scene; 
Original Poetry: : - [Asg. 1; 
Who, titl his sister rules the hours, 
Loit’ring amid Love’s rosy bow’rs, 
Each flow’r with ardent gaze inspects. 
And all admires, yet none selects: 
But waits til! she shali fix lier choice, 
And hails her with fraternal voice : 
At length, withdrawn his piercing light, 
Envelop’d in the shades of night, 
Wit, and convivial Mi:th dance round, 
And Harmiony’s sweet songs resound 5 
Till ’whelm’d in bacchanalian roar, 
Alas! her voice is heard no more: 
See jealous Clamour! Uproar wild! 
Vhere lately Peace, with Pleasure smil’d ¢ 
Th’ affrighted nymph from earth is driv’ng 
And flies, on trembling wings to Heav’n! 
Pale Dian, peeping from the woods, 
Eyes the bright goddess of the floods, 
With half-everted leoks askance ; 
Asham’d to meet her wanton glance: 
And shock’d, the plant of plants to see 
Consign’d to War and Revelry ; 
An infant bud, with gentle hand 
She plucks, and there its leaves expand ¢ 
Behoid, it feels her snowy breast! 
And like the spotless lily drest, 
With chasten’d charms the flow’ret blows, 
Her virgin type, the Weitc-clad Rose. , 
Anon, with sylvan foliage-bound, 
Its stems her brow encircle ‘round ; 
Yet, on that modest brow serene, 
A glance from beauty’s am’rous queen, 
Suffuses soft its pallid face, 
From whence the MJaiden’s Blusb we trace, 
E’en, whilst ber pearly buds absorb 
The silv’ry streams of Luna’s orb ; 
Oft Venus tempers from afar, 
ts cold beams with her glowing ‘star 5 
And thus, tho’ seeming to contend, 
Cynthia and Cytherea blend ; 
And purity and love unite, 
In motley streaks of red and white; 
Hence does the Variegated Rose, 
lis parti-coloured garb disclose, 
Thee, royal rose! all, all admire 5 
Yet still we love the humble brier 5 
Like her own simple wocd-nymphs wildy 
The huntress rears th’ adopted child 5 
It oznaments their verdant haunts, 
Amid the-forest’s tow?ring plants + 
The cultur’d flow’r Diana chose, : 
Her Dryads wear the Rustic- Rose 
Now, as the meek-eyed Moon retreats, 
Her brother’s kindling glance he meets 
And from her argent buds bestows ie8 
New honours for his heav’nly brows5 > - 
Who, a tiara as he wreathes, 
On each celestial odours breathes 5 
And, in return, their fragrant sighs, 
Like incense to the God arise ! 
The flow’ry constellation bright, 
Spangling his diadem of light 5 
Reflects Apollo’s glorious blaze, 
And drinks the spirit of his rays; _ 
Terrestrial 
