And hence th' egregious wizard shall foredoom

The fate of Louis and the fall of Rome.

Then cease, bright Nymph! to mourn thy ravish'd

hair,

Which adds new glory to the fhining sphere!
Not all the treffes that fair head can boast,
Shall draw fuch envy as the Lock you loft.
For, after all the murders of your eye,
When, after millions flain, yourself shall die
When those fair funs fhall fet, as fet they muft,
And all thofe treffes shall be laid in dust,

;

This Lock, the Mufe fhall confecrate to fame,
And 'midst the ftars infcribe Belinda's name.

1

THE

THE HERMIT.

This poem is held in juft efteem, the verfification being chafte, and tolerably harmonious, and the ftory told with perfpicuity and concifenefs. It feems to have coft great labour, both to Mr. Pope, and Parnell himself, to bring it to this perfection. It may not be amifs to obferve, that the fable is taken from one of Dr. Henry Moore's Dialogues.

F

AR in a wild, unknown to public view,

From youth to age a rev'rend Hermit grew ; The mofs his bed, the cave his humble cell, His food the fruits, his drink the cryftal well: Remote from man, with God he pafs'd the days, Pray'r all his bus'nefs, all his pleasure, praise. A life fo facred, fuch ferene repofe, Seem'd heav'n itself, till one fuggeftion rofe; That vice fhould triumph, virtue vice obey; This fprung fome doubt of providence's sway: His hopes no more a certain prospect boast, And all the tenour of his foul is loft: So when a smooth expanfe receives, impreft, Calm nature's image on its watry breast, Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow, And fkies beneath with anfw'ring colours glow :

But if a ftone the gentle fea divide,

Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry fide,
And glimmering fragments of a broken sun,
Banks, feas, and skies, in thick disorder run.

To clear this doubt, to know the world by fight, To find if books, or fwains, report it right;

(For yet by fwains alone the world he knew,
Whose feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew)
He quits his cell; the Pilgrim-ftaff he bore,
And fix'd the Scallop in his hat before;
Then with the fun a rifing journey went,
Sedate to think, and watching each event.
The morn was wasted in the pathless grafs,
And long and lonesome was the wild to pass;
But when the fouthern fun had warm'd the day,
A youth came pofting o'er a croffing way;
His rayment decent, his complexion fair,
And foft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair.
Then, near approaching, Father, hail! he cry'd,
And hail, my Son, the rev'rend fire reply'd;
Words follow'd words, from question answer flow'd,
And talk of various kind deceiv'd the road;
"Till each with other pleas'd, and loth to part,
While in their rage they differ, join in heart:
Thus ftands an aged elm in ivy bound;
Thus youthful ivy clasps an elm around.

Now funk the fun; the closing hour of day
Came onward, mantled o'er with sober grey;
Nature in filence bid the world repofe;
When, near the road, a ftately palace rofe:

There

There, by the moon, thro' ranks of trees they país,
Whofe verdure crown'd their floping fides of grafs.
It chanc'd the noble master of the dome,

Still made his house the wand'ring stranger's home:
Yet ftill the kindness, from a thirft of praife,
Prov'd the vain flourish of expensive ease.
The pair arrive: the livery'd fervants wait;
Their lord receives them at the pompous gate,
The table groans with costly piles of food,
And all is more than hofpitably good.
Then led to reft, the day's long toil they drown,
Deep funk in fleep, and filk, and heaps of down.
At length 'tis morn, and, at the dawn of day,
Along the wide canals the Zephyrs play;
Fresh o'er the gay parterre the breezes creep,
And shake the neighb'ring wood to banish sleep.
Up rife the guests, obedient to the call:
An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall;
Rich, luscious wine a golden goblet grac'd,
Which the kind master forc'd the guests to taste.
Then, pleas'd and thankful, from the porch they go;
And, but the landlord, none had cause of woe;
His cup was vanifh'd; for, in fecret guife,
The younger guest purloin'd the glitt'ring prize.
As one who fpies a ferpent in his way,
Glist'ning and basking in the summer ray,
Disorder'd ftops to fhun the danger near,

Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear:
So feem'd the fire, when, far upon the road,

The shining spoil his wily partner show'd.

He stopp'd with filence; walk'd with trembling heart, And much he wish'd, but durft not ask to part: Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard, That gen'rous actions meet a base reward.

While thus they pafs, the fun his glory fhrouds,. The changing skies hang out their sable clouds ; A found in air prefag'd approaching rain, And beats to covert fcud across the plain. Warn'd by the figns the wand'ring pair retreat, To feek for fhelter at a neighb'ring feat. 'Twas built with turrets, on a rifing ground, And strong, and large, and unimprov'd around ; Its owner's temper tim'rous and severe, Unkind and griping, caus'd a defart there.

As near the mifer's heavy doors they drew, Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew ; The nimble lightning, mix'd with fhow'rs, began, And o'er their heads loud rolling thunder ran. Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain, Driv'n by the wind, and batter'd by the rain. At length fome pity warm'd the master's breaft, ("Twas then his threshold first receiv'd a guest) Slow, creaking, turns the door, with jealous care, And half he welcomes in the shiv'ring pair ; One frugal faggot lights the naked walls, And nature's fervour thro' their limbs recalls : Bread of the coarseft fort, with eager wine, (Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine; And, when the tempeft first appear'd to cease, A ready warning bid them part in peace.