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120

Here young Narcissus o'er the fountain stood,
And view'd his image in the crystal flood,
The crystal flood reflects his lovely charms,
And the pleas'd image strives to meet his arms.
No nymph his unexperienc'd breast subdued,
Echo in vain the flying boy pursued,
Himself alone the foolish youth admires,
And with fond look the smiling shade desires;
O'er the smooth lake with fruitless tears he grieves,
His spreading fingers shoot in verdant leaves,
Through his pale veins green sap now gently flows,
And in a short-liv'd flower his beauty blows. 126
Let vain Narcissus warn each female breast,

That beauty's but a transient good at best;
Like flowers it withers with the' advancing year,
And age, like winter, robs the blooming fair. 130
Oh! Araminta, cease thy wonted pride,
Nor longer in thy faithless charms confide;
Ev'n while the glass reflects thy sparkling eyes,
Their lustre and thy rosy colour flies!

Thus on the Fan the breathing figures shine, 135 And all the powers applaud the wise design.

140

The Cyprian queen the painted gift receives, And with a grateful bow the synod leaves : To the low world she bends her steepy way, Where Strephon pass'd the solitary day : She found him in a melancholy grove, His downcast eyes betray'd desponding love; The wounded bark confess'd his slighted flame, And every tree bore false Corinna's name. In a cool shade he lay with folded arms, Curses his fortune, and upbraids her charms, When Venus to his wondering eyes appears, And with these words relieves his amorous cares

145

"Rise, happy youth! this bright machine survey,

Whose rattling sticks my busy fingers sway;
This present shall thy cruel charmer move,
And in her fickle bosom kindle love.

150

"The Fan shall flutter in all female hands, And various fashions learn from various lands: For this shall elephants their ivory shed, And polish'd sticks the waving engine spread; His clouded mail the tortoise shall resign, And round the rivet pearly circles shine: On this shall Indians all their art employ, And with bright colours stain the gaudy toy; 160 Their paint shall here in wildest fancies flow, Their dress, their customs, their religion show; So shall the British fair their minds improve, And on the Fan to distant climates rove. Here China's ladies shall their pride display, 165 And silver figures gild their loose array:

155

This boasts her little feet and winking eyes;
That tunes the pipe, or tinkling cymbal plies:
Here cross-leg'd nobles in rich state shall dine,
There in bright mail distorted heroes shine.
The peeping Fan in modern times shall rise,
Through which unseen the female ogle flies:
This shall in temples the sly maid conceal,

170

And shelter love beneath devotion's veil.

Gay France shall make the Fan her artists' care,

176

And with the costly trinket arm the fair.
As learned orators that touch the heart,
With various action raise their soothing art,
Both head and hand affect the listening throng,
And humour each expression of the tongue : 180
So shall each fashion by the Fan be seen,
From noisy anger to the sullen spleen."

While Venus spoke, joy shone in Strephon's eyes,

Proud of the gift, he to Corinna flies:

But Cupid (who delights in amorous ill,
Wounds hearts, and leaves them to a woman's will)

185

With certain aim a golden arrow drew,
Which to Leander's panting bosom flew:
Leander lov'd, and to the sprightly dame
In gentle sighs reveal'd his growing flame;
Sweet smiles Corinna to his sighs returns,
And for the fop in equal passion burns.

190

Lo, Strephon comes? and with a suppliant bow

Offers the present, and renews his vow.

When she the fate of Niobe beheld, 'Why has my pride against my heart rebell'd?" She sighing cried: disdain forsook her breast, And Strephon now was thought a worthy guest. In Procris' bosom when she saw the dart, She justly blames her own suspicious heart; 200 Imputes her discontent to jealous fear, And knows her Strephon's constancy sincere. When on Camilla's fate her eye she turns, No more for show and equipage she burns: She learns Leander's passion to despise, And looks on merit with discerning eyes.

195

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Narcissus' change to the vain virgin shows, Who trusts to beauty trusts the fading rose. Youth flies apace, with youth your beauty flies; Love then, ye virgins! ere the blossom dies. 210 Thus Fallas taught her. Strephon weds the dame, And Hymen's torch diffus'd the brightest flame.

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GREAT marvel hath it been, (and that not unworthily) to diverse worthy wits, that in this our island of Britain, in all rare sciences so greatly abounding, more especially in all kinds of poësy highly flourishing, no poet (though otherways of notable cunning in roundelays) hath hit on the right simple Eclogue, after the true ancient guise of Theocritus, before this mine attempt.

Other poets travailing in this plain highway of pastoral know I none. Yet, certes, such it behoveth a pastoral to be, as nature in the country affordeth; and the manners also meetly copied from the rustical folk therein. In this also my love to my native country Britain much pricketh me forward, to describe aright the manners of our own honest and laborious ploughmen: in no wise, sure, more unworthy a British poet's imitation, than those of Sicily or Arcady; albeit, not igno

Z2

rant I am what a rout and rabblement of critical gallimawfry hath been made of late days by certain young men of insipid delicacy, concerning I wist not what Golden Age, and other outrageous conceits, to which they would confine pastoral: whereof, I avow, I account nought at all, knowing no age so justly to be instiled Golden, as this of our sovereign lady Queen Anne.

This idle trumpery (only fit for schools and schoolboys) unto that ancient Doric shepherd Theocritus, or his mates, was never known; he rightly, throughout his fifth Idyl, maketh his louts give foul language, and behold their goats at rut in all simplicity.

Ωιπολος οκκ' εσορη τας μηκαδας οια βαζευνται
Τακέλαι οφθαλμως, οτι 8 τραγος αυτος εγενῖο.

THEOCR.

Verily, as little pleasance receiveth a true homebred taste from all the fine finical newfangled fooleries of this gay Gothic garniture, wherewith they so nicely bedeck their court clowns, or clown courtiers, (for which to call them rightly, I wot not) as would a prudent citizen journeying to his country farms, should he find them occupied by people of this motley make; instead of plain, down-right, hearty, cleanly folk, such as be now tenants to the burgesses of this realm.

Furthermore, it is my purpose, gentle Reader, to set before thee, as it were, a picture, or rather lively landscape of thy own country, just as thou mightest see it, didst thou take a walk into the fields at the proper season; even as Maister Milton hath elegantly set forth the same.

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