We that are of purer fire Imitate the starry quire, Who, in their nightly watchful spheres, Lead in fwift round the months and years. Trip the pert faeries and the dapper elves. 115 120 Night hath better sweets to prove, Venus now wakes, and wakens love. Come let us our rites begin, 125 'Tis only day-light that makes fin, Which thefe dun fhades will ne'er report. Dark-veil'd Cotytto, t' whom the secret flame 130 Stay thy cloudy ebon chair, Wherein thou rid'ft with Hecat', and befriend 135 of Of all thy dues be done, and none left out, The nice morn on th' Indian steep From her cabin'd loophole peep, And to the tell-tale fun defcry Our conceal'd folemnity. Come, knit hands, and beat the ground The MEASURE. Break off, break off, I feel the different pace 140 145 Run to your shrouds, within these brakes and trees; Benighted in these woods. Now to my charms, 150 155 Which must not be, for that's against my courfe; 160 And well-plac'd words of glozing courtesy Baited with reafons not unplaufible, Wind me into the easy-hearted man, And hug him into fnares. When once her eye Hath Hath met the virtue of this magic dust, I shall appear fome harmless villager, Whom thrift keeps up about his country gear. The LADY enters. This way the noife was, if mine ear be true, Such as the jocond flute, or gamesome pipe, 165 170 When for their teeming flocks, and granges full, 175 Of fuch late waffailers; yet O where else 180 185 To bring me berries, or fuch cooling fruit As the kind hofpitable woods provide. They left me then, when the gray-hooded Even, Rofe from the hindmoft wheels of Phoebus' wain, 190 Is now the labor of my thoughts; 'tis likelieft They They had engag'd their wandering steps too far, And envious darkness, ere they could return, Had ftole them from me; elfe, O thievith Night, 195 Why should't thou, but for some felonious end, In thy dark lantern thus close up the stars, That nature hung in Heav'n, and fill'd their lamps To the misled and lonely traveller ? This is the place, as well as I may guess, Of calling shapes, and beckoning fhadows dire, 200 205 On fands, and fhores, and defert wildernesses. I see you visibly, and now believe 215 That he, the Supreme Good, t' whom all things ill Would send a glistering guardian, if need were, Was I deceiv'd, or did a fable cloud Turn forth her filver lining on the night? 220 I did not err, there does a fable cloud Turn forth her filver lining on the night, Such noife as I can make to be heard fartheft 225 SWEET Echo, sweetest nymph, that liv'st unseen Within thy aery shell, By flow Meander's margent green, And in the violet-embroider'd vale, Where the love-lorn nightingale Nightly to thee her fad fong mourneth well; 235 Canft thou not tell me of a gentle pair That likeft thy Narciffus are? O if thou have Hid them in fome flowery cave, Tell me but where, Sweet queen of parly, daughter of the sphere, So may'st thou be tranflated to the skies, 240 And give refounding grace to all Heav'n's harmonies. COм. Can any mortal mixture of earth's mold Breathe fuch divine inchanting ravishment? 245 Sure fomething holy lodges in that breast, And with these raptures moves the vocal air How fweetly did they flote upon the wings VOL. III. K Of |