Of filence, through the empty-vaulted night, every fall smoothing the raven down At Of darkness till it fmil'd! I have oft heard My mother Circe with the Syrens three, Culling their potent herbs, and baleful drugs, 255 Who as they fung, would take the prifon'd foul, And chid her barking waves into attention, And fell Charybdis murmur'd soft applause: Yet they in pleafing flumber lull'd the fenfe, I never heard till now. I'll speak to her, 260 And the shall be my queen. Hail, foreign wonder, 265 Whom certain these rough fhades did never breed, Unless the Goddefs that in rural fhrine Dwell'ft here with Pan, or Sylvan, by bleft song Forbidding every bleak unkindly fog To touch the profperous growth of this tall wood. 270 Not any boast of skill, but extreme shift To give me anfwer from her moffy couch. 275 [thus? COM. What chance, good Lady, hath bereft you LA. Dim darkness, and this leafy labyrinth. COM. COM. Could that divide you from near-ufhering guides? LA. They left me weary on a graffy turf. 280 COм. By falfhood, or difcourtesy, or why? turn. COм. Perhaps fore-ftalling night prevented them. LA. How cafy my misfortune is to hit! COM. Imports their lofs, befide the prefent need? LA. No less than if I should my Brothers lofe. COм. Were they of manly prime, or youthful bloom? LA. As fmooth as Hebe's their unrazor'd lips. 290 COM. Two fuch I faw, what time the labor'd ox In his loofe traces from the furrow came, And the fwinkt hedger at his fupper fat; I faw them under a green mantling vine That crawls along the fide of yon small hill, Plucking ripe clusters from the tender shoots; Their port was more than human, as they stood: I took it for a faëry vision Of fome gay creatures of the element, That in the colors of the rainbow live,. And play i'th' plighted clouds. I was aw-ftruck, 295 300 What readiest way would bring me to that place? 305 COM. Due weft it rifes from this fhrubby point. LA. To find out that, good Shepherd, I suppose, In fuch a fcant allowance of star-light, Would overtask the best land-pilot's art, Without the fure guess of well-practis'd feet. COM. I know each lane, and every alley green, Dingle, or bushy dell of this wild wood, And every bofky bourn from fide to fide, 310 315 But loyal cottage, where you may be safe 320 LA. Shepherd, I take thy word, And trust thy honeft offer'd courtesy, Which oft is fooner found in lowly sheds With smoky rafters, than in tap'stry halls And courts of princes, where it first was nam'd, 325 And yet is most pretended: In a place I cannot be, that I should fear to change it. trial To my proportion'd ftrength! Shepherd, lead on. The two BROTHERS. 330 I BRO. Unmuffle, ye faint Stars, and thou fair Moon, That wont'ft to love the traveller's benizon, Stoop Stoop thy pale vifage through an amber cloud, With thy long level'd rule of streaming light, 2 BRO. Or if our eyes Be barr'd that happiness, might we but hear 335 340 345 350 Where may she wander now, whither betake her Or 'gainst the rugged bark of fome broad elm Or, while we speak, within the direful grasp I BRO. Peace, Brother, be not over-exquisite To caft the fashion of uncertain evils : K 3 360 What What need a man forestall his date of grief, I do not think my Sister so to feek, Or fo unprincipled in virtue's book, 365 And the sweet peace that goodness bofoms ever, (Not being in danger, as I trust she is not) 370 Could ftir the constant mood of her calm thoughts, Virtue could fee to do what virtue would By her own radiant light, though fun and moon 375 Where with her beft nurse contemplation She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings, Were all too ruffled, and fometimes impair'd. 380 May fit i'th' center, and enjoy bright day: Himfelf is his own dungeon. 2 BRO. 'Tis most true, That mufing meditation most affects The penfive fecrecy of defert cell, 385 Far from the chearful haunt of men and herds, And fits as fafe as in a fenate house; For who would rob a hermit of his weeds, 390 His |