LEANDER TO HERO.

By Mr. T A T E.

The ARGUMENT.

Leander, accuftom'd nightly to swim over the Hellefpont to vifit Hero (Prieftefs of Venus' Temple) being at laft binder'd by Storms from his wonted Courfe, fends ber the following Epifle.

Eceive this Letter from Leander, fraught

Rwith Service which he rather would have brought.

Read with a Smile,-and yet, if thou would'ft crown
My wifer Wishes, read them with a Frown:
That Anger from thy Kindness will proceed,
'Cause of Leander thou canst only read.
The Seas rage high, and fcarce could we prevail
With the most daring Mariner to fail.
Embark'd at laft, and skulking in the Hold,
My Stealth is to my jealous Parents told,
As much too tim'rous they, as I too bold.
I writ, fince Writing was my fole Relief,
And o'er the dewy Sheets thus breath'd my Grief.
Bleft Letter, go, my tend'reft Thoughts convey,
To her warm Lip thy Signets fhe will lay,
And with a Kifs diffolve thy Seals away.

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<Sev'n tedious Nights guiltless of Sleep I've stood;
Sigh'd with the Winds, and murmur'd with the Flood;
Then climbing th' utmoft Cliffs her Coaft to view,
My Tears, like Glaffes, th' Object nearer drew:
By th' adverse Winds and Waves detain'd on Shore,
My Thoughts run all our former Pleasures o'er,
And in foft Scenes of Fancy re-enjoy

The Bliss that did our Infant Loves employ.
'Twas Night (a Curfe on the impert'nent Light
That pry'd and marr'd the Pleafures of that Night)
When first I swam the Ford; while Cynthia's Beams
Look'd pale, and trembled for me in the Streams.
My drooping Arms, in hopes they shall at length
Embrace thy Neck, feel fresh Supplies of Strength,
The wond'ring Waves to their new Fury yield,
Not Tritons fafter plow the liquid Field.

Soon on the Temple's Spire your Torch I spy'd,
Fix'd like a Star my wat'ry Course to guide;
Which, Planet-like, fhoots Vigour through my Veins;
The Warmth of my Immortal Love fuftains,
In the cold Flood, Life's perifhing Remains.
But now the gentlest Star that bleft my Way,
Your bright felf on the Turret I furvey.
Then with redoubled Strokes the Waves divide,
And by my Hero am at last defcry'd:
Scarce could your careful Confident restrain,
But you would plunge, and meet me in the Main;
And made fo far your kind Endeavours good,
That Ankle-deep on the Ford's Brink you ftood,
And feem'd the new-ris'n Venus of the Flood.

The Shore now gain'd, to your dear Arms I flew,
All dropping as I was with briny Dew;

Nor prov'd for that a more unwelcome Guest;
Your warm Lip to my bloodless Cheek you preft,
Nor felt my Locks diftilling on your Breast.
Your hafty Robes are o'er my Shoulders thrown,
To fhroud my fhiv'ring Limbs, you stript your own:
Forgetting how your too officious Care

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Left thee (my tend'reft Part) expos'd to Air;
The Night and we are confcious to the reft;
Delights that ought not, cannot be expreft;
We knew fhort Space was to our Pleasures fet,
And therefore lov'd not at the common rate;
But th' utmost Fury of our Flames employ'd,
The Minutes flew lefs faft than we enjoy’d.
With fuch dispatch that Night's dear Joys we wrought,

To recollect would make an Age of Thought.

At length the fickning Stars began t' expire,
And I with them am fummon'd to retire.
Confus'dly then we our Love-Task dispatcht,
Ten thousand Kiffes in a Minute fnatcht.
Your Woman chid that I fo long delay'd,
You preft me close, then afk'd me why I ftaid.
My Stay you first reprov'd, and then my Hafte,
Nor cry'd Farewell, 'till you had clasp'd me fast.
Day broke ere we our Am'rous Strife could end;
Then fighing I to the cold Beech defcend.

Truft me, the Seas from your dear Coasts seem fleep,
And all the Way methinks I climb the Deep.
But when revifiting your Shores, I seem
Defcending ftill, and rather fall than fwim.

I loath my Native Soil, and only prize

That Region where my Love's dear Treasure lies. Why is not Seftos to Abydus join'd?

Since we united are in Heart and Mind.

The fame our Hopes, our Fears, and our Defires, Love is our Life, and one Love both inspires.

But ah! what Mis'ries on that Love attend, Whofe Joys on hum'rous Seas and Winds depend? I by their Quarrel lofe, forc'd to delay

My tender Vifit, 'till they end the Fray.

When first I croft the Gulph, the Dolphins gaz'd, The Sea Nymphs fled, the Tritons were amaz’d. But now no more I feem a Prodigy,

But pafs for an Inhabitant o' th' Sea.

And fince my Paffage is by Storms withstood,
I'm nightly miss'd by th' Brothers of the Flood.
Oft have I curft the tedious Way, but oh!
I wish in vain that tedious Paffage now.
Yield me again, kind Floods, my tiresome Way,
'Twas never half fo tiresome as my Stay.
Muft then my Halcyon Love all Winter fleep,
And ne'er launch forth into a troubled Deep?
Muft I defift my Homage to perform,
And fculk at home for ev'ry peevish Storm?
If thus the Summer Gufts detain my Course,
How shall I through the Winter Surges force?
Abfence ev'n then I shall not long sustain,
But boldly plunge into the raging Main;
And if the fwelling Floods not foon affwage,
I'll make my Boafting good, and dare their Rage.

My vent'rous 'Scape shall in your Arms be bleft,
Or if I'm loft, my anxious Love find Reft.
The Waves at least will do my Corps the grace
To waft it to my wonted landing Place:
Or if its own accord the am'rous Clay
Will thither float, nor lose so known a Way!

I guess your Kindness will ev'n then perform
To the cold Trunk, what you were wont when warm;
Your self dismantling, you will fhroud me o'er,

And grieve to find your Bofom's Warmth no more
Have Pow'r, my vital Spirits to restore.
If this fad Fancy difcompose thy Breast,

Think 'twas but Fancy, and resume thy Rest.
Invoke the wat❜ry Pow'rs, (thy Pray'rs are Charms}
T'affwage the Storm, and yield me to thy Arms.
But when to your dear Manfion I arrive,
Loose ev'ry Wind, and let the Tempest drive.
"Twill give my Stay Pretence, nor can you chide
Whilft Thunder pleads fo loudly on my fide.
'Till then permit this Letter to fupply
The Author's Place, and in thy Bofom lie.
Lodg'd in thy Breaft, my Paffion 'twill impart,
And whifper its foft Meffage to thy Heart.

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HERO's