The poetical and dramatic works of Sir Charles Sedley Collected and Edited from the Old Editions: With a preface on the text, explanatory and textual notes, an appendix containing works of doubtful authenticity, and a bibliography: By V. de Sola Pinto |
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| CXIX. | CXIX THE SIXTH PASTORAL |
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 | The poetical and dramatic works of Sir Charles Sedley |  |
CXIX
THE SIXTH PASTORAL
My Muse first sported with Sicilian Strains,
Nor blush'd Thalia in the Woods and Plains
To dwell, when aiming at sublimer Things,
War's wastful Fury, and the Deeds of Kings;
Nor blush'd Thalia in the Woods and Plains
To dwell, when aiming at sublimer Things,
War's wastful Fury, and the Deeds of Kings;
Apollo gently whisper'd in my Ear,
And thus he said, rash Tityrus! beware,
Sheep and low Strains best suit the Shepherd's Care.
Thus, while oh! Varus! other Bards proceed
To sing thy Fame, and tell each dreadful Deed,
Inferior Aims provoke my Muse's Lays,
And yet not wholly she despairs of Praise,
While she ingraves on ev'ry Tree thy Name,
While Varus! thee ev'n lowly Shrubs proclaim;
For he whose Lines thy worthy Mention bear,
Is sure of Phœbus the peculiar Care.
And thus he said, rash Tityrus! beware,
Sheep and low Strains best suit the Shepherd's Care.
Thus, while oh! Varus! other Bards proceed
To sing thy Fame, and tell each dreadful Deed,
Inferior Aims provoke my Muse's Lays,
And yet not wholly she despairs of Praise,
While she ingraves on ev'ry Tree thy Name,
While Varus! thee ev'n lowly Shrubs proclaim;
For he whose Lines thy worthy Mention bear,
Is sure of Phœbus the peculiar Care.
Proceed, ye Muses, in his usual Guize
Chromis and M[n]asylus by Chance surprize
Silenus, in a Cave to sleep compos'd,
With Fumes of yester's Wine and the God was doz'd:
High hung his Pitcher old and in decay,
And fall'n far off his rosy Garland lay;
With Joy (for oft the Sire in vain believ'd,
Had both the Youths with promis'd Verse deceiv'd).
Approaching softly, they secure his Hands,
With his own Wreath transform'd to sudden Bands.
Herself to these the beauteous Ægle joyn'd
A Nymph! the fairest of the wat'ry Kind;
And as awak'd he casts around his Eyes,
With Mulb'ry's Juice his Front and Temples dies.
Chromis and M[n]asylus by Chance surprize
Silenus, in a Cave to sleep compos'd,
With Fumes of yester's Wine and the God was doz'd:
High hung his Pitcher old and in decay,
And fall'n far off his rosy Garland lay;
With Joy (for oft the Sire in vain believ'd,
Had both the Youths with promis'd Verse deceiv'd).
Approaching softly, they secure his Hands,
With his own Wreath transform'd to sudden Bands.
Herself to these the beauteous Ægle joyn'd
A Nymph! the fairest of the wat'ry Kind;
And as awak'd he casts around his Eyes,
With Mulb'ry's Juice his Front and Temples dies.
He smil'd at their Design; for what he said,
For what Offence am I your Pris'ner made?
Lose me, presumpt'ous Boys! without Delay,
The promis'd Verses instantly I'll pay
To you, the Nymph I'll please another way.
For what Offence am I your Pris'ner made?
Lose me, presumpt'ous Boys! without Delay,
The promis'd Verses instantly I'll pay
To you, the Nymph I'll please another way.
175
He then began, and from the Woods and Lawns,
A num'rous Croud of Satyrs and of Fawns
Rejoycing come, ev'n savage Beasts attend,
And stubborn Oaks their lofty Branches bend.
Parnassus ne'er more joyfully restor'd
The sounding Strains of its harmonious Lord,
Nor Rhodope, nor Ismarus before
At Orpheus's wond'rous Skill were ravish'd more,
Than all things here united, did admire
The high exalted Strains of this experienc'd Sire.
A num'rous Croud of Satyrs and of Fawns
Rejoycing come, ev'n savage Beasts attend,
And stubborn Oaks their lofty Branches bend.
Parnassus ne'er more joyfully restor'd
The sounding Strains of its harmonious Lord,
Nor Rhodope, nor Ismarus before
At Orpheus's wond'rous Skill were ravish'd more,
Than all things here united, did admire
The high exalted Strains of this experienc'd Sire.
He sung, how when thro' the vast Void compell'd,
The Seeds of Earth, Sea, Fire, and Spirits held
Their casual way, productive as they flew,
All things from these their Forms and Beings drew,
And hence the World's delightful Order grew!
Then Earth appear'd, and hard'ning by Degrees,
Rear'd its fair Head above surrounding Seas,
With a young Offspring grac'd; the glorious Sun
Then his ætherial Course began to run,
And Clouds exalted o'er the Land, to pour
The fruitful Blessing of a plenteous Shower;
Then Woods arose and Beasts a lonely Way,
(Few yet and Strangers) o'er the Mountains stray;
Then Saturn's happy Reign the Song pursu'd,
And how Man's Race was in the World renew'd.
Prometheus's Theft and Punishment it nam'd,
And how the parting Mariners exclaim'd
For lovely Hylas, in the Fountain drown'd,
While Hylas! Hylas! all the Rocks resound.
The Seeds of Earth, Sea, Fire, and Spirits held
Their casual way, productive as they flew,
All things from these their Forms and Beings drew,
And hence the World's delightful Order grew!
Then Earth appear'd, and hard'ning by Degrees,
Rear'd its fair Head above surrounding Seas,
With a young Offspring grac'd; the glorious Sun
Then his ætherial Course began to run,
And Clouds exalted o'er the Land, to pour
The fruitful Blessing of a plenteous Shower;
Then Woods arose and Beasts a lonely Way,
(Few yet and Strangers) o'er the Mountains stray;
Then Saturn's happy Reign the Song pursu'd,
And how Man's Race was in the World renew'd.
Prometheus's Theft and Punishment it nam'd,
And how the parting Mariners exclaim'd
For lovely Hylas, in the Fountain drown'd,
While Hylas! Hylas! all the Rocks resound.
And thou, Pasiphae! who a happy Queen
Might have been stil'd, if Herds had never been,
A snowy Bullock here thy Care do's prove,
And has the Gift of thy unnat'ral Love.
Might have been stil'd, if Herds had never been,
A snowy Bullock here thy Care do's prove,
And has the Gift of thy unnat'ral Love.
Ah! wretched Dame! in thee what Madness reigns?
The Prætides, who roving fill'd the Plains
With feigned Lowings, never did require
Such Mates, nor burn'd with such a foul Desire,
Tho' each for Horns explor'd her tender Brow,
And fear'd the Yoke and Labour of the Plough[.]
The Prætides, who roving fill'd the Plains
With feigned Lowings, never did require
Such Mates, nor burn'd with such a foul Desire,
Tho' each for Horns explor'd her tender Brow,
And fear'd the Yoke and Labour of the Plough[.]
Ah, wretched Dame! thou do'st the Mountains pass
In fruitless Search, while on the springing Grass
Heedless he feeds, or else perchance is lay'd
Beneath a spreading Oak's refreshing Shade,
Or follows some fair Heifer of the Herd,
Who is before unhappy thee preferr'd.
In fruitless Search, while on the springing Grass
Heedless he feeds, or else perchance is lay'd
Beneath a spreading Oak's refreshing Shade,
176
Who is before unhappy thee preferr'd.
Oh, all ye Nymphs! of ev'ry Stream and Grove,
Bound, bound his Course, restrain his roving Love,
With all your Might the careless Wand'rer stay,
And to her longing Eyes the Fugitive convey.
Bound, bound his Course, restrain his roving Love,
With all your Might the careless Wand'rer stay,
And to her longing Eyes the Fugitive convey.
The Sire then sung the swiftly-running Maid
Stopp'd in her speed, by golden Fruit betray'd,
The Song did then the Sisters Fate display
Of him, who rashly aim'd to rule the Day,
Mourning his Lot, them sudden Barks inclose,
And each with speed a weeping Alder grows.
Stopp'd in her speed, by golden Fruit betray'd,
The Song did then the Sisters Fate display
Of him, who rashly aim'd to rule the Day,
Mourning his Lot, them sudden Barks inclose,
And each with speed a weeping Alder grows.
He sung how Gallus by a Muse convey'd
A grateful Journey to Parnassus made,
Rising to whom the sacred Choir express'd
A full Respect, and Linus thus address'd.
Receive this Pipe delicious Bard! he said,
On which before th' Ascræan Shepherd play'd,
Who did the Rage of Savage Beasts restrain,
And charm the Mountain Ashes to the Plain;
This the Grynæan Grove[']s arise shall tell,
That Phœbus most may there delight to dwell.
A grateful Journey to Parnassus made,
Rising to whom the sacred Choir express'd
A full Respect, and Linus thus address'd.
Receive this Pipe delicious Bard! he said,
On which before th' Ascræan Shepherd play'd,
Who did the Rage of Savage Beasts restrain,
And charm the Mountain Ashes to the Plain;
This the Grynæan Grove[']s arise shall tell,
That Phœbus most may there delight to dwell.
Why shou'd I either S[c]ylla's Tale relate?
Or taught by Fame declare the latter's State?
Who in the Sea a lov'ly Maid is plac'd,
But barking Monsters rave beneath her Waste,
That cause in passing Mariners such dread,
And often on their broken Limbs are fed.
How T[e]reus chang'd the various Song, express'd
The Rape of Philomel the horrid Feast;
How since in Woods sad Philomel complain'd,
Progne (her Breast with filial Blood yet stain'd)
Now hovers o'er the Palace where she reign'd.
Or taught by Fame declare the latter's State?
Who in the Sea a lov'ly Maid is plac'd,
But barking Monsters rave beneath her Waste,
That cause in passing Mariners such dread,
And often on their broken Limbs are fed.
How T[e]reus chang'd the various Song, express'd
The Rape of Philomel the horrid Feast;
How since in Woods sad Philomel complain'd,
Progne (her Breast with filial Blood yet stain'd)
Now hovers o'er the Palace where she reign'd.
What e'er the God of Verse divinely thought,
Eurotas heard, and to the Laurels taught
Silenus sings, the Valleys all around
In Ecchos to the Skies convey the Sound,
Nor did the length'ned Song receive its End,
'Till driven Sheep did to the Cottage tend,
And slow unwilling Night from Heav'n descend.
Eurotas heard, and to the Laurels taught
Silenus sings, the Valleys all around
In Ecchos to the Skies convey the Sound,
Nor did the length'ned Song receive its End,
'Till driven Sheep did to the Cottage tend,
And slow unwilling Night from Heav'n descend.
| The poetical and dramatic works of Sir Charles Sedley | |