 | A Collection of Original Poems |  |
90
ON A LADY SINGING.
Inscribed to Miss ---
As Silvia fill'd the vocal air,
With sounds that banish'd ev'ry care;
The neighb'ring hills, the vallies round,
The rocks, the thrilling notes resound;
The satyrs wild, enraptur'd stood,
And Fauns and Dryads left the wood;
The bounding doe, the savage bear,
Unite the melody to hear.
With sounds that banish'd ev'ry care;
The neighb'ring hills, the vallies round,
The rocks, the thrilling notes resound;
The satyrs wild, enraptur'd stood,
And Fauns and Dryads left the wood;
91
Unite the melody to hear.
Thames, hoary sire! uprears his head,
Attentive to the rapt'rous maid;
And fill'd with wonder and surprize,
Upon the surface resting lies.
Attentive to the rapt'rous maid;
And fill'd with wonder and surprize,
Upon the surface resting lies.
Apollo listen'd in a shade,
And thus the God of music said;
And thus the God of music said;
My Orpheus, sure, whom long I've mourn'd,
Is from Elysian shades return'd;
None, none but Orpheus could bestow
The transports from these sounds that flow.
Is from Elysian shades return'd;
None, none but Orpheus could bestow
The transports from these sounds that flow.
But when he saw from whence they sprung,
The hand that play'd, the nymph that sung;
Low at her feet his lyre he laid,
And plac'd a chaplet on her head;
Hence, matchless and unrival'd, she,
Reigns over love and harmony.
The hand that play'd, the nymph that sung;
Low at her feet his lyre he laid,
And plac'd a chaplet on her head;
Hence, matchless and unrival'd, she,
Reigns over love and harmony.
The plan of this trifling piece is founded on a Latin poem inscribed to Damon, to be found in the Poemata Italorum, which Mr. Pope published; the original contains some things more properly adapted to an Italian than an English taste, which here by changing the compliment to a female are happily lost. The modesty of the lady to whom they are inscribed, would have suppress'd them; but I fear'd depriving some of our modern genii of an opportunity of passing for poets; who if their mistress sing well, and either her christian or sirname be two syllables, may copy these, and pass them for his own.
| A Collection of Original Poems | |