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The Transformation of CYCNUS into a Swan.

Cycnus beheld the nymphs transform'd, ally'd
To their dead brother, on the mother fide,
In friendship and affection nearer bound;
He left the cities and the realms he own'd,
Thro' pathlefs fields and lonely fhores to range,
And woods, made thicker by the fifters' change..
Whilst here, within the difmal gloom, alone,
The melancholy monarch made his moan,
His voice was leffen'd, as he try'd to speak,
And iffu'd through a long extended neck;
His hair transforms to down, his fingers meet
In skinny films, and fhape his oary feet;
From both his fides the wings and feathers break
And from his mouth proceeds a blunted beak:
All Cycnus now into a fwan was turn'd,

Who, ftill remembring how his kinfman burn'd,
To folitary pools and lakes retires,
And loves the waters as oppos'd to fires.

Mean-while Apollo in a gloomy fhade
(The native luftre of his brows decay'd)
Indulging forrow, fickens at the fight
Of his own fun-fhine and abhors the light :

The

The hidden gifts, that in his bosom rise,
Sadden his looks, and overcaft his eyes,
As when some dusky orb obftructs his ray,
And fullies, in a dim eclipfe, the day.

Now fecretly with inward grief he pin'd,
Now warm resentments to his griefs he join’d,
And now renounc'd his office to mankind.
"E'er fince the birth of time, said he, I've borne
“A long ungrateful toil without return;

"Let now fome other manage, if he dare,
“The fiery fleeds, and mount the burning car;
“ Or, if none else, let Jove his fortune try,
"And learn to lay his murd'ring thunder by;
"Then will he own, perhaps, but own too late,
"My fon deferv'd not so severe a fate.”

The Gods stand round him, as he mourns, and pray
He would resume the conduct of the day,
Nor let the world be loft in endless night:
Jove too himself, descending from his height,
Excufes what had happen'd, and intreats,
Majeftically mixing prayers and threats.
Prevail'd upon at length, again he took
The harness'd steeds, that still with horror fhook,
And plies 'em with the lash, and whips 'em on,
And, as he whips, upbraids 'em with his fon.

The

The Story of CALISTO.

The day was settled in its course; and Jove Walk'd the wide circuit of the heav'ns above, To search if any cracks or flaws were made; But all was fafe: The earth he then furvey'd, And caft an eye on every different coast,

And every land; but on Arcadia most.

Her fields he cloath'd, and chear'd her blafted face
With running fountains, and with springing glass.
No tracks of heav'n's deftructive fire remain,
The fields and woods revive, and nature fmiles again.
But as the God walk'd to and fro the earth,

And rais'd the plants, and gave the spring its birth,
By chance a fair Arcadian nymph he view'd,
And felt a lovely charmer in his blood.

The nymph nor fpun, nor drefs'd with artful pride;
Her veft was gather'd up, her hair was ty'd;
Now in her hand a flender spear the bore,
Now a light quiver on her shoulders wore;
To chafte Diana from her youth inclin'd
The fprightly warriors of the wood she join'd.
Diana too the gentle huntress lov'd,

Nor was there one of all the nymphs that rov'd

O'er

O'er Mænalus, amid the maiden throng,

More favour'd once; but favour lasts not long.

The fun now fhone in all its strength, and drove

The heated virgin panting to a grove ;
The grove around a grateful fhadow caft:
She dropt her arrows, and her bow unbrac'd
She flung herfelf on the cool graffy bed;
And on the painted quiver rais'd her head.
Jove faw the charming huntress unprepar'd,
Stretch'd.on the verdant turf, without a guard.
"Here I am fafe, he cries, from Juno's eye;
"Or should my jealous Queen the theft defcry,
"Yet would I venture on a theft like this,

“And stand her rage for fuch, for such a bliss!"
Diana's fhape and habit straight he took,

Soften'd his brows, and fmooth'd his awful look,
And mildly in a female accent fpoke.

}

"How fares my gut? How went the morning chafe?" To whom the virgin, starting from the graft,

"All hail, bright deity, whom I prefer

"To Jove himself, tho' Fave himself were here." The God was nearer than the thought, and heard Well-pleas'd himself before himself preferr'd.

He then falutes her with a warm embrace; And, ere she half had told the morning chace,

With

With love inflam'd, and eager on his bliss,

Smother'd her words, and stop'd her with a kiss;
His kiffes with unwonted ardour glow'd,

Nor could Diana's fhape conceal the God.
The virgin did whate'er a virgin cou'd;
(Sure Juno must have pardon'd, had the view'd)
With all her might against his force she strove:
But how can mortal maids contend with Jove!
Poffeft at length of what his heart defir'd,
Back to his heavens th' exulting God retir❜d.
The lovely huntrefs, rifing from the grafs,
With down-caft eyes, and with a blushing face,
By shame confounded, and by fear difmay'd,
Flew from the covert of the guilty shade,
And almoft, in the tumult of her mind,
Left her forgotten bow and shafts behind.

But now Diana, with a fprightly train
Of quiver'd virgins, bounding o'er the plain,
Call'd to the nymph; the nymph began to fear
A fecond fraud, a Jove difguis'd in her;
But when she saw the fifter nymphs, fupprefs'd
Her rifing fears, and mingled with the rest.
How in the look does confcious guilt appear!
Slowly the mov'd, and loiter'd in the rear ;
Nor lightly tripp'd, nor by the goddess ran,
As once the us'd, the foremost of the train,

Her

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