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JANUARY AND MAY.

Not Hefter’s felf, whofe charms the Hebrews fing,E’er look’d fo lovely on her Perfian King:

Bright as the riling fun, in fummer’s day, 345And frelh and blooming as the month of MaylThe joyful Knight furvey’d her by his fide,

Nor envy’d Paris with the Spartan bride :

Still as his mind revolv’d with vaft delightTh’ entrancing raptures of th’ approaching night,Reftlefs he fate, invoking ev’ry pow’r 351

To fpeed his blifs, and hafte the happy' hour.Mean time the vig’rous dancers beat the ground,Andfongs werefung, and flowing bowls wentround.With od’rous fpices theyperfum’d the place, 355And mirth and pleafure fhone in ev’ry face.

Damian alone, of all the menial train,

Sad in the midft of triumphs, figh’d for pain;Damian alone, the Knight’s obfequious Squire,Confum’d at heart, and fed a fecret fire. 36oHis lovely miflrefs all his foul pofleft,

He look’d, he languifh’d, and could take no reft:His talk perform’d, he fadly went his way,

Fell on his bed, and loath’d the light of day.There let him lie; till his relenting dame 365Weep in her turn, and wafte in equal flame.

The weary fun, as learned Poets write,Forlook th’ Horizon, and roll’d down the light;W hile glitt’ring ftars his abfent beams fupply,And night’s dark mantle overfpread the Iky. 3]o