Revil'd and lov'd, renounc'd and follow'd, Thus, bit by bit, the world is swallow'd; Each thinks his neighbour makes too free, Yet likes a slice as well as he; With sophistry their sauce they sweeten, Till quite from tail to snout 'tis eaten. THE LILY AND THE ROSE. I. THE nymph must lose her female friend, If more admir'd than she But where will fierce contention end, If flowers can disagree? II. Within the garden's peaceful scene Appear'd two lovely foes, Aspiring to the rank of queen The Lily and the Rose. III. The rose soon redden'd into rage, And, swelling with disdain, Appeal'd to many a poet's page IV. The Lily's height bespoke command A fair imperial flow'r; She seem'd design'd for Flora's hand, The sceptre of her pow'r. V. This civil bick'ring and debate The goddess chanc'd to hear, And flew to save, ere yet too late, The pride of the parterre VI. Your's is, she said, the nobler hue, And your's the statelier mien; And, till a third surpasses you, VII. Thus, sooth'd and reconcil'd, each seeks The fairest British fair; The seat of empire is her cheeks, They reign united there. IDEM LATINE REDDITUM. I. HEU inimicitias quoties parit æmula forma, Quam raro pulchræ, pulchra placere potest? Sed fines ultrà solitos discordia tendit, Cum flores ipsos bilis et ira movent. II. Hortus ubi dulces præbet tacitosque recessûs, Se rapit in partes gens animosa duas; Hic sibi regales Amaryllis candida cultûs, Illic purpureo vindicat ore Rosa. III. Ira Rosam et meritis quæsita superbia tangunt, Multaque ferventi vix cohibenda sinû, Dum sibi fautorum ciet undique nomina vatûm, Jusque suum, multo carmine fulta, probat. IV. Altior emicat illa, et celso vertice nutat, Ceu flores inter non habitura parem, Fastiditque alios, et nata videtur in usûs Imperii, sceptrum, Flora quod ipse gerat. V. Nec Dea non sensit civilis murmura rixæ, VI. Et tibi forma datur procerior omnibus, inquit, Et tibi, principibus qui solet esse, color, Et donec vincat quædam formosior ambas, Et tibi reginæ nomen, et esto tibi. THE NIGHTINGALE AND GLOW-WORM. 339 VII. His ubi sedatus furor est, petit utraque nympham, Qualem inter Veneres Anglia sola parit; Hanc penés imperium est, nihil optant amplius, hujus Regnant in nitidis, et sine lite, genis. THE NIGHTINGALE AND GLOW-WORM. A NIGHTINGALE, that all day long The keen demands of appetite; And knew the glow-worm by his spark; |