Firft chufe a window that convenient lies,
And to the north directs the wand'ring eyes,
Dark be the room, let not a straggling ray
Intrude, to chase the shadowy forms away,
Except one bright, refulgent blaze, convey'd
Thro' a strait paffage in the shutter made,
In which th' ingenious artist first must place
A little, convex, round, transparent glass,
And just behind th' extended paper lay,
On which his art shall all its pow'r display:
There rays reflected from all parts shall meet,
And paint their objects on the filver sheet;
A thousand forms fhall in a moment rise,
And magic landscapes charm our wand'ring eyes;
'Tis thus from ev'ry object that we view,
If EPICURUS' doctrine teaches true,
The fubtile parts upon our organs play,
And to our minds th' external forms convey.

But from what caufes all these wonders flow,
'Tis not permitted idle bards to know,
How thro' the centre of the convex glass,
The piercing rays together twisted pass,

Or why revers'd the lovely scenes appear,

Or why the fun's approaching light they fear;
Let grave philofophers the cause enquire,
Enough for us to fee, and to admire.

See then what forms with various colours stain
The painted surface of the paper plain !
Now bright and gay, as fhines the heav'nly bow,
So late, a wide unpeopled waste of snow:

Here verdant groves, there golden crops of corn
The new uncultivated fields adorn;

Here gardens deckt with flow'rs of various dyes,
There flender tow'rs, and little cities rise:
But all with tops inverted downward bend,

Earth mounts aloft, and skies and clouds defcend :
Thus the wife vulgar on a pendent land
Imagine our antipodes to ftand,

And wonder much, how they securely go,

And not fall headlong on the heav'ns below.

The charms of motion here exalt each part

Above the reach of great APELLES' art;

Zephyrs

Zephyrs the waving harvest gently blow,
The waters curl, and brooks inceffant flow;
Men, beafts, and birds in fair confufion ftray,
Some rife to fight, whilst others pass away.

On all we feize that comes within our reach, The rolling coach we ftop, the horseman catch; Compel the posting traveller to stay;

But the short vifit caufes no delay.

Again, behold what lovely prospects rife!
Now with the loveliest feast your longing eyes,
Nor let ftrict modefty be here afraid,

To view upon her head a beauteous maid:
See in small folds her waving garments flow,

And all her flender limbs still flend'rer grow;
Contracted in one little orb is found

The fpacious hoop, once five vast ells around;
But think not to embrace the flying Fair,
Soon will fhe quit your arms unfeen as air,
In this resembling too a tender maid,

Coy to the lover's touch, and of his hand afraid.

Enough

Enough w' have seen, now let th' intruding day Chafe all the lovely magic fcenes away; Again th' unpeopled snowy waste returns, And the lone plain its faded glories mourns, The bright creation in a moment flies, And all the pigmy generation dies.

Thus, when still night her gloomy mantle spreads, The fairies dance around the flow'ry meads! But when the day returns, they wing their flight To diftant lands, and fhun th' unwelcome light.

THE TEMPLE OF VENUS.

N her own ifle's remoteft

IN

grove

Stands VENUS' lovely shrine,

Sacred to beauty, joy, and love,

And built by hands divine.

The polish'd structure, fair and bright

As her own ivory skin,

Without is alabafter white,

And ruby all within.

Above, a cupola charms the view,
White as unfully'd snow;

Two columns of the fame fair hue

Support the dome below.

Its walls a trickling fountain laves,
In which fuch virtue reigns,

That, bath'd in its balfamic waves,
No lover feels his pains.

Before th' unfolding gates there spreads
A fragrant spicy grove,

That with its curling branches fhades
The labyrinths of Love.

Bright Beauty here her captives holds,

Who kiss their easy chains,

And in fofteft closeft folds

Her willing flaves detains.

Wouldst thou, who ne'er these seas haft try'd,

Find where this island lies,

Let pilot Love the rudder guide,

And steer by CHLOE's eyes.

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