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FLORIMELIA, the Second PASTORAL.

By Mr. NEWTON,
1 AS Florimelia watch'd her snowy Fold,
2 Soft Florimelia with her Locks of Gold,
3 Low in a Vale beneath a spreading Shade,
4 Two ruddy Youths that lov'd the beauteous Maid,
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5 To please the Fair thus form'd the rival Song,
6 While the Herds listen'd to each tuneful Tongue.
PHILASTER.
7 This Morn I wander'd through a poplar Grove,
8 Where a lone Turtle mourn'd her absent Love;
9 With pensive Coo she well express'd her Woe,
10 Lull'd by her Voice the Brooks more gently flow;
11 When lo the Partner of her Nest drew nigh
12 With hov'ring Wings: And bid her Sorrows fly.
13 All sprightly now with brisker Note she sings,
14 Prunes her soft Breast, and spreads her joyful Wings.
15 No more the Grove is Witness to her Woe,
16 Such are the Joys that faithful Lovers know.
CHROMIS.
17 As yester'-even, while my Sheep did feed
18 On a soft Bank, I tun'd my Oaten Reed;
19 'Twas there a single Violet I spy'd,
20 That breath'd its Odours, droop'd its Head, and dy'd;
21 When from the Root a gay Companion grew,
22 Fair as the first and fresh as Morning Dew:
23 Whose fragrant Leaves perfum'd the bord'ring Plain;
24 Then did the first its former Beauties gain,
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25 Pleas'd with each other side by side they grow,
26 Such are the Joys that faithful Lovers know.
PHILASTER.
27 As sweet as was the Violet is my Love.
CHROMIS.
28 And I as constant as the Turtle-Dove.
PHILASTER.
29 Soft are the Murmurs of a southern Wind,
30 And the Complainings of a love-sick Mind;
31 Soft are the Breathings of an Infant's Sleep,
32 But she is softer than her harmless Sheep.
CHROMIS.
33 Sweet are the Gales that meet the rosy Morn,
34 Sweet are the Flow'rs that yonder Meads adorn;
35 Sweet are the Banks on which my Lambkins play,
36 But my lov'd Nymph is sweet as early Day.
PHILASTER.
37 Where walks my Love — there op'ning Roses bloom,
38 And yellow Cowslips shed a choice Perfume;
39 When she is gone the op'ning Roses fade,
40 The Sun himself laments the absent Maid.
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CHROMIS.
41 When smiles my Love, then smile the Groves below;
42 And the clear Skies with brighter Lustre glow:
43 But when she frowns, those Groves are glad no more,
44 And the Sky lowers that was bright before.
PHILASTER.
45 While we prefer the Spring to Winter Storms,
46 Or goodly Cedars to unseemly Thorns;
47 While Maples keep below the lofty Pine,
48 Shall my lov'd Nymph before her Sisters shine?
CHROMIS.
49 As we prefer the Peacock to the Crow,
50 As Maidens fairer than their Mothers show;
51 And as my Voice above Philaster swells,
52 So my lov'd Nymph each other Nymph excels.
PHILASTER.
53 You sung last Night with more melodious Air,
54 As you lay plaiting Cloe's yellow Hair;
55 While the shrill Pipe her slender Fingers ply'd,
56 The Pipe you gave her, and your Heart beside.
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CHROMIS.
57 'Twas you I saw beneath a maple Shade;
58 With blubber'd Cheeks you curs'd the cruel Maid,
59 Who broke your Cypress Bowl on yonder Plain,
60 And sent the Willow to her slighted Swain.
PHILASTER.
61 'Tell me at midnight where do Mandrakes groan,
62 And Blood fall dropping from the darkned Moon:
63 Tell this, and I shall for thy Learning yield,
64 A coal-black Lamb that sports in yonder Field.
CHROMIS.
65 Tell me, where Oaks have tender Medlars bore,
66 And Shrubs yield Apples that were Crabs before;
67 And for thy Knowledge I shall not refuse
68 To give the best of all my speckled Ewes.
69 Thus sung the Shepherds while the list'ning Maid,
70 Prais'd both their Songs, and thus their Songs repaid;
71 Behold this lovely Pine-apple, she cry'd;
72 And this Twin-chesnut once my chiefest Pride,
73 These long were mine, and these I give to you;
74 To both a Prize, a Prize to both is due.
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75 Now nightly Vapours taint the colder Air,
76 They part the Flocks, and to the Folds repair;
77 And the black Clouds forbid their longer Stay,
78 Their Feet unwilling tread their destin'd Way
79 At once: Farewel too lovely Nymphs, they cry,
80 And on the Virgin cast a parting Eye.

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Title (in Source Edition): FLORIMELIA, the Second PASTORAL.
Author: Mary Leapor
Themes:
Genres: heroic couplet; pastoral

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Leapor, Mrs. (Mary), 1722-1746. Poems upon several occasions: By Mrs. Leapor of Brackley in Northamptonshire. London: printed: and sold by J. Roberts, 1748, pp. 187-192. 15,[5],282p. ; 8⁰. (ESTC T127827; Foxon p. 413; OTA K101776.000) (Page images digitized from a copy at University of California Libraries.)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

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