ODE to an AEOLUS's Harp. Sent to Miss SHEPHEARD. William Mason Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T131163 K104099.004 Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. IV. London printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley 1763 [1st ed. 1758] pp. 267-268. 6v.: music; 8⁰.

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ODE to an AEOLUS's This instrument appears to have been invented by KIR CHER : who has given a very accurate description of it in his MUSURGIA . After having been neglected above an hundred years , it was again accidentally discovered by Mr. OSWALD . See Vol. III . p. 4. of this Miscellany . Harp . Sent to Miss SHEPHEARD . By the Same . YES , magic lyre ! now all compleat Thy slender frame responsive rings , While kindred notes with undulation sweet Accordant wake from all thy vocal strings . Go then to her , whose soft request Bade my blest hands thy form prepare ; Ah go , and sweetly sooth her tender breast With many a warble wild , and artless air . For know , full oft , while o'er the mead Bright June extends her fragrant reign . The Fair shall place thee near her slumb'ring head To court the gales that cool the sultry plain ; Then shall the Sylphs , and Sylphids bright , Mild Genii all , to whose high care Her virgin charms are giv'n , in circling flight Skim sportive round thee in the fields of air . Some , flutt'ring 'mid thy trembling strings , Shall catch the rich melodious spoil , And lightly brush thee with their purple wings To aid the zephyrs in their tuneful toil ; While others check each ruder gale , Expel rough Boreas from the sky , Nor let a breeze its heaving breath exhale , Save such as softly pant , and panting die . Then , as thy swelling accents rise , Fair Fancy waking at the sound , Shall paint bright visions on her raptur'd eyes , And waft her spirits to enchanted ground , To myrtle groves , Elysian greens , 'Mid which some fav'rite youth shall rove , Shall meet , shall lead her thro' the glitt'ring scenes , And all be music , extacy , and love .