[Nereides:] Eclogue XII. William Diaper 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. T126092 Diaper, William, d. 1717. Nereides: or Sea-Eclogues. London Printed by J. H. for E. Sanger, at the Post-House, at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1712 pp. 52-58. x, 69 p.

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[ Nereides : ] Eclogue XII . Murex , Glaucus . Mur . Seest thou yon Fleet , that slowly moves in State ? The Sea has scarce a Depth to bear the pressing Weight . Gl. These ev'ry Shore has seen ; all Climates know , As far as Lands extend , or Waters flow . Leake . Lacon the Chief , who guides the floating Host , As late I heard , when near the British Coast , Unseen I stood , while thus a fishing Swain Half-frozen said , and to his Mate began . 1 Fish . Pity , ye Gods , and thaw the rigid Frost , My Hands are stiff , and all my Feeling lost . The Moon with sharpen'd Horns looks coldly bright , And thus augments the Chillness of the Night . Bright icy Spangles gild the shining Oar , And snowy Flakes have whit'ned all the Shore . How curst the Fate ! How hard the Fisher's Lot , To toil for ever thus , and toil for nought ? Midst all the Gloom , and Horrors of the Night , When rambling Elves , and shrieking Ghosts affright , On restless Waters we are labouring tost , To catch the falling Ice , and hoary Frost ; While the soft Dames of the luxurious Town On yielding Beds are laid , and ev'ry Clown When Night draws near , unyokes the willing Beast , Then eats his fill ; and thus by Heav'n blest , On smelling heaps of Straw he takes unenvy'd Rest . Or else deceives a while the Winter Nights With pleasing Tales , and Stories feign'd of Sprites . With waking Care , when we at length have caught The mighty Prize , we so impatient sought ; The squeamish Town rejects it all with Scorn , And empty we with fruitless Pain return . O ! might I live content a Shepherd Swain , And sit on grassy Vales , and view the circling Plain : How blest were I , would me the Gods allow To goad the Ox , and hold the bending Plow , Or on the rising Ridge with equal Hand To strow the scatter'd Seeds , and stock the furrow'd Land . Gl. Thus he ; But th'aged Sire , whose hoary Head Had seen more Years , with calm Experience said , 2 Fish . All their Fortune is of all the worst ; Each Man ( himself a Judge ) is truly curst . Thro' Ign'rance we commend a Life unknown , And praise another's State , and grieve our own , While he as much complains ; is pin'd with Care , And gladly would exchange his envy'd Share . The Gods on us a daily Feast bestow , For which no Price we pay , no Thanks we owe . The Cod ( delicious Food ! ) Mullets and Soles , And shining Mack'rell swim for us in Shoals . Such Fare the wealthy Citizen will prize , Ev'n when they stink , ( long kept ) and we despise . While on sow'r Herbs the Shepherds poorly feed , Or sapless Cheese , and Crusts of mouldy Bread ; Or if it chance a stragling Lamb be drown'd , With Sighs he eats what he with Sorrow found : He grieves his Loss , and ever is in pain By snowy Winters , or by Summer's Rain . All do not love in clotting Fields to sweat , Where clayie Fallows clog the labouring Feet . But who's not pleas'd to walk on easy Sand , While waving Heaps are by the Zephyrs fann'd , And wanton Gales , that whistle in the Weeds , From flowing Grass disperse the riper Seeds . Who will not gather the deserted Shells , Or climb steep Rocks , and search the hollow Cells For hidden Eggs , while all the Birds in vain Fly sorrowing round , and with loud Threats complain ? No earthy Fumes , or noisy Insect here Disturb , or taint the unmolested Air . Venus protects the Sea , from whence she came , And Love in Water can preserve his Flame . The Nymph to leavy Woods , and shady Groves The Sea prefers ; the Sea the Triton loves ; Lacon the Sea prefers to flow'ry Meads , And o'er unfathom'd Depths the Navy leads . While he defends our Isle from hostile Fleets , The Fisher undisturb'd at leisure sits ; His Nets secure fear nought but Waves and Wind , Or boist'rous Fish , who will not be confin'd . Lacon will not despise the Fisher's Cott , But pleasing looks , and often hails our Boat . If e'er he comes again , he has from me The choicest Spoils of all the rifled Sea , Buckhorn , and salted Cod , Sprats smoak'd and dry , And Oysters , that unshell'd in Pickle lie . Gl. He said , and from him shook the falling Ice , When to him thus th'enliven'd Youth replies . 1 Fish . Lacon ! — The Name has thaw'd my stagnate Blood : It springs thro' ev'ry Vein ; I feel the circling Flood . No Midnight Chills can harm , nor falling Sleet ; Joy fills the Soul , and spreads diffusive Heat , Tho' the bright Moon , and ev'ry shining Star Encrease the Cold , and whet the piercing Air : Who Lacon loves , him may the Nymphs attend , And from the Shelves , and Rocks unseen defend . Who Lacon hate ( if there be such ) may they Dash'd in rough Storms sink down to Fish a grateful Prey . Would he permit , I'd leave my fishing Oars , And venture on the Main to distant Shores . I am no Stranger to the Seas , and know What 'tis to dance on Waves , when Winds too rudely blow . 2 Fish . Fond Youth ( returns the Sire ) wilt thou compare These rotten Boats to mighty Ships of War ? Whose steddy Bulks can stem the Ocean-Floods , And with their Masts o'er-lock the flitting Clouds ; Wer't thou to climb that Height , a strange Surprize Would loose thy Hold , and turn thy swiming Eyes . Ambition suits not him , whose Birth is mean ; The Gods despise the proud , and love the humble Swain . Glauc . He said , and ended thus th'alternate Song : I drove the Fish , and the unthinking Throng Press to their Boat , and fill the swelling Net ; They joyous seize the Prey , and all their Pain forget .