Awe-struck, the much-admiring crowd Before the virgin-vision bow'd; Gaz'd with an ever-new delight, And caught fresh virtues at the sight; For not of earth's unequal frame They deem'd the heav'n-compounded dame, If matter, sure the most refin'd, High-wrought, and temper'd into mind, Some darling daughter of the day, And body'd by her native ray. Where'er she passes, thousands bend, And thousands, where she moves, attend; Her ways observant eyes confess, Her steps pursuing praises bless; While to the elevated maid Oblations, as to HEAV'N, are paid. 'Twas on an ever-blithsome day, The jovial birth of rosy MAY, When genial warmth, no more suppress'd, New melts the frost in every breast; The cheek with secret flushing dies, And looks kind things from chastest eyes; The SUN with healthier visage glows, Aside his clouded kerchief throws, And dances up th' ethereal plain, Where late he us'd to climb with pain; While NATURE, as from bonds set free, Springs out, and gives a loose to glee. And now for momentary rest, The nymph her travell'd step repress'd, Just turn'd to view the stage attain'd, And glory'd in the height she gain'd. Out-stretch'd before her wide survey, The realms of sweet PERDITION lay, And pity touch'd her soul with woe, To see a world so lost below; When straight the breeze began to breathe Airs, gently wafted from beneath, That bore commission'd witchcraft thence, And reach'd her sympathy of sense; No sounds of discord, that disclose A people sunk, and lost in woes; But as of present good possess'd, The very triumph of the bless'd; The maid in wrapt attention hung, While thus approaching SIRENS sung. 'Hither, fairest, hither haste, Brightest beauty, come and taste What the pow'rs of bliss unfold; Joys too mighty to be told; Taste what ecstasies they give, Dying raptures taste, and live. 'In thy lap, disdaining measure, NATURE empties all her treasure; Soft desires, that sweetly languish, Fierce delights, that rise to anguish: Fairest, dost thou yet delay? Brightest beauty, come away! 'List not, when the froward chide, Sons of pedantry and pride; Snarlers, to whose feeble sense APRIL sun-shine is offence; Age and envy will advise, Ev'n against the joys they prize. Come, in PLEASURE'S balmy bowl Slake the thirstings of thy soul, 'Till thy raptur'd pow'rs are fainting With enjoyment, past the painting: Fairest, dost thou yet delay? Brightest beauty, come away!' So sung the SIRENS, as of yore, Upon the false AUSONIAN shore; And, O! for that preventing chain, That bound ULYSSES on the main, That so our FAIR ONE might withstand The covert ruin now at hand.