THOMAS GODFREY

THE INVITATION

Damon. Haste, Sylvia, haste, my charming maid!

Let's leave these fashionable toys:

Let's seek the shelter of some shade,

And revel in ne'er fading joys.

See, Spring in liv'ry gay appears,

And winter's chilly blasts are fled;

Each grove its leafy honours rears,

And meads their lovely verdure spread.

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Sylvia. Yes, Damon, glad I'll quit the town;
Its gaieties now languid seem:

Damon. When o'er the mountain peeps the dawn,

And round her ruddy beauties play,

I'll wake my love to view the lawn,

Or hear the warblers hail the day. But without thee the rising morn

In vain awakes the cooling breeze;

In vain does nature's face adorn

Without my Sylvia nought can please.

Sylvia. At night, when universal gloom

Hides the bright prospects from our view,

When the gay groves give up their bloom
And verdant meads their lovely hue,
Tho' fleeting spectres round me move,

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When in thy circling arms I 'm prest,

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I'll hush my rising fears with love,

And sink in slumber on thy Breast.

Damon. The new-blown rose, whilst on its leaves

Yet the bright scented dew-drop's found,

Pleas'd on thy bosom whilst it heaves,

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Shall shake its heav'nly fragrance round.

Then mingled sweets the sense shall raise,
Then mingled beauties catch the eye:
What pleasure on such charms to gaze,

What rapture 'mid such sweets to lie!

Sylvia. How sweet thy words! But, Damon, cease,
Nor strive to fix me ever here;
Too well you know these accents please,

That oft have fill'd my ravish'd ear.
Come, lead me to these promis'd joys

THE COURT OF FANCY

'T was sultry noon; impatient of the heat

I sought the covert of a close retreat:

Soft by a bubbling fountain was I laid,

And o'er my head the spreading branches play'd,
When gentle slumber stole upon my eyes,
And busy Fiction bid this vision rise.

Methought I, pensive, unattended, stood,
Wrapt in the horrors of a desert wood:

Old Night and Silence spread their sway around,
And not a breeze disturb'd the dread profound.
To break the wild and gain the neighb'ring plain

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Oft I essay'd, and oft essay'd in vain;

Still in intricate mazes round I run,

And ever ended where I first begun.

While thus I lab'ring strove t' explore my way,

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Bright on my sense broke unexpected Day;
Retiring Night in haste withdrew her shade,

And sudden morn shone thro' the op'ning glade.

No more the scene a desert wild appear'd;

A smiling grove its vernal honors rear'd,
While sweetness on the balmy breezes hung,

And all around a joyful Mattin rung:

Soft was the strain as Zephyr in the grove,

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Or purling streams that thro' the meadows rove;
Now wild in air the varying strain is tost,

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In distant echoes then the sound is lost,

Again reviv'd, and lo the willing trees

Rise to the pow'rful numbers by degrees.

Trees now no more, robb'd of their verdant bloom,

They shine supporters of a spacious dome;

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The wood to bright transparent crystal chang'd,

High fluted columns rise in order rang’d.

So to the magic of Amphion's lyre

Stones motion found, and Thebes was seen t' aspire;

The nodding forests 'rose with the soft sound,
And gilded turrets glitter'd all around:

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Each wond'ring God bent from his heav'nly seat

To view what pow'rful music cou'd compleat.

High on a mountain was the pile disclos'd,
And spreading limes th' ascending walks compos'd;
While far below the waving woods declin'd,
Their verdant tops bow'd with the gentle wind.
Bright varying Novelty produc'd delight,
And Majesty and Beauty charm'd the sight.
Such are the scenes which Poets sweetly sing,

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By Fancy taught to strike the trembling string.

Here Fancy's fane, near to the blest abode

Of all her kindred Gods, superior stood.
Dome upon dome it sparkl'd from on high,

Its lofty top lost in the azure sky.

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By Fiction's hand th' amazing pile was rear'd;

Now thro' the sounding vaults, self-op'ning, rung

The massy gates on golden hinges hung;

All the bright structure was disclos'd to view,

Magnificent with beauty ever new:

Trembling I stood absorb'd in dread surprize,
And sudden glory dim'd my aching eyes.
Unnumber'd Pillars all around were plac'd,
Their capitals with artful sculpture grac'd.

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Wide round the roof a fictious sky was rais'd;
A glorious Sun in the meridian blaz'd,
On the rich columns play'd his dazzling ray,
And all around diffus'd immortal day;

A shining Phoenix on th' effusive rays
Fix'd his aspiring eye with steady gaze.
Beneath appear'd a chequer'd pavement, bright
With sparkling Jaspanyx and Chrysolite.
'Round, by creating Fiction's hand renew'd,
Gay visionary scenes in order stood;

Th' obedient figures at her touch disclos'd,
And various tales the glowing walls compos'd.

Gotarzes. He comes, Arsaces comes! my gallant Brother,
Like shining Mars in all the pomp of conquest,
Triumphant enters now our joyful gates.
Bright Victory waits on his glitt'ring car
And shows her fav'rite to the wond'ring croud,
While Fame, exulting, sounds the happy name
To realms remote, and bids the world admire.
Oh, 't is a glorious day! let none presume

T' indulge the tear or wear the gloom of sorrow.
This day shall shine in Ages yet to come,

And grace the PARTHIAN story.

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Phraates.
Pours forth her numbers like a rolling deluge
To meet the blooming Hero: all the ways
On either side as far as sight can stretch

Glad Ctes' phon

Are lin❜d with crouds, and on the lofty walls
Innumerable multitudes are rang'd.
On ev'ry countenance impatience sate
With roving eye, before the train appear'd;
But when they saw the Darling of the Fates,
They rent the air with loud repeated shouts.
The Mother show'd him to her infant son,

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And taught his lisping tongue to name Arsaces.
E'en aged Sires, whose sounds are scarcely heard,
By feeble strength supported tost their caps,
And gave their murmur to the gen❜ral voice.

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Gotarzes. The spacious streets which lead up to the Temple Are strew'd with flow'rs: each with frantic joy His garland forms and throws it in the way. What pleasure, Phraates, must swell his bosom, To see the prostrate nation all around him And know he 's made them happy! to hear them Tease the Gods to show'r their blessings on him! Happy Arsaces, fain I 'd imitate

Thy matchless worth, and be a shining joy.

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Phraates. Hark, what a shout was that which pierc'd the

Swiftly they fled, for fear had wing'd their speed,

And made them bless the shade which saf'ty gave.
Phraates. What a bright hope is ours, when those dread

pow'rs

Who rule yon heav'n and guide the mov❜ments here
Shall call your royal Father to their joys.

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In blest Arsaces ev'ry virtue meets:
He's gen'rous, brave, and wise, and good,
Has skill to act, and noble fortitude
To face bold danger, in the battle firm,
And dauntless as a Lion fronts his foe;
Yet is he sway'd by ev'ry tender passion,
Forgiving mercy, gentleness, and love,
Which speak the Hero friend of humankind.

Gotarzes. And let me speak, for 't is to him I owe
That here I stand and breath the common air,

And 't is my pride to tell it to the world.

One luckless day, as in the eager chace
My Courser wildly bore me from the rest,