doubt to which of thofe fcenes my proper happiness should lead me. I have admired the death of Buchanan. He was willing to go to reft with agreeable ideas, and therefore retained to the last the image of that object, which, in life, had given him the greatest pleasure.

Cynthia prima fuis miferum me cepit ocellis.
Contactum nullis ante cupidinibus.

With that couplet of Propertius he closed the fcene; and, though his death was more poetical than pious, he certainly was right in his first principle. To what purpose, Waller, fhould we affect a cold and fombrous gravity of temper? Our little fires will too foon be extinguished. Let us ftir up and brighten the dying embers. We may not strike the lyre with the vivacity of youth, but we may yet call from it some soothing notes to divert the idea of eternal filence.

N

LETTER XXVIII.

WALLER to ST. EVREMOND.

I

F there fhould be no greater impropriety in

giving the faculty of speech to the vegetable than to the animal creation, many fine morals, I think, might be drawn from fables designed in that part of nature. For my own part, I am fond of animating every thing around me; and there is hardly a tree or flower of any note in my garden, which is not, in my idea, invested with fome peculiar design or quality; which has not fome relative interest, confequence, or purfuit. It was under the influence of this kind of fancy, that the following little piece was written; which may not improperly be called, The Lady's Moral.

The TULIP and the MYRTLE.

I.

"TWAS on the border of a stream
A gayly-painted Tulip stood,
And gilded by the morning beam,
Survey'd her beauties in the flood.

II.

And fure, more lovely to behold,
Might nothing meet the wiftful eye,
Than crimfon fading into gold,
In ftreaks of fairest fymmetry.

III.

The beauteous flower, with pride elate, Ah me! that pride with beauty dwells! Vainly affects fuperior ftate,

And thus in empty fancy fwells.

IV.

"O luftre of unrivalled bloom! Fair painting of a hand divine !

Superior far to mortal doom,

The hues of heaven alone are mine i

V.

Away, ye worthlefs, formal race!

Ye weeds, that boast the name of flowers! No more my native bed disgrace,

Unmeet for tribes fo mean as yours!
VI.

Shall the bright daughter of the fun,
Affociate with the fhrubs of earth?
Ye flaves, your Sovereign's prefence fhun!
Respect her beauties and her birth.

VII.

And thou, dull, fullen ever-green!
Shalt thou my fhining sphere invade ?
My noon-day beauties beam unseen,
Obfcured beneath thy dufky fhade!"

VIII.

"Deluded flower! the Myrtle cries, Shall we thy moment's bloom adore?

The meanest shrub that you despise,
The meaneft flower has merit more.
IX.

That daify,' in its fimple bloom,
Shall laft along the changing year;
Blush on the fnow of winter's gloom,

And bid the fmiling fpring appear.

X.

The violet, that, those banks beneath,
Hides from thy scorn its modest head,
Shall fill the air with fragrant breath,
When thou art in thy dufty bed.
XI.

Ev'n I who boaft no golden fhade,
Am of no fhining tints poffeft,
When low thy lucid form is laid,

Shall bloom on many a lovely breaft.
XII.

And he, whofe kind and foftering care
To thee, to me, our beings gave,
Shall near his breast my flowrets wear,
And walk regardless o'er thy grave.
XIII.

Deluded flower! thy friendly screen,
That hides thee from the noon-tide ray,
And mock thy paffion to be feen,
Prolongs the tranfitory day.

XIV.

But kindly deeds with fcorn repaid,
No more by virtue need be done :
I now withdraw my dusky shade,
And yield thee to thy darling fun."