While Winds and Storms his lofty Forehead beat!
The common fate of all that's high or great.
Low at his foot a fpacious Plain is plac'd,
Between the Mountain and the Stream embrac'd:
Which fhade and shelter from the Hill derives,
While the kind River Wealth and Beauty gives;
And in the mixture of all these appears
Variety, which all the reft indears.
This Scene had fome bold Greek, or British Bard
Beheld of old, what Stories had we heard,
Of Fairies, Satyrs, and the Nymphs their Dames, Their Feafts, their Revels, and their am'rous Flames? 'Tis ftill the fame, altho' their airy fhape
All but a quick Poetick fight escape.
There Faunus and Sylvanus keep their Courts,
And thither all the horned Hoft reforts
To graze the ranker Mead, that Noble Herd,
On whofe fublime and fhady Fronts is rear'd
Nature's great Mafter-piece; to fhew how foon
Great things are made, but fooner are undone.
Here have I seen the King, when great Affairs
Gave leave to flacken, and unbend his Cares,
Attended to the Chafe by all the flow'r
Of Youth, whose hopes a Nobler Prey devour:
Pleasure with Praife, and Danger they would buy,
And wish a Foe that would not only flie.
The Stag now conscious of his fatal Growth,
At once indulgent to his fear and floth,
To fome dark covert his Retreat had made,
Where nor Man's Eye, nor Heaven's fhould invade
His foft Repofe; when th'unexpected found
Of Dogs, and Men, his wakeful Ear does wound:
Rouz'd with the noife, he scarce believes his Ear,
Willing to think th' illufions of his Fear
Had giv'n this false Alarm, but straight his view
Confirms, that more than all he fears is true.
Betray'd in all his ftrengths, the Wood befet;
All Inftruments, all Arts of ruin met;
He calls to mind his ftrength, and then his speed,
His winged Heels, and then his armed Head;
With these t'avoid, with that his Fate to meet:
But fear prevails, and bids him trust his Feet.
So faft he flies, that his reviewing Eye
Has loft the Chafers, and his Ear the cry;
Exulting, 'till he finds, their Nobler Senfe
Their difproportion'd fpeed does recompenfe;
Then curfes his confpiring Feet, whofe fcent
Betrays that fafety which their swiftness lent.
Then tries his Friends; among the bafer Herd,
Where he fo lately was Obey'd, and Fear'd,
His Safety feeks: The Herd, unkindly Wife,
Or chases him from thence, or from him flies,
Like a declining Statef-man, left forlorn
To his Friends pity, and Purfuers fcorn,
With fhame remembers, while himself was one
Of the fame Herd, himself the fame had done.
Thence to the Coverts, and the confcious Groves,
The Scenes of his past Triumph, and his Loves;
Sadly furveying where he rang'd alone
Prince of the Soyl, and all the Herd his own;
And like a bold Knight Errant did proclaim
Combat to all, and bore away the Dame,
And taught the Woods to Eccho to the Stream
His dreadful Challenge, and his clashing Beam.
Yet faintly now declines the fatal Strife;
So much his Love was dearer than his Life.
Now ev'ry Leaf, and ev'ry moving Breath
Presents a Foe, and ev'ry Foe a Death.
Weary'd, forfaken, and purfu'd, at last
All Safety in despair of Safety plac'd,
Courage he thence refumes, refolv'd to bear
All their affaults, fince 'tis in vain to fear.
And now too late he wishes for the fight
That Strength he wafted in ignoble flight:
But when he fees the eager chafe renew'd,
Himfelf by Dogs, the Dogs by Men purfu'd:
He ftraight revokes his bold Refolve, and more
Repents his Courage, than his Fear before;
Finds that uncertain ways unfafeft are,
And Doubt a greater Mischief than Despair.
Then to the Stream, when neither Friends, nor Force,
Nor Speed, nor Art avail, he fhapes his course;
Thinks not their Rage fo defperate t'affay
An Element more merciless than they.
But fearless thy purfue, nor can the Flood
Quench their dire thirft; alas, they thirst for Blood.
So tow❜rds a Ship the Oar-fin'd Gallies ply,
Which wanting Sea to ride, or Wind to fly,
Stands but to fall reveng'd on those that dare
Tempt the laft fury of extream Defpair.
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