Windsor-Forest

WINDSOR-FOREST.
To the Right Honourable

GEORGE Lord LANSDOWN.

By Mr. POPE.

 nec Phaebo gratior ulla est
Virg

LONDON: Printed for Bernard Lintott at

Windsor! and thy green Retreats,
Monarch’s and the Muse’s Seats,
Sylvan Maids!
Unlock your Springs, and open all your Shades.
Granville commands Your Aid O Muses bring!
Eden, vanish’d now so long,
Live in Description, and look green in Song:
Like them in Beauty, should be like in Fame. [10]
Here Hills and Vales, the Woodland and the Plain,
Here Earth and Water seem to strive again,
harmoniously confus’d:
Where Order in Variety we see,
checquer’d Scene display,

Nor quite indulges, nor can quite repress. [20]
Thin Trees arise that shun each others Shades.
There wrapt in Clouds the blueish Hills ascend:
Purple Dies,

Like verdant Isles the sable Waste adorn.
The weeping Amber or the balmy Tree, [30]
While by our Oaks the precious Loads are born,
And Realms commanded which those Trees adorn.

Than what more humble Mountains offer here,
Where, in their Blessings, all those Gods appear.
paints th’ enamel’d Ground,
Ceres‘ Gifts  Gifts in waving Prospect stand,
Rich Industry sits smiling on the Plains,
STUART reigns.

A dreary Desart and a gloomy Waste,
To Savage Beasts and Savage Laws a Prey,
And Kings more furious and severe than they:
The lonely Lords of empty Wilds and Woods.
(For wiser Brutes were backward to be Slaves) [50]


Swain with Tears to Beasts his Labour yields,
No wonder Savages or Subjects slain
Despotick Reign;

Nimrod first the bloody Chace began,
A mighty Hunter, and his Prey was Man.
And makes his trembling Slaves the Royal Game.
† are ravish’d from th’ industrious Swains,
From Men their Cities, and from Gods their Fanes:


The Fox obscene to gaping Tombs retires,
And Wolves with Howling fill the sacred Quires.

And treats alike his Vassals and his God.
Saxon spar’d, and bloody Dane,
The wanton Victims of his Sport remain.
But see the Man who spacious Regions gave
*second Hope survey,
At once the Chaser and at once the Prey.
Lo Rufus, tugging at the deadly Dart,
Bleeds in the Forest, like a wounded Hart.
Succeeding Monarchs heard the Subjects Cries,


Swain. [90]
Her chearful Head, and leads the golden Years.

Spirits swell the sprightly Flood,
Now range the Hills, the thickest Woods beset,
Wind the shrill Horn, or spread the waving Net.
And in the new-shorn Field the Partridge feeds,
Before his Lord the ready Spaniel bounds,
tainted Gales the Game betray,

 swelling Net.
Thus (if small Things we may with great compare)
When Albion sends her eager Sons to War,
Sudden, before some unsuspecting Town,
The Young, the Old, one Instant makes our Prize,
Britannia’s Standard flies. [110]

See! from the Brake the whirring Pheasant springs,
Short is his Joy! he feels the fiery Wound,
Flutters in Blood, and panting beats the Ground.
Ah! what avail his glossie, varying Dyes,
His Purple Crest, and Scarlet-circled Eyes,
His painted Wings, and Breast that flames with Gold?
Arcturus  clouds the Sky,
The Woods and Fields their pleasing Toils deny. [120]
repair,
And trace the Mazes of the circling Hare.
(Beasts, taught by us, their Fellow Beasts pursue,
And learn of Man each other to undo.)
Fowler roves,

And lonely Woodcocks haunt the watry Glade.
Strait a short Thunder breaks the frozen Sky. [130]
Oft, as in Airy Rings they skim the Heath,
Plovers Plovers feel the Leaden Death:
Oft as the mounting Larks their Notes prepare,
They fall, and leave their little Lives in Air.

Where cooling Vapours breathe along the Mead,
The patient Fisher takes his silent Stand

And eyes the dancing Cork and bending Reed. [140]
Tyrian Dye,

And Pykes, the Tyrants of the watry Plains.

Cancer glows with Phoebus’ fiery Car;

Rowze the fleet Hart, and chear the opening Hound. [150]
And pawing, seems to beat the distant Plain,
Hills, Vales, and Floods appear already crost,
And ere he starts, a thousand Steps are lost.
See! the bold Youth strain up the threatning Steep,

And Earth rolls back beneath the flying Steed.
Arcadia boast her spacious Plain,
Immortal Huntress, and her Virgin Train; [160]

Whose Care, like hers, protects the Sylvan Reign,
Diana stray’d


Lodona nam’d, [170]
The Muse shall sing, and what she sings shall last)
Scarce could the Goddess from her Nymph be known,
But by the Crescent and the golden Zone,
A Belt her Waste, a Fillet binds her Hair,
A painted Quiver on her Shoulder sounds,
And with her Dart the flying Deer she wounds.
verdant Limits stray’d, [180]

Not half so swift the trembling Doves can fly,
Not half so swiftly the fierce Eagle moves,
As from the God with fearful Speed she flew,
As did the God with equal Speed pursue.


And now his shorter Breath with sultry Air
Pants on her Neck, and fans her parting Hair.
Diana help her injur’d Maid.
Cynthia! ah—tho’ banish’d from thy Train,

She said, and melting as in Tears she lay,
The silver Stream her Virgin Coldness keeps,
*Name the hapless Virgin bore,
In her chast Current oft the Goddess laves,
And with Celestial Tears augments the Waves.
Oft in her Glass the musing Shepherd spies
The headlong Mountains and the downward Skies, [210]
The watry Landskip of the pendant Woods,
In the clear azure Gleam the Flocks are seen,
And floating Forests paint the Waves with Green.
Thames.

And future Navies on thy Banks appear. [220]
A wealthier Tribute, than to thine he gives.
No Seas so rich, so full no Streams appear,
No Lake so gentle, and no Spring so clear.
Po more swells the Poets Lays,
Windsor’s fam’d Abodes,
To grace the Mansion of our earthly Gods.
Nor all his Stars a brighter Lustre show,
Than the fair Nymphs that gild thy Shore below: [230]
Jove himself, subdu’d by Beauty still,
Happy the Man whom this bright Court approves,
Happy next him who to these Shades retires,
Whom Nature charms, and whom the Muse inspires,
Whom humbler Joys of home-felt Quiet please,
Successive Study, Exercise and Ease.
He gathers Health from Herbs the Forest yields,
And of their fragrant Physick spoils the Fields:
Chymic Art exalts the Min’ral Pow’rs,

Of ancient Writ unlocks the learned Store,
Or wandring thoughtful in the silent Wood,
Attends the Duties of the Wise and Good,
To follow Nature, and regard his End. [250]
Bids his free Soul expatiate in the Skies,
Amidst her Kindred Stars familiar roam,
Survey the Region, and confess her Home!
Such was the Life great Scipio once admir’d,
Ye sacred Nine! that all my Soul possess,
Whose Raptures fire me, and whose Visions bless,

Cooper’s Hill.
Thames shall flow)

Led by the Sound I roam from Shade to Shade,
By God-like Poets Venerable made:
Denham sung;
*Cowley’s Tongue. [270]
O early lost! what Tears the River shed
When the sad Pomp along his Banks was led?

Who now shall charm the Shades where Cowley strung
But hark! the Groves rejoice, the Forest rings!

And call the Muses to their ancient Seats,
To crown the Forests with Immortal Greens,

To sing those Honours you deserve to wear,
*Surrey felt the sacred Rage,

Bold in the Lists, and graceful in the Dance:
To the same Notes, of Love, and soft Desire:
Myra now..

*Edward’s Acts adorn the shining Page,
Cressi’s glorious Field,
The Lillies blazing on the Regal Shield.
Verrio’s Colours fall,
France appear,
*Henry mourn,
And Palms Eternal flourish round his Urn. [310]
*Edward sleeps:
Belerium to the German Main,

Charles’sTomb for ever known,
Albion shed,
She saw her Sons with purple Deaths expire,
rolling Fire.
A dreadful Series of Intestine Wars,
In glorious Triumphs, and dishonest Scars.
ANNA said—Let Discord cease
In that blest Moment, from his Oozy Bed



Augusta rose in Gold.

That swell with Tributary Urns his Flood.
Isis, and the fruitful Tame:
Kennet swift, for silver Eels renown’d;

And chalky Wey, that rolls a milky Wave:
Lee his sedgy Tresses rears:
Darent, stain’d with Danish Blood.

(His Sea-green Mantle waving with the Wind)
Windsor-Domes and pompous Turrets rise, [350]

Hail Sacred Peace! hail long-expected Days,
Tyber‘s Streams immortal Rome behold,
Hermus swells with Tydes of Gold,
Nilus flows,

Lost in my Fame, as in the Sea their Streams. [360]
Volga’s Banks with Iron Squadrons shine,
Rhine,
Ganges arm a servile Train;
Be mine the Blessings of a peaceful Reign.
Iber’s sands, or Ister‘s foaming flood.;
Safe on my Shore each unmolested Swain
The shady Empire shall retain no Trace
Of War or Blood, but in the Sylvan Chace, [370]
The Trumpets sleep, while chearful Horns are blown,
ascending Villa’s on my Side
Augusta’s glitt’ring Spires increase,
And Temples rise, the beauteous Works of Peace.
I see, I see where two fair Cities bend
White-Hall ascend!
There mighty Nations shall inquire their Doom,
Oracle in Times to come; [380]
There Kings shall sue, and suppliant States be seen
Windsor! now shall leave their Woods,
And half thy Forests rush into my Floods,
Thunder, and her Cross display,
Tempt Icy Seas, where scarce the Waters roll,
Or under Southern Skies exalt their Sails,
Led by new Stars, and born by spicy Gales! [390]
For me the Balm shall bleed, and Amber flow,
The Coral redden, and the Ruby glow,
The Pearly Shell its lucid Globe infold,
The Time shall come, when free as Seas or Wind
Whole Nations enter with each swelling Tyde,

And the new World launch forth to seek the Old. [400]
Then Ships of uncouth Form shall stem the Tyde,
While naked Youth and painted Chiefs admire
Our Speech, our Colour, and our strange Attire!

Reap their own Fruits, and woo their Sable Loves,
Peru once more a Race of Kings behold,
Exil’d by thee from earth to deepest hell,
Pride, pale Terror, gloomy Care,
Vengeance bath’d in Gore retires,
Her Weapons blunted, and extinct her Fires:
Persecution mourn her broken Wheel:
And gasping Furies thirst for Blood in vain. [420]

Albion’s Golden Days.
And bring the Scenes of opening Fate to Light.
My humble Muse, in unambitious Strains,
Where Peace descending bids her Olives spring,
And scatters Blessings from her Dove-like Wing.

Enough for me, that to the listning Swains
First in these Fields I sung the Sylvan Strains.

FINIS.