Page:The English humourists of the eighteenth century. A series of lectures, delivered in England, Scotland, and the United States of America (IA englishhumourist00thacrich).pdf/180

---

was singing? and, in the verses of Chloe weeping and reproaching him for his inconstancy, where he says—

"The God of us verse-men, you know, child, the Sun,
 How after his journey, he set up his rest.
If at morning o'er earth 'tis his fancy to run,
 At night he declines on his Thetis's breast.

"So, when I am wearied with wandering all day,
 To thee, my delight, in the evening I come:
No matter what beauties I saw in my way;
 They were but my visits, but thou art my home!

"Then finish, dear Cloe, this pastoral war,
 And let us like Horace and Lydia agree;
For thou art a girl as much brighter than her,
 As he was a poet sublimer than me."

If Prior read Horace, did not Thomas Moore study Prior? Love and pleasure find singers in all days. Roses are always blowing and fading—to-day as in that pretty time when Prior sang of them, and of Chloe lamenting their decay—

"She sighed, she smiled, and to the flowers
 Pointing, the lovely moralist said;
See, friend, in some few leisure hours,
 See yonder what a change is made!

"Ah, me! the blooming pride of May,
 And that of Beauty are but one:
At morn both flourisht bright and gay,
 Both fade at evening, pale and gone.

"At dawn poor Stella danced and sung,
 The amorous youth around her bowed,
At night her fatal knell was rung;
 I saw, and kissed her in her shroud.