Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Gentle shepherd

4i THE GENTLE SHEx^HERD.
Yet 'mldH: my joy, fotne profpefts pain renew,
Whilft I my once fair feat in rains view.
Yonder ! ah me, it defolately ftands.
Without a roof, the gates fall'n from their bands ;
The cafements all broke down, no chimney left.
The naked walls of tap'ltry all bereft.
My ftables and jjavilions, broken walls I
That with each rainy blaft decaying falls :
My gardens, once adorn'd the moR complete.
With all that nature, all that art makes fweet ;
Where round the figur'd green and pebble walks.
The dewy fiow'rs hung nodding on their (lalks ;
But overgrow'n with nettles, docks, and brier, '
No Jaccacinths or Eglantines appear.
How do thofe ample walls to ruin yield.
Where peach and nedl'rine branches found a bield.
And bafI^•'d in rays, which early did produce
Fruit fair to view, delightful to the ufe :
All round in gaps, the walls in ruin lie.
And from what ftands the withered branches fly.
Thefe foon fjiall he repair'd ; — and now my joy
Forbids all grief— when I'm to fee my boy.
My only prop, and ohje6l of my care.
Since heav'n too loon call'd home his mother fair:
Him, ere the rays of reafon clear'd his thought,
I fecretiy to fnithful Symon brought.
And charg'd him ftridlly to conceal his birth.
Till we fhou'd fee what changing times brought forth.
Hid from himielf, he ftarts up by the dawn.
And ranges carelel's o'er the height and lawn.
After his fleecy charge ferenely gay.
With other (hei herds whiftling o'er the day.