is become of thy delicate Hue?
And where is the Violet's beautiful Blue?
Does ought of its Sweetness the Blossom beguile,
That Meadow, those Dasies, why do they not smile?
Ah! Rivals, I see what it was that you drest
And made your selves fine for; a Place in her Breast:
You put on your Colours to pleasure her Eye,
To be pluckt by her Hand, on her Bosom to die.

IX. How slowly Time creeps, till my_ Phebe _return!
While amidst the soft Zephyr's cold Breezes I burn;
Methinks if I knew whereabouts he would tread,
I could breathe on his Wings, and 'twould melt down the Lead.
Fly swifter, ye Minutes, bring hither my Dear,
And rest so much longer for't when she is here.
Ah_ Colin! _old Time is full of Delay,
Nor will budge one Foot faster for all thou canst say.

X. Will no pitying Power that hears me complain,
Or cure my Disquiet, or soften my Pain?
To be cur'd, thou must_, Colin, _thy Passion remove;
But what Swain is so silly to live without Love?
No, Deity, bid the dear Nymph to return,
For ne'er was poor Shepherd so sadly forlorn.
Ah! What shall I do? I shall die with Despair;
Take heed, all ye Swains, how ye love one so fair.

[Footnote 1: It is said that John Byrom wrote these verses in honour of
Joanna, daughter of his friend, Dr. Richard Bentley, Master of Trinity.]

* * * * *

No. 604. Friday, October 8, 1714.

'Tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas) quem mihi, quem tibi,
Finem Dii dederint, Leuconoe; nec Babylonios
Tentaris numeros--'

Hor.

The Desire of knowing future Events is one of the strongest Inclinations
in the Mind of Man. Indeed an Ability of foreseeing probable Accidents
is what, in the Language of Men, is called Wisdom and Prudence: But, not
satisfied with the Light that Reason holds out, Mankind hath endeavoured
to penetrate more compendiously into Futurity. Magick, Oracles, Omens,
lucky Hours, and the various Arts of Superstition, owe their Rise to
this powerful Cause. As this Principle is founded in Self-Love, every
Man is sure to be sollicitous in the first Place about his own Fortune,
the Course of his Life, and the Time and Manner of his Death.

If we consider that we are free Agents, w