Hail fire, &c. &c.
No. XVII.
March 5, 1798.
We are obliged to a learned correspondent for the following ingenious imitation of Bion.—We will not shock the eyes of our fair readers with the original Greek, but the following Argument will give them some idea of the nature of the Poem here imitated.
ARGUMENT.
Venus is represented as bringing to the Poet, while sleeping, her son Cupid, with a request that he would teach him Pastoral Poetry—Bion complies, and endeavours to teach him the rise and progress of that art:—Cupid laughs at his instructions, and in his turn teaches his master the Loves of Men and Gods, the Wiles of his Mother, &c.—“Pleased with his lessons,” says Bion, “I forgot what I lately taught Cupid and recollect in its stead only what Cupid taught me.”
IMITATION, &c.[[152]]
WRITTEN AT ST. ANNE’S HILL.
Scarce had sleep my eyes o’erspread,