_My Leaf is dry'd, my Summer Season's done,
And Winter, blasting Blossoms, hieth on_.

Meaning that his happy time of Life was past, and Old Age drew on. I
need not prove these Thoughts to be improper for Pastoral.

The Second Sort, or the ALLEGORICAL, is also what _SPENCER_ delighted
equally in. His every Pastoral almost has under the plain Meaning a
hidden one. Let all judge of Allegorical Pastorals as they please, but
in my Opinion, they are not consistent with the Simplicity of that Poem.

The Third Sort I mention'd was the _REFINED_. And of this our Modern
Swains are as fond, as _SPENCER_ was of the two first. But all the
Difficulty is to show that their Thoughts are refin'd; for all allow a
Refin'd Thought to be faulty. But those I am going to mention are not
at present look't upon as such. As that Apostrophe, where the Shepherd
calls upon the Works of Nature to assist him in his Grief. This Thought
being us'd by all Pastoral-Writers show's how Beautiful they thought it:
And the generality of them, 'tis plain, took delight in the Affectation
of it, because they have put it as affected as they could.

If 'tis possible for any, the finest Turn, that can be given it, to
prevent the Affectation, I think the Ingenious Mr. _ROW_ has done it, in
his excellent Tragedy, call'd _JANE SHORE_.

_Give me your Drops, Ye soft-descending Rains,
Give me your Streams, Ye never-ceasing Springs, &c_.

But the very best Turn, methinks, that can possibly be given to this