But soon tempestuous clouds the scene deform,
And the loud surge remurmurs to the storm:
Thus big with hope, from dark suspicion free,
I sail'd with transport on life's summer sea;
The gay attendants of my happy state,
The smiles, the graces round were seen to wait,
And all the moments as they swiftly flew
Shower'd down soft joy and pleasures ever new.
How changed this fleeting image of a day!
How sets in awful gloom the evening ray!
While, fix'd on earth, her eye in sad suspense
Pours the deep sigh, incessant penitence.
If youthful charms decay with age or pain,
Beauty, thy crowded worshippers how vain!
Why then such crowds of incense round ascend?
Why prostrate monarchs at thy altars bend?
Why earth's and ocean's mighty bounds explore
At once to win thee, and increase thy power?
Let sad example reason's dictates aid;
Here see what ruin grief and love have made;
Even love, who lives by beauty's smiles caress'd,
Basks in her eyes and wantons on her breast,
With cruel force the fatal shaft employs,
And soonest what he most adores destroys.
How cold I feel life's idle current flow,
Where once the dancing spirits loved to glow!
No more these eyes with youthful rapture shine,
Nor cheeks, soft blushing, speak a warmth divine;
Graceful no more amid the festive dance
My steps with easy dignity advance,
And all the glossy locks, whose ringlets spread
O'er my fair neck, the honours of my head,
Cease the neat labours of my hand to know;
Ill suits the care of elegance with woe!
Why did not Nature, when she gave to charm, With unrelenting pride my bosom arm?
Why was my soul its tender pity taught,
Each soft affection, and each generous thought?
Hence spring my sorrows, hence with sighs I prove
How feeble woman, and how fierce is love.
In unavailing streams my tears are shed;
Sad Laura's bliss is with Lorenzo fled.
For thee, false youth, was every joy resigned,
Young health, sweet peace, and innocence of mind;
Are these the constant vows thy tongue profess'd,
When first thy arms my yielding beauties press'd?
Thus did thy kiss dispel my empty fears?
Or winning voice delight my raptured ears?
Thus swore thy lips by ocean, air, and sky,
By hell's dread powers, and heaven's all-piercing
[storm
Yawns not the grave for thee? why sleeps the
To blast thy limbs, and rend thy perjured form?
Unmoved, O faithless, canst thou hear my pain,
Like the proud rocks which brave the' unwearied
main?
Sooner the shipwreck'd pilot shall appease
With sighs the howling winds, with tears the seas,
Than Laura's prayers thy heart unfeeling move,
O lost to fame, to honour, and to love!
Nursed in dark caverns on some mountain wild,
To cruel manhood grew the darling child,
No female breast supplied thy infant food,
But tigers growling o'er their savage brood.
Cursed be that fatal hour thy charms were seen,
While yet this mind was guiltless and serene.
With thee, false man, I urged my hasty flight,
And dared the horrors of tempestuous night;
Nor fear'd, with thee, through plains unknown to
Deaf to the dictates of paternal love. [rove,
In vain for me a parent's tears were shed,
And to the grave descends his hoary head.
When at my feet entranced my lover lay,
And pour'd in tender sighs his soul away,
Fond, foolish heart! to think the tale divine!
Why started not my hands when press'd in thine?
Too well remembrance paints the fatal hour
When love, great conqueror, summon'd all his
When bolder grown, your glances flash'd with fire,
And your pale lips all trembled with desire;
Back to my heart my blood tumultuous flew,
From every pore distill'd the chilling dew,
When shame presaging spoke each future pain,
And struggling virtue arm'd my soul in vain.
But, O! let silence all my weakness veil,
And burning blushes only tell the tale.
[maid,
Ah, faithless man! and thou more wretched
To guilt and grief and misery betray'd!
Far flies thy lover to some distant plain,
Now cleaves his bounding bark the peaceful main;
Avenging Heaven, that heard the vows he swore,
Bid howl the blackening storm, and thunder roar,
Till waves on waves in tumbling mountains roll,
Now sink to hell, and now ascend the pole;
Then on some plank o'er foaming billows borne,
Trembling, his perjured faith the wretch shall
mourn,
But mourn in vain: his vigorous arm shall fail,
Guilt sink him down, and angry Heaven prevail;
No friendly hand to earth his limbs convey,
But dogs and vultures tear the bloated prey.
Yet, ah! fond heart! avert, kind Heaven, the
My heart denies what trembling lips have spoke.
The varying accents real nature prove,
And only show how wild a thing is love.
Go,much loved youth,with every blessing crown'd,
And Laura's wishes ever guard thee round.
Me to the silent shades and sad retreat,
Where love's expiring flames forget their heat,
Death woos all powerful: ere he parts the clue,
Once more thy Laura bids her love adieu :
Bids health and affluence every bliss afford;
Bids thee be loved, be happy, and adored;
In ease, in mirth glide each glad hour away:
No pain to spot thy fortune's cloudless day;
Nor sigh to swell, no tear to flow for me:
O grant, Heaven, all; but grant thee constancy.
Yet from my hand this last address receive,
This last address is all that hand can give.
In vain thy bark with spreading canvass flies,
If these sad lines shall meet thy conscious eyes,
And, taught with winning eloquence to move,
The winds and waters waft the voice of love;
That voice, O grant what dying lips implore,
Asks but one tear from thee, and asks no more.
Then, world, farewell, farewell life's fond de-
sires,
False flattering hopes, and love's tormenting fires.
Already, death, before my closing eyes
Thy airy forms and glimmering shades arise.
Hark! hear I not for me yon passing bell
Toll forth, with frequent pause, its sullen knell?
Waits not for me yon sexton on his spade,
Blithe whistling o'er the grave his toil has made?
Say why in lengthen'd pomp yon sable train,
With measured steps, slow stalk along the plain?
Say why yon hearse with fading flowers is crown'd,
And midnight gales the deep-mouth'd dirge re-
sound?
Hail, sister worms, and thou my kindred dust,
Secure to you my wearied limbs I trust. [plete,
Dim burns life's lamp; O Death! thy work com-
And give my soul to gain her last retreat.
Such as before the birth of nature sway'd,
Ere springing light the first great word obey'd,
Let silence reign- -come, fate, exert thy might,
And darkness wrap me in eternal night!
THE LOVER AND THE FRIEND.
O THOU for whom my lyre I string,
Of whom I speak and think and sing;
Thou constant object of my joys,
Whose sweetness every wish employs,
Thou dearest of thy sex! attend,
And hear the Lover and the Friend.
Fear not the poet's flattering strain,
No idle praise my verse shall stain;
The lowly numbers shall impart
The faithful dictates of my heart,
Nor humble modesty offend,
And part the Lover from the Friend.
Not distant is the cruel day
That tears me from my hopes away;
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