Her brow no fern rrentments arm,

“ But first thy heart explore with care, No livell of empty pride she knew,

" With faith its fond emotions prove; In trivial min is that takes th' alarm,

• Lurks no unworthy pallion there? Should humble Love aspire to sue.

“ Prompts not ambition bold to love ?" Such Love, by Aattering charms betray’d, “ Yes, lovely maid,” the youth replies, Shall yet, indignant, foon rehel,

“ A bold ambition prompis my breast, And, blushing for the choice he made,

“ The towering hope that love fupplies, Shail fly where gentler virtues dwell.

“ The with in blefling to be bleit. Tis then the mind, from bondage free, “ The meaner prospects I despise And all its foriner weakness o'er,

“ That wealth, or rank, or power beftov; Aflerts its native dignity,

“ Be yours the grovelling bliss

ye prize, And scorns what folly priz’d before.

“ Ye fordid minds that stoop to low ! The scanty pane the rising ray

Be mine the more refin'd dtlights On the plain wall in diamonds threw ;

« Of love that banilhes controul, The lover fail'd the welcome day,

“ When the fond heart with heart unites, And to his favourite scene he few.

“ And soul's in unison with soul." There soon Elvira bent her way,

Elvira blufh'd the warm reply,
Where long her lonely walks had been; (To love a language not unknown)
Nor lefs had the preceding day,

The milder glories fill'd her eye,
Nor Armine less endear'd the scene.

And there a softer luftre fhone. Oft, as the pass'd, her rising heart

The yielding smile that's half fuppreft, Its stronger tenderness confefs'd,

The short quick breath, the trembling teasy And oft she linger'd to impart

The swell tumultuous of the brcaft, To foine soft thade her secret breast.

In Armine’s favour all appear. “ How slow the heavy hours advance," At each kind glance their fouls unite, She cry'd, “ since that eventful day,

While love's soft sympathy imparts “ When first I caught the fatal glance That tender transport of delight 6. That fole me from myself away!

That beats in undivided hearts. « Ah, youth belov'd! tho' low thy birth, Refpe&tful to his lips he press’d « The noci, air, the manly grace,

Her yielded hand; in hafte away " That look that speaks fupcrior worth, Her yielded hand Ine drew distreft, “ Can fathion, folly, fear erase ?

With looks that witnets’d wild dismay. • Yet sure from no ignoble stem

“ Ah whence, fair excellence, those fears? “Thy lineage springs, tho' now unknown: " What terror unforcfeen alarms * " The world cenforious may condemn,

“ See! where a father's frown appears"“ But, Armine, I am thine alone.

She said, and sunk into his armis. “ To 'plendour only do we live?

“ My daughter! hcarens ! it cannot be “ Must pomp alone our thoughts employ?

“ And yet it must-- dire disgrace !

" Elvira have I liv'd to fce “ All, all that pomp and splendour give “ Is dearly bought with love and joy!

“ Clafpid in a peatant's vile embrace ! “ But oh !-the favour'd youth appears

“ This daring guilt let death repay"“ In .pensive grief he seems to move :

His vengeful arm the javelin threw;

With crring aim it wing'd its way, “ My heart forehodes unnumber'd fears; “ Support it Pity, Virtue, Love !

And far, by Fate averted, few. “ Hither his footsteps secm to bend

Elvira breathes her pulses beat, “ Come, Refolution, to my aid !

Returning life illumts her eye; « My breast what varying passions rend ! Trembling a father's view to meet, “ Averse to go-to stay-afraid!”

She fpics a reverend hermit nigh. " Dear object of cach fond dcfire

“ Your wrath," she cries, “ let tears aliuage " That throbs tumultuous in my breast !

“ Unheeded inuft Elvira pray? 6. Why with averted glance retire

“ O let an injur'd father's rage “ At Arminc's presence why diftreft ?

“ This herinit's sacred pretence stay! 6. What tho’he boast no tieled name,

“ Yet deem not, loft in guilty love, « No wide extent of rich domain,

“ I plead to save my virgin fame; “ Yit must he feed a hopeless fame,

“ My weakness Virtue might approve, * Must truth and nature plead in vain." “ And finile on Nature's holy flame." " Think not," she said, “ by forms betray'd, "welcome to my hopes again,

" To humbier worth my heart is blind; • My son!” the raptur'd hermit cries; « For foon shall every fplendour fade, “ I sought thec forrowing on the plain,'

“ That bcams not from the gifted mind, And all the father fill'd his eyes.

6

a

a

* Ar: “ Art thou,” the raging Raymond said, Bright Cloe, object of my constant vow, “ Of this audacious boy the fire?

Wilt thou a while unbend try serious brow? * Curse on the dart that idly sped,

Wilt thou with pleasure hear thy lover's ttrains, “ Nor bade his peasant loud: expire !!!

And with one heav'nly smile o'erpay his pains ? “ His peasant foul!--irdignant fire

No longer thall ibe Nur-Brown Maid be old; Flath'd from the conscious father's eye:

Tno' since her youth three hundred years have “ A gallant earl is sirmine's fire,

At thy desure, the shall again be rais'd; [rollid. “ And know, proud chief, that earl am I.

And her reviving charms in latting verfe be prais d.

No longer man of woman shall complain, * Tho' here, within the hermit's cell,

That he inay love and not be lov'd again : “ I long have liv'd unknown to fame, That we in vain the fick!c sex pursue, " Yet crowded camps and courts can tell- Who change the constant lover for the new.

“ Thou too halt heard of Egbert's name." Whatever has been writ, whatever said, “ Hah! Eg ert! he, whom tyrant rage,

Of female pallion fergn’d, or faith decay'd ; “ Forc'd from his country's bleeding breast? Henceforth thall in my verfe refuted stand, 4 The patron of my orphan age,

Be taid to winds, or writ upon the fand. “ My friend, my warrior stands confort ! And, while my notes to furure times proclaim But why?''-" The painful story spare:

Unconquer's love and ever-during fame; "...That proftrate youth,” said Egbert, « fce; lo faircit of the lex! be thou my Mule: “ His anguish asks a parent's care,

Deig'ı on iny work thy induince to diffufe: “ A parent, once who piticd thee !''

Let me partake the bleisings I rehearte,

And g me love, the juit reward of verse. Raymond, as one who, glancing round,

As beauty's potent queen, with ev'ry grace, Seems from fome sudden trarice to start,

That once was Emma's, has ado.n'd thy face; Snatch'd the pale lovers from the ground, And as her son has to my buloin dealt

And held them trembling to his heart. That constant fiame, which faithful Henry felt; Joy, Gratitude, and Wonder lhed

o let the story with thy life agree: United tears o'er Hvmcu's reign,

Let men once more thé bright example sec; And Nature her best triumph led,

Wiat Emma was to him, he thou to ine. For Love and Virtue join'd her train. Nor send me by thy frown from her I love,

Distant and fad, a banish'd man to rove.

But oh! with pity long-entreated crown § 142. An Italian Song. ROGERS, My pains and hopes; and, when thou say's

that one

(alone. DE IR is my little native vale,

Of all mankind thou lov'ft, oh! think on me The ring-dove builds and warbles there; Close by my iot she tells her tale

WHERE beauteous Ilis and her husound Tame To every pairing villager.

With minglcd waves forever flow the fain, The squirrel leaps from tree to tree,

In times of yore an antient baron liv'd; And thelis his nuts at liberty.

Great gifts bestow'd, and great relpeet receiv'd. In orange-groves and myrtle-bowers,

When dreadful Edward with successful care That breathe a gale of fragrance round,

Led his free B.itons to the Gallic war'; I charm the fairy-footed hours

This lord had headed his appointed bands, With my lov'd lutc's romantic sound;

In firm allegiance to the king's commands; Or crowns of living laurel weave,

And (all duc honours faithfully dilchary'd) For those that win the race at cve.

Had brought back luis paternal crat, inlarg'd

With a new mark, the witnels of his toil,
The shepherd's horn at break of day,
The ballet danc'd in twilight glade,

And no inglorious part of forcign Ipoil.
The canzonet and roundelay

From the loud cainp retir'd and noisy court, Sung in the filent greenwood fhade;

In honourable cale and rural sport, Thele fiinple joys, that never fail,

The remnant of his days he lafely pass'd;
Shall bind me to my native vale.

Vor found they layg'd too slow, nor few too fast.
TIe made his wiih with his estate complý,

joyful to live, yet not afraid wo die.
§ 143. Henry and Emma, a Porm upon the Model His aye's comfort, and his forune's eir.

One child hé had, a daughter chafe and fair, of the Nut-Brown Maid. PRIOR.

They callid her Einma; for the beauteous dame, TO CLOE.

Who gave the virgin birth, had boene the name:

The name th' indulgent father doubly lov'd; THOU, to whose cycs I bend; at whose com- for in the child t'e inother's charms improv d.

*

Yet as when little round his knees he play'd, (Tho' low my voice, tho' artless be my hand) de call'd her oft, in fport, his Nut-brown amid; I take the sprightly reed, and fing, and play; The friends and tenants took the fondling word Carelels of what the cenfuring world ir.y lay: (As still they please, who imitate their lord),

Ulage

M m 3

}

or art.

Usage corfirin'd what fancy had begun ; But, foon as Emma's cyes adorn the plain,
Thomutual:cimsalomdthe lands were known; His potes he raiesto a nobler (train;
And Einna and the Virt-bown Vuitwere nie l'ith dutiful refpect, and audious fear,

Is with her fature, tell her charms increas'd; Left any careleis found offend her ear.
Throail thic ille her beauty was confcfd. A frantic Egipley, now the house he haunts,
Oh! what perfections must that virgin share, ind in wild plurales speak» dillemblod wants.
Who fuirett isciteein'd, where all are fair! With th: forud maids in palmistry he deals :
From distant thires repair the poole vouth, They tell the fecri forat. which he reveals:
And find rr port, for once, had lejlin'd truth. Savsi ho ih ill wed, and who fall le beguid;
By wonder luft, and then by pallion mov'd, "Vhat groom thallge,ard!quire maintain u.c clold.
They came ; they taw; they marvell d; and they But when biglie immna would her fortune know,
Ry pablic praises, and by fecrct lighs, [lov'd föfter look entends his op'ning brow;
Each own'a the gen’ral power of Einma's eyes. With trembling awe lie gazes on her eye,
In rilts and tournaments the valiant trove, And in soft accerts forins the kind reply ;
By glorious deeds to purchase Emma's love. Tliat the shall prove as fortunate as fair,
In gentle verse, the wiriy told their name, Aud Hymen's choiceft uites are all refers d for her.
And grac'd their choiceftiongs with Emma's name. Now oft hail Henry chang'd his bly dit guile,
In vain they combated, in vain they writ: Unmark'd by all but beautious Eina's eșts;
Useless their fitngth, and impotent their wit. Oft had found ineans alone to lee the dame,
Great Venus only must direct the dart,

And at hier feet to breathe his am'rous flame; Which elle will ncrer reach the fair one's

And vít, the pangs of absence to remose heart,

By leticis, foft interpreters of love: Spite of th' attempts of force, and soft effects Till time and induniy (the mighty tuo

That bring our wilhi's nearer to our view) Great Venus must prefer the happy one : Made him perceive, that the inclining fair In Henry's caule her favour muit he shown: Receiv'd his vows with no reluctant car; And Emma, of mankind, must love but him That Venus had confirm'd her equal reign, alone.

Anddiait to Emma's heart a fhare of Henry's pain. While these in public to the castle caine, Whilc Cupid Imild, by kind occafion bluit, And by licir grandeur justify'd their tame; And, with the secret kepe, the love increasid; More ficrct ways the careful Henry takes; The amorous youth frequents the filent grores; His squires, his arins, and cquipage forsakes ; and much he meditates, for much he loves. In borrow'd name and falie attire array'd, le loves : 'tis true; and is belov'd again : Oft he finds means to fee the beauteous maid. Grcat are his joys; but will they long remain ?

When Emma hants, in huntiman's babit drest, Einma with smiles receives his present fiame; Henry on foot pursues the bounding beast. But, finiling, will the ever be the fame? In his right hand his brechen pole he bears: Beautiful looks are rul'd by tickle minds ; And gracefui at his side his horn he wcars. And summer seas are turn'd by ludden winds. Still to the glade, where she has bent hier way, Another love may gain her caly youth: With knowing ikill he drives the furure prey; Time changes thought; and flatt'ry conquers truth. Bids her decline the hill, and thun the brake; O impotent estate of human lite! And shows the path her steed may safest rake; Where hope and fear maintain eternal frife; Directs her Ipear to fix the glorious wound; Wheie fleeting joy does lasting doubt inspire; Pleas'd, in his toils, to have her triumph And most ve question, what we most defire. crown'd;

Amongst thy various gifts, great heav'n, befow And blows her praises with no common found. Our cup of lore unmix'd ; forbear to throw

A falc'ner Henry is, when Emma hawks: Bitter ingredients in ; nor pall the draught With her of tarfels and of lures he talks. With naulovus grief: for our ill-judging thought Upon his wrist the tow’ring merlin ftands, Hardly enjoys the pleasurable taste; Practis'd to rise, and stoop, at her commands. Cr doenis it not sincere; or fears it cannot lali. And when superior now the bird has flown, With wishes rais d, with jealousies oppreft, And headlong brought theiunibiing quarry down; (Altcrnate tyrants of the human breaft) With humble rev'rence he accciis the fair, By one great trial he resolves to prove And with the honour'd feather decks her hair. The faith of woman, and the force of love. Yer till, as from the sportive divid he goes, If, scanning Emma's virtucs, he may find His downcat eye reveals his inward wors; That beauicous traine inclofe a itcady mind, And by his look and forrow is expreft,

He'll fix his hope, of future joy fecure;
A nobler game pursued than bind or heart, And live a llave to Hy mcu's happy pow's.

A t'epherd now along the plain be roves; But if the fair one, as he fcars, is trail;
And, with his jolly pipe, deliglies the groves. 11f, pois'd aright in rcason's equal scale,
Tic ncighlı'ring twains aicund the Ararger Light fly lier merits, and her faults prevail;
Or to admiri or emulate his song: {thiong, His mind be içws to fiee from am'rous case,
While, with loft crrow, he renews his lays, The latent milchief from his heart to tear,
Nor hecdful of their envy, nor their praise. Refunç sis azuiç arw.s, and shinç again in war.

a

South

a

rove.

EMMA.

South of the castle, in a verdant glade,

HENRY.
A spreading beech extends her friendly shade:
Here oft the nymph his breathing vows had heard; Emma, beyond what woman knows to feign?

Sincere, O tell me, hast thou felt a pain,
Here oft her silence had her heart declar'd.
As active spring awak'd her infant buds,

Has thy uncertain bofom ever strove

With the first tumults of a reallove?
And genial life informd the verdant woods;
Henry, in knots involving Emma's name,

Haft thou now dreaded, and now blest his sway,

By turns averse, and joyful to obey ?
Had half express’d and half conceal’d his fame

Thy virgin softness haft thou e'er bewail'd,
Upon the tree : and, as the tender mark
Grew with the year, and widen’d with the bark, And wept the potent god's refit less dart,

As reason yiclded, and as love prevail'd ?
Venus had heard the virgin's soft address,
That, as the wound, the pallion inight increase.

His killing pleafure, his ecstatic smart,
As potent nature fhed her kindly show'rs,

And heav'nly poison thrilling thro' thy heart? And deck'd the various mead with op'ning At least deplore, and then forget my fate:

If so, with pity view my wretched itate ; flowers ; Upon this tree the nyinph's obliging care

To some more happy knight reserve thy charms, Had left a frequent wreath for Henry's hair ;

By fortune favour'd, and successful arms :

And only, as the sun's revolving ray
Which as with gay delight the lover found,
Pleas'd with his conquest, with her present Permit one ligh, and fet apart one tear,

Brings back each year this melancholy day,
crown'd,

To an abandon'd exile's endless care. Glorious thro' all the plains he oft had gone, For me, alas ! out-cast of huinan race, And to each swain the mystic honour thown;

Love's anger only waits, and dire disgrace; The gift still prais'd, the giver still unknown.

For lo! thefc hands in murder are imbru’d; His secret note the troubled Henry writes ;

These trembling feet by justice are pursu'd: To the known trec the lovely maid invites :

Fate calls aloud, and hastens me away ;
Imperfect words and dubious terms express,

A shameful death attends my longer stay ;
That unforeseen inischance disturbid his peace ;
That he must something to her ear commend,

And I this night must fly from thee and love, On which her conduct and his life depend.

Condemn'd in lonely woods a banilh'd man to Soon as the fair one had the note receiv'd, The remnant of the day alone she griev'd: For diff'rent this from every former note,

What is our bliss, that changeth with the moon; Which Venus dictated, and Henry wrote;

And day of life, that darkens ere 'tis noon : Which told her all his future hopes were laid

What is true pallion, if unbleft it dies? On the dear bosom of bis Nut-brown Maid; And where is Emma's joy, if Henry fies? Which always bless d her eyes, and own'd her If love, alas ! be pain; the pain I bear And bid her oft adicu, yet added more. (pow'r ; No thought can figure, and no tongue declare. Now night advanc'd. The house in Necp were Ne'er faithful woman felt, nor falte one feigu’d, laid;

The fames which long have in my bosom reign'd: The nurse experienc'd, and the prying maid :

The god of love himself inhabits there, [care, At last that sprite, which does incelant haunt With all his rage, and dread, and grief, and The lover's steps, the antient maiden aunt. His complement of stores, and total war. To her dear Henry Emma wings her way,

O! ceale then coldly to suspect my love ; With quicken'd pace repairing forc'd delay; And let my deed, at least, my faith approve. For Love, fantastic power, that is afraid

Alas! no youth shall my endearments share; To ftir abroad till watchfulness be laid,

Nor day nor night shall interrupt my care ; Undaunted then, o'er cliffs and valleys strays,

No future story thail with truth upbraid And leads his votries safe thro' pathless ways.

The cold indiff'rence of the Nut-brown Maid: Not Argus with his hundred eyes shall find

Nor to hard banishment shall Henry run; Where Cupid goes; tho' he, poor guide, is blind. While careless Emma sleeps on beds of down. The maiden, first arriving, fent her eye

View me resolv'd, where-e'er thou lead'st, to go, To ask, if yet its chief delight were nigh:

Friend to thy pain, and partner of thy woe : With fear, and with desire, with joy and pain,

For I atter fair Venus, and her son, She sees, and runs to meet him on the plain.

That I, of all mankind, will love but thee alone. But oh ! his steps proclaim no lover's haste; On the low ground his fix'd regards are cast; His artful bofom heaves diffembled fighs; Let prudence yet obstruct thy vent'rous way; And tears suborn'd fall copious from his eyes. And take good heed, what men will think and say:

With ease, alas! we credit what we love : That beauteous Emma vagrant courses took; His painted grief does real forrow move

Her father's house and civil life forsook ; In the afflicted fair; adown her cheek

That, full of youthful blood, and fond of man, Trickling the genuine tears their current break; She to the word-land with an exile ran. Attentive stood the mournful nymph: the man Reflect, that lessen'd fame is ne'er regain'd; Broke filence firt : the tale alternate ran : And virgin honour once, is always ftain'd:

Timely

}

HENRY.

Mm 4