Where young-eyed Loves have hid their turtle nest;

Or guide of soul-subduing power

The glance, that from the half-confessing eye
Darts the fond question or the soft reply.

VI.

Or through the mystic ringlets of the vale
We flash our faery feet in gamesome prank :
Or, silent-sandaled, pay our defter court,
Circling the Spirit of the Western Gale,
Where, wearied with his flower-caressing
sport,

Supine he slumbers on a violet bank ;
Then with quaint music hymn the parting gleam
By lonely Otter's sleep-persuading stream;
Or where his wave, with loud unquiet song,
Dashed o'er the rocky channel, froths along;
Or where, his silver waters smoothed to rest,
The tall tree's shadow sleeps upon his breast.

VII.

Hence, thou lingerer, Light!
Eve saddens into Night.

Mother of wildly-working dreams! we view
The sombre hours, that round thee stand
With downcast eyes (a duteous band!)
Their dark robes dripping with the heavy dew.
Sorceress of the ebon throne!

Thy power the Pixies own,

When round thy raven brow
Heaven's lucent roses glow,

And clouds in watery colours drest

Float in light drapery o'er thy sable vest:
What time the pale moon sheds a softer day,
Mellowing the woods beneath its pensive beam:
For 'mid the quivering light 'tis ours to play,
Aye dancing to the cadence of the stream.

VIII.

Welcome, Ladies! to the cell

Where the blameless Pixies dwell:

But thou, sweet Nymph! proclaimed our Faery Queen,

With what obeisance meet

Thy presence shall we greet?
For lo! attendant on thy steps are seen
Graceful Ease in artless stole,

And white-robed Purity of soul,
With Honour's softer mien ;

Mirth, of the loosely-flowing hair,

And meek-eyed Pity, eloquently fair,

Whose tearful cheeks are lovely to the view,

As snow-drop wet with dew.

IX.

Unboastful Maid! though now the Lily pale
Transparent grace thy beauties meek;
Yet ere again along the impurpling vale,
The purpling vale and elfin-haunted grove,

Young Zephyr his fresh flowers profusely throws,
We'll tinge with livelier hues thy cheek;
And, haply, from the nectar-breathing Rose
Extract a Blush for Love!

THE ROSE.

As late each flower that sweetest blows
I plucked, the Garden's pride! ·
Within the petals of a Rose

A sleeping Love I spied.

Around his brows a beamy wreath
Of many a lucent hue;

All purple glowed his cheek, beneath,
Inebriate with dew.

I softly seized the unguarded Power,
Nor scared his balmy rest:

And placed him, caged within the flower,

On spotless Sara's breast.

But when unweeting of the guile,

Awoke the prisoner sweet,

He struggled to escape awhile

And stamped his faery feet.

1793.

Ah! soon the soul-entrancing sight
Subdued the impatient boy!

He gazed! he thrilled with deep delight!
Then clapped his wings for joy.

"And O! he cried-" of magic kind What charms this Throne endear! Some other Love let Venus find

I'll fix my empire here."

1793.

KISSES.*

CUPID, if storying Legends tell aright,
Once framed a rich Elixir of Delight.
A Chalice o'er love-kindled flames he fixed,
And in it Nectar and Ambrosia mixed:

With these the magic dews, which Evening brings,
Brushed from the Idalian star by faery wings:
Each tender pledge of sacred Faith he joined,
Each gentler Pleasure of the unspotted mind-
Day-dreams, whose tints with sportive brightness

glow,

And Hope, the blameless Parasite of Woe.

* See Note.

The eyeless Chemist heard the process rise,
The steamy Chalice bubbled up in sighs;

Sweet sounds transpired, as when the enamoured
Dove

Pours the soft murmuring of responsive Love. The finished work might Envy vainly blame, And "Kisses" was the precious Compound's name. With half the God his Cyprian Mother blest, And breathed on Sara's lovelier lips the rest.

July, 1793.

TO SARA.

ONE kiss, dear maid! I said and sighed―
Your scorn the little boon denied.
Ah why refuse the blameless bliss?
Can danger lurk within a kiss?
Yon viewless wanderer of the vale,
The Spirit of the Western Gale,
At Morning's break, at Evening's close,
Inhales the sweetness of the Rose,
And hovers o'er the uninjured Bloom
Sighing back the soft perfume.
Vigour to the Zephyr's wing

Her nectar-breathing Kisses fling;