227 TALE XVII. DANVERS AND RAYNER. I. THE purest Friendship, like the finest ware, While common Friendships, like the wares of clay, Though crack'd and damaged, still we make them do, And when they're broken, they're forgotten too. There is within the world in which we dwell I speak not here of Friendships that excite In boys at school such wonder and delight,— Of high heroic Friends, in serious strife, Contending which should yield a forfeit lifeSuch wondrous love, in their maturer days, Men, if they credit, are content to praise. I speak not here of Friendships true and just, Of these I speak not: things so rich and rare, To treat of one whose Neighbour called him Friend, Such is the Friendship of the world approved, And here the Friends so loving and so loved : DANVERS and RAYNER, equals, who had made And ev❜n their wives, though either might pretend To claim some notice, call'd each other friend. While yet their offspring boys and girls appear'd, The fathers ask'd, "What evil could be fear'd?" Nor is it easy to assign the year, When cautious parents should begin to fear. Love does not always from such freedom spring; Distrust, perhaps, would sooner cause the thing. "We will not check it, neither will we force"Thus said the fathers- "Let it take its course." It took its course:-young Richard Danvers' mind In Phoebe Rayner found what lovers findSense, beauty, sweetness; all that mortal eyes Can see, or heart conceive, or thought devise. And Phoebe's eye, and thought, and heart could trace In Richard Danvers every manly grace · All that e'er maiden wish'd, or matron prized · So well these good young people sympathised. All their relations, neighbours, and allies, All their dependants, visitors, and spies, |