"Then be its gentle fuit preferr'd!

"Its tender fighs Elvira hear! "In vain-1 figh-but figh unheard; "Unpitied falls this lonely tear!" Twice twelve revolving moons had pafs'd, Since firft he caught the fatal view; Unchang'd by time his forrows laft, Uncheer'd by hope his pathon grew. That paffion to indulge, he fought

In Raymond's groves the deepest shade;
There fancy's haunting fpirit brought
The image of his long-lov'd maid.

But hark! what more than mortal found
Steals on Attention's raptur'd ear?
The voice of Harmony around

Swells in wild whifpeis foft and clear.
Can human hand a tone fo fine

Sweep from the string with touch prophane ? Can human lip with breath divine

Pour on the gale so sweet a strain ? 'Tis fhe-the fource of Armine's woe

'Tis fhe-whence all his joy muft springFrom her lov'd lips the numbers flow,

Her magic hand awakes the string.
Now, Armine, now thy love proclaim,

Thy inftant fuit the time demands;
Delay not-Tumult fhakes his frame,
And loft in ccftaly he stands.
What magic chains thee to the ground?
What ftar malignant rules the hour,
That thus in fix'd delirium drown'd
Each fenfe entranc'd hath loft its pow'r?
The trance difpel! awake! arife!

Speak what untutor'd love infpires!
The moment 's paft-thy wild furprise
She fees, nor unalarm'd retires.
"Stay, fweet illufion ftay thy flight!
"'Tis gone!-Elvira's form it wore-
"Yet one more glimpse of fhort delight!

"'Tis gone, to be beheld no more! "Fly, loitering feet! the charm pursue "That plays upon my hopes and fears! "Hah!-no illufion mocks my view!

"'Tis the-Elvira's felf appears! "And fhall I on her steps intrude? "Alarm her in thefe lonely fhades?

"Oftay, fair nymph! no ruffian rude "With bafe intent your walk invades. "Far gentler thoughts"-his faltering tongue, By humble diffidence reftrain'd, Paus'd in fufpenfe-but thus ere long,

As love impell'd, its power regain'd:
"Far gentler thoughts that form inspires;
"With me far gentler paffions dwell;
"This heart hides only blameless fires,
"Yet burns with what it fears to tell.

"The faltering voice that fears controul,
"Blushes that inward fires declare,
"Each tender tumult of the foul

"In filence owns Elvira there."

He faid; and as the trembling dove

Sent forth t' explore the watery plain, Soon fear'd her flight might fatal prove, And sudden fought her ark again, His heart recoil'd; as one that rued What he too haftily confefs'd, And all the rifing foul fubdued Sought refuge in his inmoft breast. The tender ftrife Elvira faw

Diftreft, and as fome parent mild, When arm'd with words and looks of awe, Melts o'er the terrors of her child, Reproof prepar'd and angry fear In foft fenfations died away; They felt the force of Armine's tear, And fled from pity's rifing sway. "That mournful voice, that modeft air, "Young ftranger, fpeak the courteous breaft; Then why to these rude fcenes repair, "Of fhades the folitary gueft?

"And who is the whofe fortunes bear
"Elvira's melancholy name?

"O may thofe fortunes prove more fair
"Than hers who fadly owns the fame !"
"Ah! gentle maid, in mine furvey

"A heart," he cries, "that's yours alone; "Long has it own'd Elvira's fway,

"Tho' long unnotic'd and unknown. "On Sherwood's old heroic plain "Elvira grac'd the festal day; "There, foremost of the youthful train,

"Her Armine bore the prize away. "There first that form my eyes furvey'd, "With future hopes that fill'd my heart; "But ah! beneath that frown they fade

Depart, vain, vanquish'd hopes! depart!" He faid; and on the ground his eyes Were fix'd abafh'd: th' attentive maid, Loft in the tumult of furprise,

The well-remember'd youth furvey'd. The tranfient colour went and came,

The ftruggling bofom funk and refe; The trembling tumults of her frame

The ftrong conflicting foul disclose. The time, the fcene fhe faw with dread, Like Cynthia fetting glanced away; But fcatter'd blushes as the fled,.

Blushes that fpoke a brighter day.

A friendly fhepherd's neighbouring fhed
To pafs the live-long night he fought;
And hope, the lover's downy bed,

A fweeter charm than flumber brought.
On every thought Elvira dwelt,

The tender air, the afpect kind,
The pity that he found the felt,
And all the angel in her mind.
No felf-plum'd vanity was there,
With fancy'd confequence clate;
Unknown to her the haughty air
That means to speak fuperior state.
M m 2

Her

Her brow no ftern refentments arm,

No fwell of empty pride fhe knew,
In trivial minds that takes th' alarm,

Should humble Love afpire to fuc.
Such Love, by flattering charms betray'd,
Shall yet, indignant, foon rebel,
And, blufhing for the choice he made,

Shall fly where gentler virtues dwell.
Tis then the mind, from bondage free,
And all its former weakness o'er,
Afferts its native dignity,

And fcorns what folly priz'd before. The scanty pane the rifing ray

On the plain wall in diamonds threw; The lover hail'd the welcome day,

And to his favourite fcene he flew. There foon Elvira bent her way,

Where long her lonely walks had been; Nor lefs had the preceding day,

Nor Armine lefs endear'd the scene. Oft, as the pafs'd, her rifing heart

Its ftronger tenderness confefs'd, And oft the linger'd to impart

To fome foft hade her fecret breast. "How flow the heavy hours advance,”

She cry'd, "fince that eventful day, "When firft I caught the fatal glance

"That ftole me from myfelf away! "Ah, youth belov'd! tho' low thy birth, "The nob air, the manly grace, "That look that fpeaks fuperior worth, "Can fafhion, folly, fear erafe? Yet fure from no ignoble stem "Thy lineage fprings, tho' now unknown: "The world cenforious may condemn, "But, Armine, I am thine alone. "To fplendour only do we live?

"Muft pomp alone our thoughts employ ? "All, all that pomp and fplendour give

"Is dearly bought with love and joy! "But oh !-the favour'd youth appears→→ "In penfive grief he feems to move: "My heart forebodes unnumber'd fears; Support it Pity, Virtue, Love!

66

"Hither his footsteps feem to bend-
"Come, Refolution, to my aid!
"My breaft what varying paffions rend!
"Averfe to go-to ftay-afraid!"
"Dear object of each fond defire

"That throbs tumultuous in my breaft! "Why with averted glance retire?

"Ar Armine's prefence why diftreft? "What tho' he boaft no titled name, "No wide extent of rich domain, "Yet must he feed a hopeless flame,

"Muft truth and nature plead in vaiņ?” "Think not," the faid, "by forms betray'd, "To humbier worth my heart is blind'; "For foon fhall every fplendour fade,

"That beams not from the gifted mind.

"But first thy heart explore with care, "With faith its fond emotions prove; "Lurks no unworthy paflion there?

"Prompts not ambition bold to love ?" Yes, lovely maid," the youth replies, "A bold ambition prompts my breast, "The towering hope that love fupplies, "The with in bleffing to be bleft. "The meaner prospects I defpife

"That wealth, or rank, or power beftow; "Be yours the grovelling bliss ye prize, "Ye fordid minds that ftoop fo low! "Be mine the more refin'd delights

"Of love that banishes controul, "When the fond heart with heart unites, "And foul's in unifon with foul." Elvira blufh'd the warm reply,

(To love a language not unknown) The milder glories fill'd her eye,

And there a fofter luftre fhone. The yielding fmile that 's half fuppreft, The fhort quick breath, the trembling tear, The fwell tumultuous of the breast,

In Armine's favour all appear.

At each kind glance their fouls unite,
While love's foft fympathy imparts-
That tender transport of delight

That beats in undivided hearts.
Refpectful to his lips he prefs'd

Her yielded hand; in hafte away. Her yielded hand fhe drew diftreft,

With looks that witnefs'd wild difinay. "Ah whence, fair excellence, those fears? "What terror unforeseen alarms?" "See! where a father's frown appears"She faid, and funk into his arms. "My daughter! heavens! it cannot be"And yet it muft-O dire difgrace! "Elvira have I liv'd to fee

Clafp'd in a peafant's vile embrace ! "This daring guilt let death repay"His vengeful arm the javelin threw; With erring aim it wing'd its way, And far, by Fate averted, flew. Elvira breathes-her pulfes beat, Returning life illumes her eye; Trembling a father's view to meet, She fpics a reverend hermit nigh. "Your wrath," fhe cries, "let tears affuage "Unheeded muft Elvira pray? "O let an injur'd father's rage

"This hermit's facred prelence ftay! Yet deem not, loft in guilty love, "I plead to fave my virgin fame; "My weakness Virtue might approve, "And fmile on Nature's holy flame." "O welcome to my hopes again,

"My fon!" the raptur'd hermit cries; "I fought thec forrowing on the plain," And all the father fill'd his eyes.

As with her ftature, fill her charms increas'd; Thro' all the ile her beauty was confefsid. Oh! what perfections muft that virgin fhare, Who faireti is ctteem'd, where all are fair! From diftant thires repair the noble vouth, And find report, for once, had leflen'd truth. By wonder fift, and then by paffion mov'd, They came; they faw; they marvel!'d; and they By public praifes, and by fecret fighs, [lov'd. Each own'd the gen'ral power of Emma's eyes. In tilts and tournaments the valiant ftrove, By glorious deeds to purchafe Emma's love. In gentle verfe, the witty told their flame, And grac'd their choiceft fongs with Emma's name. In vain they combated, in vain they writ: Ufclefs their strength, and impotent their wit. Great Venus only must direct the dart, Which elfe will never reach the fair one's heart,

Spite of th' attempts of force, and foft effects

of art.

Great Venus must prefer the happy one:
In Henry's caufe her favour must be fhown:
And Emma, of mankind, muft love but him
alone.

While thefe in public to the caftle came,
And by their grandeur justify'd their flame;
More fecret ways the careful Henry takes;
His fquires, his arms, and equipage forfakes:
In borrow'd name and falte attire array'd,
Oft he finds means to fee the beauteous maid.
When Emma hants, in huntfinan's habit dreft,
Henry on foot purfies the bounding beaft.
In his right hand his beechen pole he bears:
And graceful at his fide his horn he wears.
Still to the glade, where the has bent her way,
With knowing skill he drives the future prey,
Bids her decline the hill, and thun the brake;
And fhows the path her feed may safest take;
Directs her fpear to fix the glorious wound;
Fleas'd, in his toils, to have her triumph
crown'd;

And blows her praifes with no common found.

But, foon as Emma's eyes adorn the plain,
His notes he rails to a nobler firain;
With dutiful respect, and studious fear,
Left anv carelets tound offend her car.

A frantic gipfey, now the houfe he haunts,
And in wild phrafes fpeaks diffembled wants.
With the food maids in palmistry he deais :
They tell the feert firft, which he reveals:
Savs who fall wed, and who shall be beguii'd;
What groom thall ger,and fquire maintain the child.
But when bright Emma would her fortune know,
A fofter look imbends his op'ning brow;
With trembling awe he gazes on her eye,
And in foft accents forms the kind reply;
That the fhall prove as fortunate as fair,
And Hymen's choiceft gifts are all referv'd for her.
Now oft had Henry chang'd his fly disguile,
Unmark'd by all but beauteous Einma's eyes;
Oft had found means alone to fee the dame,
And at her feet to breathe his am'rous flame;
And oft, the pangs of abfence to remove
By letters, foft interpreters of love:
fill time and induftly (the mighty two
That bring our withes nearer to our view)
Made him perceive, that the inclining fair
Receiv'd his vows with no reluctant ear;
That Venus had confirm'd her equal reign,
And dealt to Emma's heart a fhare of Henry's pain.

While Cupid fimil d, by kind occafion blett, And, with the fecret kept, the love increas d; The amorous youth frequents the filent groves; And much he meditates, for much he loves. The loves: 'tis true; and is belov'd again : Great are his joys; but will they long remain ? Emma with fmiles receives his prefent flame; But, fmiling, will the ever be the fame? Beautiful looks are rul'd by fickle minds; And fummer feas are turn'd by fudden winds. Another love may gain her cafy youth: lime changes thought; and flatt'ry conquers truth. O impotent eftate of human life! Where hope and fear maintain eternal ftrife; Where fleeting joy does lafting doubt infpire; And most we question, what we moft delire. Amongst thy various gifts, great heav'n, beftow Our cup of love unmix'd; forbear to throw Bitter ingredients in; nor pall the draught With nauseous grief: for our ill-judging thought Hardly enjoys the pleasurable tafte; Cr deems it not fincere; or fears it cannot laft. With wishes rais'd, with jealoufies oppreft, (Alternate tyrants of the human breast) By one great trial he refolves to prove The faith of woman, and the force of love. If, fcanning Emma's virtues, he may find That beauteous frame inclofe a fteady mind, He'll fix his hope, of future joy ficure; And live a flave to Hymen's happy pow'r. But if the fair one, as he fears, is frail; If, pois'd aright in reafon's equal fcale, Light fly her merits, and her faults prevail; His mind he vows to free from am'rous care, The latent mitchief from his heart to tear, Refune bis azure arms, and shine again in war.

South

South of the caftle, in a verdant glade,
A fpreading beech extends her friendly fhade:
Here oft the nymph his breathing vows had heard;

Here oft her filence had her heart declar'd.
As active fpring awak'd her infant buds,
And genial life inform'd the verdant woods;
Henry, in knots involving Emma's name,
Had half exprefs'd and half conceal'd his flame
Upon the tree: and, as the tender mark
Grew with the year, and widen'd with the bark,
Venus had heard the virgin's foft addrefs,
That, as the wound, the paffion might increase.
As potent nature fhed her kindly fhow'rs,
And deck'd the various mead with op'ning

flowers;

Glorious thro' all the plains he oft had gone, And to each fwain the myftic honour fhown; The gift ftill prais'd, the giver ftill unknown.

}

His fecret note the troubled Henry writes; To the known tree the lovely maid invites: Imperfect words and dubious terms exprefs, That unforeseen inifchance difturb'd his peace; That he must fomething to her ear commend, On which her conduct and his life depend.

Soon as the fair one had the note receiv'd,
The remnant of the day alone fhe griev'd:
For diff'rent this from every former note,
Which Venus dictated, and Henry wrote;
Which told her all his future hopes were laid
On the dear bofom of his Nut-brown Maid;
Which always blefs'd her eyes, and own'd her
And bid her oft adieu, yet added more. [pow'r;
Now night advanc'd. The houfe in fleep were
laid;

The nurfe experienc'd, and the prying maid :
At laft that fprite, which does inceffant haunt
The lover's steps, the antient maiden aunt.
To her dear Henry Emma wings her way,
With quicken'd pace repairing forc'd delay;
For Love, fantaftic power, that is afraid
To ftir abroad till watchfulness be laid,
Undaunted then, o'er cliffs and valleys ftrays,
And leads his vot'ries fafe thro' pathlefs ways.
Not Argus with his hundred eyes fhall find
Where Cupid goes; tho' he, poor guide, is blind.

The maiden, firft arriving, fent her eye
To afk, if yet its chief delight were nigh:
With fear, and with defire, with joy and pain,
She fees, and runs to meet him on the plain.
But oh! his steps proclaim no lover's hafte;
On the low ground his fix'd regards are caft;
His artful bofom heaves diffembled fighs;
And tears fuborn'd fall copious from his eyes.
With ease, alas! we credit what we love :
His painted grief does real forrow move
In the afflicted fair; adown her cheek
Trickling the genuine tears their current break;
Attentive ftood the mournful nymph: the man
Broke filence firft: the tale alternate ran :

HENRY.

Sincere, O tell me, haft thou felt a pain, Emma, beyond what woman knows to feign? Has thy uncertain bofom ever ftrove With the first tumults of a real love?

}

Haft thou now dreaded, and now bleft his fway,
By turns averfe, and joyful to obey?
Thy virgin foftness haft thou e'er bewail'd,
And wept the potent god's refiftlefs dart,
As reafon yielded, and as love prevail'd?
His killing pleafure, his ecftatic fmart,
And heav'nly poifon thrilling thro' thy heart?
If fo, with pity view
At leaft deplore, and then forget my fate:
wretched state;
my
To fome more happy knight referve thy charms,
By fortune favour'd, and fuccefsful arms:
And only, as the fun's revolving ray
Permit one figh, and fet apart one tear,
Brings back each year this melancholy day,

To an abandon'd exile's endless care.
For me, alas! out-caft of human race,
Love's anger only waits, and dire difgrace;
For lo! thefe hands in murder are inbru'd;
Thefe trembling feet by juftice are purfu'd:
Fate calls aloud, and haftens me away;
A fhameful death attends my longer stay;
And I this night muft fly from thee and love,
Condemn'd in lonely woods a banish'd man to

rove.

EMMA.

What is our blifs, that changeth with the moon; And day of life, that darkens ere 'tis noon? What is true paffion, if unbleft it dies? And where is Emma's joy, if Henry flies? If love, alas! be pain; the pain I bear No thought can figure, and no tongue declare. Ne'er faithful woman felt, nor falfe one feign'd, The flames which long have in my bofom reign'd: The god of love himfelf inhabits there, [care, With all his rage, and dread, and grief, and His complement of ftores, and total war.

}

O! ceate then coldly to fufpect my love; And let my deed, at least, my faith approve. Alas! no youth fhall my endearments share; Nor day nor night fhall interrupt my care; No future ftory fhall with truth upbraid The cold indiffrence of the Nut-brown Maid: Nor to hard banishment fhall Henry run; While carclefs Emma fleeps on beds of down. View me refolv'd, where-e'er thou lead'ft, to go, Friend to thy pain, and partner of thy woe: For I atteft fair Venus, and her fon,

That I, of all mankind, will love but thee alone.