The parents now, with late remorse,
Hung o'er his dying bed,

And wearied Heav'n with fruitless pray'rs,
And fruitless forrows shed.

'Tis past, he cried, but if your fouts
Sweet mercy yet can move,

Let these dim eyes once more behold
What they must ever love.

She came; his cold hand softly touch'd,
And bath'd with many a tear;
First falling o'er the primrose pale
So morning dews appear.

But oh! his fister's jealous care
(A cruel fister she !)
Forbade what EMMA came to say,
My EDWIN, live for me..

Now homeward as the hopeless went,
The churchyard path along,
The blast blew cold, the dark owl scream'd
Her lover's fun'ral fong.

Amid the falling gloom of night,
Her startling fancy found
In ev'ry bush his hovering shade,
His groan in ev'ry found.

Alone, appall'd thus had she pass'd
The vifionary vale,

When lo! the death bell smote her ear,
Sad founding in the gale.

Just then the reach'd with trembling steps

Her aged mother's door:

He's gone, she cried, and I shall fee
That angel face no more!

*2

feel, I feel, I feel this breaking heart

Beat high against my fide!

From her white arm down funk her head,
She shiver'd, figh'd, and died.

CHAP. XVI.

CELADON AND AMELIA.

MALLET.

'Tis fist'ning fear and dumb amazement all:
When to the startled eye the sudden glance
Appears far fouth, eruptive through the cloud;
And following flower, in explosion vast,
The thunder raises his tremendous voice.
At first heard folemn o'er the verge of Heaven,
The tempest growls; but as it nearer comes
And rolls its awful burden on the wind,
The lightnings flash a larger curve, and more
The noise astounds; till over head a sheet
Of livid flame discloses wide; then shuts,
And opens wider; shuts and opens still
Expanfive, wrapping æther in a blaze :
Follows the loofen'd aggravated roar,
Enlarging, deep'ning, mingling; peal on peal
Crush'd horrible, convulfing Heaven and earth.
Guilt hears appall'd, with deeply troubled thought:
And yet not always on the guilty head
Descends the fated flash. - Young CELADON
And his AMELIA were a matchlefs pair;
With equal virtue form'd, and equal grace;
The fame, diftinguish'd by their fex alone:
Her's the mild luftre of the blooming morn,
And his the radiance of the risen day.

They lov'd; but fuch their guileless paffion was,
As in the dawn of time inform'd the heart
Of innocence, and undissembling truth.

1

'Twas friendship, heighten'd by the mutual wish ;
Th' enchanting hope, and sympathetic glow,
Beam'd from the mutual eye. Devoting all
To love, each was to each a dearer self;
Supremely happy in th' awaken'd power
Of giving joy. Alone, amid the shades,
Still in harmonious intercourse they liv'd
The rural day, and talk'd the flowing heart,
Or figh'd, and look'd unutterable things.

So pass'd their life, a clear united stream,
By care unruffled; till, in evil hour,
The tempeft caught them on the tender walk,
Heedless how far, and where its mazes stray'd,
While, with each other blest, creative love
Still bade eternal Eden smile around.
Heavy with instant fate her bosom keav'd
Unwonted fighs; and stealing oft a look
Tow'rds the big gloom, on CELADON hereye
Fell tearful, wetting her disorder'd cheek.
In vain assuring love, and confidence
In HEAVEN, repress'd her fear; it grew, and shook
Her frame near dissolution. He perceiv'd
Th' unequal conflict, and as angels look
On dying faints! his eyes compassion shed,
With love illumin'd high. "Fear not," he said,
"Sweet innocence! thou stranger to offence
" And inward storm! HE, who yon skies involves
" In frowns of darkness, ever smiles on thee
" With kind regard. O'er thee the secret shaft
"That wastes at midnight, or th' undreaded hour

Of noon, flies harmless; and that very voice,
" Which thunders terrour thro' the guilty heart,
"With tongues of seraphs whispers peace to thine.
""Tis safety to be near thee sure, and thus

" To clasp perfection!" From his void embrace,

5

(Mysterious

1

(Mysterious Heaven!) that moment to the ground,
A blacken'd corse, was struck the beauteous maid.
But who can paint the lover as he stood,
Pierc'd by severe amazement, hating life,
Speechless, and fix'd in all the death of woe !
So, faint resemblance! on the marble tomb,
The well-dissembled mourner stooping stands,
For ever filent, and for ever fad.

CHAP. XVII.

JUNIO AND THEANA.

THOMSON.

Soon as young reason dawn'd in Junio's breast,
His father sent him from these genial ifles,
To where old Thames with confcious pride surveys
Green Eton, foft abode of every Mufe.
Each claffic beauty he foon made his own;
And foon fam'd Isis saw him woo the Nine,
On her inspiring banks. Love tun'd his song;
For fair 'Theana was his only theme.
Acasto's daughter, whom in early youth
He oft distinguish'd; and for whom he oft
Had climb'd the bending cocoa's airy height,
To rob it of its nectar; which the maid,
When he presented, more nectarious deem'd.
The sweetest fappadillas oft he brought;
From him more sweet ripe sappadillas seem'd.
Nor had long absence yet effac'd her form;
Her charms still triumph'd o'er Britannia's fair.
One morn he met her in Sheen's royal walks;
Nor knew, till then, sweet Sheen contain'd his all.
His taste mature, approv'd his infant choice.
In colour, form, expression, and in grace,
She shone all perfect; while each pleasing art,
And each foft virtue that the sex adorns,

Adorn'd the woman. My imperfect strain
Can ill describe the transports Junio felt
At this discov'ry; he declar'd his love;
She own'd his merit, nor refus'd his hand.

And shall not Hymen light his brightest torch
For this delighted pair! Ah, Junio knew,
His fire detested his Theana's house! -
Thus duty, reverence, gratitude conspir'd
To check their happy union. He resolv'd
(And many a figh that resolution cost)
To pass the time, till death his fire remov'd,
In visiting old Europe's letter'd climes :
While she (and many a tear that parting drew)
Embark'd, reluctant, for her native isle.

Though learned, curious, and though nobly bent,
With each rare talent to adorn his mind,
His native land to serve; no joys he found.
Yet sprightly Gaul; yet Belgium, Saturn's reign;
Yet Greece, of old the feat of every Muse,
Of freedom, courage; yet Aufonia's clime
His steps explor'd, where panting mufic's strains,
Where Arts, where Laws, (Philosophy's best child,)
With rival beauties his attention claim'd.
To his juft judging, his instructed eye,
The all perfect Medicean Venus seem'd
A perfect semblance of his Indian fair :
But when she spoke of love, her voice surpass'd
The harmonious warblings of Italian song.

Twice one long year elaps'd, when letters came,
Which briefly told him of his father's death.
Afflicted filial, yet to Heav'n resign'd,
Soon he reach'd Albion, and as foon embark'd,
Eager to clafp the object of his love.

Blow, profperous breezes; swiftly fail thou Po:
Swift fail'd the Po, and happy breezes blew.

In