Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

II.

There beauteous Emma flourish'd fair,

Beneath a mother's eye;

Whofe only wish on earth was now.

To fee her bleft, and die.

[ocr errors]

The fofteft blush that Nature fpreads

Gave colour to her cheek:

Such orient colour fmiles through heaven,

When vernal mornings break.

IV.

Nor let the pride of great ones fcorn
This charmer of the plains:

That fun, who bids their diamond blaze,

To paint our lilly deigns.

V.

Long had the fill'd each youth with love,

Each maiden with defpair;

And though by all a wonder own'd,

Yet knew not fhe was fair.

VI.

Till Edwin came, the pride of fwains,

A foul devoid of art;

And from whofe eye, ferenely mild,

Shone forth the feeling heart.

VII..

A mutual flame was quickly caught;
Was quickly too reveal'd:

11

For neither bofom lodg'd a wish,

That virtue keeps conceal'd.

VIII.

What happy hours of home-felt blifs

Did love on both bestow!

But blifs too mighty long to laft,
Where fortune proves a foe.

IX.

His fifter, who, like Envy form'd,
Like her in mischief joy'd,

To work them harm, with wicked skill,

Each darker art employ'd.

[blocks in formation]

The father too, a fordid man,

Who love nor pity knew,

Was all-unfeeling as the clod

From whence his riches grew.

XI.

Long had he feen their fecret flame,
And faw it long unmov'd:
Then with a father's frown at laft

Had fternly disapprov'd.

XII.

In Edwin's gentle heart, a war
Of differing paffions strove:
His heart, that durft not disobey,

Yet could not ceafe to love.

XIII.

Deny'd her fight, he oft behind

The spreading hawthorn crept,

To fnatch a glance, to mark the spot
Where Emma walk'd and wept.

XIV.

Oft too on Stanmore's wintry wafte,
Beneath the moonlight shade,
In fighs to pour his foften'd foul,
The midnight mourner stray'd.

XV.

His cheek, where health with beauty glow'd,

A deadly pale o'ercast:

So fades the fresh rofe in its prime,

Before the northern blaft..

XVI

The parents now, with late remorfe,

Hung o'er his dying bed;

And weary'd Heaven with fruitless vows,

And fruitless forrow fhed.

XVII.

'Tis paft! he cry'd---but if your fouls

Sweet mercy yet can move,

Let thefe dim eyes once more behold,

What they must ever love!

XVIII.

She came; his cold hand. foftly touch'd,.

And bath'd with many a tear:

32

Faft-falling o'er the primrose pale,

So morning dews appear.

XIX.

But oh! his fifter's jealous care,

A cruel fifter fhe!

Forbade what Emma came to say;

"My Edwin live for me."

XX.

Now homeward as the hopeless wept

The church-yard path along,

The blast blew cold, the dark owl scream'd Her lover's funeral fong.

XXI.:

Amid the falling gloom of night,

Her ftartling fancy found
In every bush his hovering shade,

His groan in every found.

XXII.

Alone, appall'd, thus had the pafs'd

The vifionary vale----

'When lo! the death-bell fmøte her ear,.

Sad-founding in the gale!

XXIII.

Juft then she reach'd, with trembling step,

Her aged mother's door---

He's gone! fhe cry'd; and I fhall fee.

That angel-face no more!

XXIV.

I feel, I feel this breaking heart

Beat high against my fide---

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

A CONTEMPLATION

ON NIGHT.

BY GAY.

WHETHER amid the gloom of Night I stray,
Or my glad eyes enjoy revolving day,
Still Nature's various face informs my sense,
Of an all-wife, all-powerful Providence.

When the gay fun first breaks the shades of Night,
And strikes the diftant eastern hills with light,
Colour returns, the plains their livery wear,
And a bright verdure clothes the smiling year;
The blooming flow'rs with opening beauties glow,
And grazing flocks their milky fleeces show;
The barren cliffs with chalky fronts arife,
And a pure azure arches o'er the skies.
But when the gloomy reign of Night returns,
Stript of her fading pride, all Nature mourns:

« AnteriorContinuar »