Hymn to Health. From the Greek of Ariphron. By the

Rev. R. Bland

.....

...

The Battle of Baylen. By W. Carey, Esq.
Song of Orpheus, translated from the Greek
Canzonet, from the Italian of Francesco del Teglia

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538

539

542

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Original Poetry.

VOL. VII.

B

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE HAMPSHIRE COTTAGERS,

A TALE.

BY MISS MITFORD.

How lovely o'er thy vallies gay,
Sweet Hampshire spreads the verdure mild!
How brightly shines the morning ray
That quivers on thy woodlands wild!

Eden of England! thou art fair!

Thine is each soft and awful grace!
A Claude might catch his beauty there,
Or wild Salvator's grandeur trace.
And there beneath "Ytene's oaks,"
Where darkly spreads the forest gloom
That echoes to the woodman's strokes,
The blushing rose delights to bloom.
Fair are thy villas, fairer still

The cots that skirt the green wood side;
Where some lone, shallow, babbling rill
Pours through the vale its silver tide.

And fairest of the cottage train

That decks fair Hampshire's vallies gay, Of clustering vine and jasmine vain, Rose the sweet home of Gerard Grey. All smil'd without the lovely cot, And all within of comfort spoke; The happy peasants blest their lot, And doubly blest the nuptial yoke. Those walls had witness'd Gerard's birth; And witness'd thirty years of bliss, Since she whom best he loved on earth, Blush'd whilst he gave the bridal kiss. One only daughter blest the pair ;On the lone shrub one rose bud beam'd,Needs it to say how sweet, how fair, How pure, this living blossom seem'd?

But not the parent's eye alone

Dwelt on that flower without a stain;
For through the village world was known
The beauty and the worth of Jane.

To win her heart, with rustic wile
Full many a simple peasant strove,
She gave to all a grateful smile,

But William gain'd the blush of love.
A friendless orphan was the youth;
But industry, and strength, and health,
Unblemished virtue, spotless truth,

And faithful love, were William's wealth.

They both were young; but "ye shall wed," Joyous, the happy father cried,

"Together will we seek our bread,

"And work for Jane our mutual pride!