When Hefper gilds the shaded sky,
Oft as you seek the well-known grove,
Methinks I fee you caft your eye
Back to the morning scenes of love ›
Each pleafing word you heard her fay,
Her gentle look, her graceful way,
Again your struggling fancy move.
IV.
Then tell me, is your soul intire ?
Does Wisdom calmly hold her throne?
Then can you queftion each defire,
Bid this remain, and that begone?
No tear half-starting from your eye ?
No kindling blush you know not why?
No stealing figh, nor ftifled groan?
Away with this unmanly mood!
See where the hoary churl appears,
Whofe hand hath feiz'd the favorite good
reserv'd for happier years :
While, fide by fide, the blushing maid
Shrinks from his visage, half-afraid,
Spite of the fickly joy fhe wears.
Ye guardian powers of love and fame,
This chafte, harmonious pair behold;
And thus reward the generous flame
Of all who barter vows for gold.
O bloom of youth, O tender charms
Well-buried in a dotard's arms!
O equal price of beauty fold!
Cease then to gaze with looks of love:
Bid her adieu, the venal fair:
Unworthy she your blifs to prove;
Then wherefore fhould the prove your care?
No: lay your myrtle garland down ;
And let a while the willow's crown
With luckier omens bind your hair.
O juft efcap'd the faithlefs main,
Though driven unwilling on the land;
To guide your favor'd steps again,
Behold your better genius stand :
Where Truth revolves her page divine,
Where Virtue leads to Honor's fhrine,
Behold, he lifts his awful hand.
Fix but on these your ruling aim,
And Time, the fire of manly care,
Will Fancy's dazzling colors tame
A foberer drefs will Beauty wear :
Then fhall Esteem by Knowledge led
Inthrone within your heart and head
Some happier love, fome truer fair.
ES: you contemn the perjur'd maid
Who all your favorite hopes betray'd:
Nor, though her heart should home return,
Her tuneful tongue its falfehood mourn,
Her winning eyes your faith implore,
Would you her hand receive again,
Or once diffemble your disdain,
Or listen to the fyren's theme,
Or ftoop to love: fince now efteem,
And confidence, and friendship, is no more.
Yet tell me, Phædria, tell me why,
When fummoning your pride you try
To meet her looks with cool neglect,
Or cross her walk with flight respect,
(For fo is falsehood best repaid)
Whence do your cheeks indignant glow?
Why is your ftruggling tongue so flow?
What means that darkness on your brow?
As if with all her broken vow
You meant the fair apoftate to upbraid ?
AGAINST SUSPICION.
H fly! 'tis dire Sufpicion's mien
And, meditating plagues unfeen,
The forcerefs hither bends:
Behold her torch in gall imbrued:
Behold—her garment drops with blood
Of lovers and of friends.
Then many a demon will she raise
To vex your sleep, to haunt your ways;
While gleams of loft delight
Raise the dark tempeft of the brain,
As lightning shines across the main
Through whirlwinds and through night.
No more can faith or candor move;
But each ingenuous deed of love,
Which reason would applaud,
Now, fmiling o'er her dark distress,
Fancy malignant strives to drefs
Like injury and fraud.
Farewel to Virtue's peaceful times :
Soon will you ftoop to act the crimes
Which thus you stoop to fear :
Guilt follows guilt: and where the train
Begins with wrongs of such a stain,
What horrors form the rear!
'Tis thus to work her baleful power,
Sufpicion waits the fullen hour
Of fretfulness and ftrife,
When care the infirmer bosom wrings,
Or Eurus waves his murky wings
To damp the feats of life.
But come, forfake the fcene unblefs'd
Which first beheld your faithful breast
To groundless fears a prey :
Come, where with my prevailing lyre
The fkies, the ftreams, the groves confpire
To charm your doubts away.
'Thron'd in the fun's defcending car,
What power unseen diffuseth far
This tendernefs of mind?
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