From honour's laws. Elvira once deny'd

• A confort's name, more fwift than lightning flies, • When elements difcordant vex the sky,

Shall, blushing, from the form she loves retire.

Yet if the fpecious wifh, the vulgar voice • Has titled Prudence, fways a foul like thine, ⚫ In gems or gold what proud Iberian dame

Eclipfes me? Nor paint the dreary ftorms

• Or hair-breadth 'fcapes that haunt the boundless deep,
And force from tender eyes the filent tear ;
When Mem'ry to the penfive maid fuggefts
In full contraft the fafe domeftick scene
• For these refign'd. Beyond the frantick rage
• Of conq'ring heroes brave, the female mind,
• When steel'd by love, in love's most horrid way
Beholds not danger, or beholding scorns.

Heav'n take my life, but let it crown my love!"
She ceas'd; and ere his words her fate decreed,
Impatient, watch'd the language of his eye:
There Pity dwelt, and from it's tender sphere
Sent looks of love, and faithless hopes inspir❜d.

Forgive me, gen'rous maid!' the youth return'd,
If, by thy accents charm'd, thus long I bore

• To let such sweetness plead, alas! in vain.
• Thy virtue merits more than crowns can yield
• Of folid bliss, or happiest love bestow.

But ere from native fhores I plough'd the main,
To one dear maid, by virtue and by charms
• Alone endear'd, my plighted vows I gave,
To guard my faith, whatever chance should wait
My warring fword: if conqueft, fame, and fpoil,
• Grac'd my return, before her feet to pour
The glitt'ring treasure, and the laurel wreath,
Enjoying conquefl then, and fame and spoil;
If Fortune frown'd adverfe, and Death forbade
• The blissful union, with my latest breath

• To

• To dwell on Medway's and Maria's name.
This ardent vow deep-rooted, from my foul
No dangers tore; this vow my bofom fir'd
To conquer danger, and the spoil enjoy.
• Her shall I leave, with fair events elate,

• Who crown'd mine humbleft fortune with her love?
Her fhall I leave, who now, perchance, alone
Climbs the proud cliff, and chides my flow return?
< And shall that veffel, whofe approaching fails
• Shall fwell her breast with extafies, convey
Death to her hopes, and anguish to her foul?
No! may the deep my villain corse devour,
If all the wealth Iberian mines conceal,
If all the charms Iberian maids disclose,
If thine, Elvira! thine, uniting all,

Thus far prevail-nor can thy virtuous breaft
• Demand what honour, faith, and love, denies.'
O! happy fhe,' rejoin'd the penfive maid,
• Who fhares thy fame, thy virtue, and thy love!
And be fhe happy! thy diftinguifh'd choice

• Declares her worth, and vindicates her claim.
Farewel my lucklefs hopes! my flatt'ring dreams!
Of rapt'rous days! my guilty fuit, farewel!

• Yet, fond howe'er my plea, or deep the wound
That waits my fame, let not the random shaft
Of Cenfure pierce with me th' Iberian dames;
They love with caution, and with happier ftars.
And, oh! by pity mov'd, reftrain the taunts
Of levity, nor brand Elvira's flame:

By merit rais'd, by gratitude approv'd,

By hope confirm'd, with artless truth reveal'd;

Let, let me fay, but for one matchless maid

Of happier birth, with mutual ardour crown'd!
These radiant gems, which burnish Happiness,
But mock Misfortune, to thy fav'rite's hand
With care convey: and well may fuch adorn
Hh

• Her

• Her chearful front, who finds in thee alone
• The fource of ev'ry transport; but difgrace
My penfive breaft, which, doom'd to lafting woe,
In thee the fource of ev'ry blifs refign.

And now, farewel, thou darling youth! the gem
• Of English merit! Peace, content, and joy,
And tender hopes, and young defires, farewel!
Attend, ye fmiling train! this gallant mind
Back to his native fhores; there sweetly smooth
His ev'ning pillow, dance around his groves,
• And where he treads with vi'lets paint his way :
But leave Elvira! leave her, now no more
Your frail companion! in the facred cells

• Of fome lone cloifter let me fhroud my fhame;
There, to the matin bell obfequious, pour

My conftant orifons. The wanton loves

And gay defires fhall fpy the glimm'ring tow’rë,
And wing their flight aloof: but reft confirm'd,
• That never shall Elvira's tongue conclude
Her shortest pray'r, ere Henry's dear fuccefs
The warmeft accent of her zeal employ.'
Thus fpoke the weeping fair, whofe artless mind,
Impartial, fcorn'd to model her esteem

By native customs, drefs, and face, and air,
And manners lefs; nor yet refolv'd in vain.
He, bound by prior love, the folemn vow
Giv'n and receiv'd, to foft compaffion gave
A tender tear; then with that kind adieu
Efteem could warrant, wearied Heav'n with pray'rs
To fhield that tender breaft he left forlorn.

He ceas'd; and to the cloifter's pensive scene
Elvira fhap'd her folitary way.

THE

T the close of the day, when the hamlet is ftill, And mortals the fweets of forgetfulness prove; When nought but the torrent is heard on the hill, And nought but the nightingale's fong in the grove.— "Twas then, by the cave of the mountain reclin'd, A hermit his nightly complaint thus began:

Tho' mournful his numbers, his foul was refign'd; He thought as a fage, tho' he felt as a man.

Ah! why, thus abandon'd to darkness and woe,
Why thus, lonely Philomel, flows thy fad ftrain?
For fpring fhall return, and a lover bestow;
And thy bofom no trace of misfortune retain.
Yet if Pity infpire thee, O cease not thy lay!
• Mourn, sweetest companion; man calls thee to mourn:
O foothe him whofe pleafures, like thine, pafs away!
Full quickly they pafs-but they never return!

Now, gliding remote on the verge of the sky,
The moon, half extinct, a dim crescent displays;
• But lately I mark'd, when majestick on high
She shone, and the planets were loft in her blaze.
Roll on then, fair orb, and with gladness purfue
The path that conducts thee to fplendor again :
But man's faded glory no change shall renew;
Ah, fool! to exult in a glory fo vain!

'Tis night, and the landscape is lovely no more: 'I mourn; but, ye woodlands, I mourn not for you;

For morn is approaching, your charms to restore,

• Perfum'd with fresh fragrance, and glitt'ring with dew.

Nor yet for the ravage of winter I mourn; Kind Nature the embrio-bloffom fhall fave:

But when shall fpring vifit the mould'ring urn! O when shall it dawn on the night of the grave!"

THE

VALETUDINARIAN.

A N

ODE.

BY DR. MARRIOT.

NHERITANCE of weak, but proud mortality,
Hence, Difcafe and pining Pain ;
With all your pale and ghaftly train,
Toffings dire, heart-piercing moans,
Sighs and tears, and hollow groans,
The harbingers of Death:
Whether ye be

The spawn of bloated Luxury,

Or of the peftilential breath

Of Eurus bred, or from the eastern clime;

Hence to your ancient feat,

Where ebbing Nilus leaves his putrid flime,

To Volga's banks retreat,

Or to the Cafpian or Bengala's bay;

From Britain's happy lands

Hafte to Arabian fands,

While winds fulphureous burn, and urge your way!

But, Goddess of the dimpled cheek,

Whom the wanton Cupids feek;

Come, fair Health, to grace the fong,

Bring the chearful Muse along;

Bring laughing Youth, who looks behind;
Love, on Fancy's breaft reclin'd;