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Abash'd she blush'd, and with disorder spoke:
Her rifing fhame adorn'd the words it broke.
If the great mafter will defcend to hear
The humble feries of his hand-maid's care;
O! while fhe tells it, let him not put on
The look, that awes the nations from the throne!
O! let not death fevere in glory lie

In the king's frown, and terror of his eye!

Mine to obey; thy part is to ordain;
And, though to mention, be to fuffer pain,
If the king fmile, whilft I my woes recite;
If weeping I find favour in his fight;
Flow faft my tears, full rifing his delight.

O! witnefs Earth beneath, and Heaven above!
For can I hide it? I am fick of love:

If madness may the name of passion bear;
Or love be call'd, what is indeed despair.

}

Thou Sovereign Power! whose fecret will controlls The inward bent and motion of our fouls!

Why haft thou plac'd fuch infinite degrees ·
Between the caufe and cure of my disease?
The mighty object of that raging fire,
In which unpity'd Abra muft expire,
Had he been born fome fimple fhepherd's heir,
The lowing herd, or fleecy fheep his care;
At morn with him I o'er the hills had run,
Scornful of winter's froft, and fummer's fun,
Still afking, where he made his flock to reft at noon.
For him at night, the dear expected guest,

I had with hafty joy prepar'd the feaft;

}

And

And from the cottage, o'er the diftant plain,
Sent forth my longing eye to meet the swain;
Wavering, impatient, tofs'd by hope and fear;
"Till he and joy together fhould appear;
And the lov'd dog declare his master near.
On my declining neck, and open breast,
I fhould have lull'd the lovely youth to reft;
And from beneath his head, at dawning day,
With fofteft care have ftol'n my arm away;
To rife and from the fold release the sheep,
Fond of his flock, indulgent to his fleep.

Or if kind Heaven propitious to my flame.
(For fure from Heaven the faithful ardor came)
Had bleft my life, and deck'd my natal hour
With height of title, and extent of power:
Without a crime my paffion had afpir'd,
Found the lov'd prince, and told what I defir'd.
Then I had come, preventing Sheba's queen,
To fee the comelieft of the fons of men;
To hear the charming poet's amorous fong,
And gather honey falling from his tongue;
To take the fragrant kiffes of his mouth,
Sweeter than breezes of her native fouth;
Likening his grace, his perfon, and his mien,
To all that great or beauteous I had feen.
Serene and bright his eyes, as folar beams
Reflecting temper'd light from chrystal streams;
Ruddy as gold his cheek; his bofom fair
As filver; the curl'd ringlets of his hair

}

Black

Abash'd the blush'd, and with disorder spoke:
Her rifing fhame adorn'd the words it broke.
If the great mafter will defcend to hear
The humble feries of his hand-maid's care;
O! while fhe tells it, let him not put on
The look, that awes the nations from the throne!
O! let not death fevere in glory lie
In the king's frown, and terror of his eye!
Mine to obey; thy part is to ordain;
And, though to mention, be to fuffer pain,
If the king fmile, whilft I my woes recite;
If weeping I find favour in his fight;
Flow faft my tears, full rifing his delight.

O! witnefs Earth beneath, and Heaven above!
For can I hide it? I am fick of love:

If madness may the name of passion bear;
Or love be call'd, what is indeed despair.

}

Thou Sovereign Power! whofe fecret will controlls The inward bent and motion of our fouls! Why haft thou plac'd fuch infinite degrees · Between the caufe and cure of my disease? The mighty object of that raging fire, In which unpity'd Abra muft expire, Had he been born fome fimple fhepherd's heir, The lowing herd, or fleecy fheep his care; At morn with him I o'er the hills had run, Scornful of winter's froft, and fummer's fun, Still afking, where he made his flock to reft at noon. For him at night, the dear expected guest,

I had with hafty joy prepar'd the feast;

And

And from the cottage, o'er the distant plain,
Sent forth my longing eye to meet the swain;
Wavering, impatient, tofs'd by hope and fear;
"Till he and joy together should appear;
And the lov'd dog declare his mafter near.
On my declining neck, and open breast,
I fhould have lull'd the lovely youth to reft;
And from beneath his head, at dawning day,
With fofteft care have ftol'n my arm away;
To rife and from the fold release the sheep,
Fond of his flock, indulgent to his fleep.

Or if kind Heaven propitious to my flame
(For fure from Heaven the faithful ardor came)
Had bleft my life, and deck'd my natal hour
With height of title, and extent of power:
Without a crime my paffion had aspir'd,
Found the lov'd prince, and told what I defir'd,
Then I had come, preventing Sheba's queen,
To fee the comelieft of the fons of men;
To hear the charming poet's amorous fong,
And gather honey falling from his tongue;
To take the fragrant kifles of his mouth,
Sweeter than breezes of her native fouth;
Likening his grace, his perfon, and his mien,
To all that great or beauteous I had seen.
Serene and bright his eyes, as folar beams
Reflecting temper'd light from chrystal streams;
Ruddy as gold his cheek; his bofom fair
As filver; the curl'd ringlets of his hair

}

Black

A bright Tiara, round her forehead ty'd,
To jufter bounds confin'd its rifing pride;
The blushing ruby on her fnowy breast,
Render'd its panting whitenefs more confefs'd:
Bracelets of pearl gave roundness to her arm;
And every gem augmented every charm.
Her fenfes pleas'd, her beauty ftill improv'd;
And the more lovely grew, as more belov'd.

And now I could behold, avow, and blame
The feveral follies of my former flame;
Willing my heart for recompence to prove
The certain joys that lie in profperous love.
For what, faid I, from Abra can I fear,
Too humble to infult, too soft to be severe :
The damfel's fole ambition is to please:
With freedom I may like, and quit with eafe:
She fooths, but never can enthral my mind:
Why may not peace and love for once be join'd?
Great Heaven! how frail thy creature man is made!
How by himself infenfibly betray'd!

In our own ftrength unhappily fecure,
Too little cautious of the adverse power;
And by the blaft of felf-opinion mov'd,
We wish to charm, and feek to be belov'd.
On pleasure's flowing brink we idly stray,
Mafters as yet of our returning way;
Seeing no danger we difarm our mind,
And give our conduct to the waves and wind:
Then in the flowery mead, or verdant shade
To wanton dalliance negligently laid,

We

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