'And, ah, forgive a stranger rude, A wretch forlorn,' she cried; 'Whose feet unhallowed thus intrude Where heaven and you reside! 'But let a maid thy pity share, Whom love has taught to stray; Who seeks for rest, but finds despair Companion of her way. 'My father lived beside the Tyne, A wealthy lord was he; And all his wealth was marked as mine, He had but only me. To win me from his tender arms, Who praised me for imputed charms, Each hour a mercenary crowd Among the rest young Edwin bowed, 'In humble, simplest habit clad, Wisdom and worth were all he had, G 'The blossom opening to the day, The dews of heaven refined, Could nought of purity display, To emulate his mind. 'The dew, the blossoms of the tree, With charms inconstant shine; Their charms were his, but, wo to me! Their constancy was mine. "For still I tried each fickle art, Importunate and vain ; And while his passion touched my heart, I triumphed in his pain: Till, quite dejected with my scorn, He left me to my pride; And sought a solitude forlorn 'But mine the sorrow, mine the fault, And well my life shall pay ; I'll seek the solitude he sought, And stretch me where he lay. "And there forlorn despairing hid, I'll lay me down and die : 'Twas so for me that Edwin did, And so for him will I.' Forbid it, heaven!' the Hermit cried, And clasped her to his breast; The wondering fair one turned to chide : 'Twas Edwin's self that prest. Turn, Angelina, ever dear, My charmer, turn to see Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And shall we never, never part, 'No, never, from this hour to part ; The sigh that rends thy constant heart, RETALIATION.* Or old, when Scarron his companions invited, * First printed in 1774, after the author's death. Dr. Gold smith, and some of his friends occasionally dired at St. James's Coffee-house. One day it was proposed to write epitaphs on him His country, dialect, and person, furnished subjects of witticism He was called on for retaliation, and at their next meeting produced the following poem. If our *landlord supplies us with beef and with fish, Let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best [plains; dish: vour: Our Dean shall be venison, just fresh from the *The master of the St. James's Coffee-house, where the Doctor, and the friends he has characterised in this ally dined. Doctor Bernard, dean of Derry, in Ireland. poem, occasion § Mr. William Burke, late secretary to general Conway, and member for Bedwin. Mr. Richard Burke, collector for Grenada. Mr. Richard Cumberland, author of the West Indian, Fashionable Lover, the Brothers, and other dramatic pieces. ** Doctor Douglas, canon of Windsor, an ingenious Scotch gentleman, who has no less distinguished himself as a citizen of the world, than a sound critic, in detecting several literary mistakes (or rather forgeries) of his countrymen; particularly Lauder on Milton, and Bower's History of the Popes. bar. David Garrick, esq. Counsellor John Ridge, a gentleman beonging to the Irish §§ Sir Joshua Reynolds. That *Hickey's a capon; and, by the same rule, We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; To persuade §Tommy Townshend to lend him a vote; * An eminent attorney. † Vide page 68. Vide page 68. § Mr. T. Townshend, member for Whitchurch. |