That done-he left his woodland glade,
And journey'd far away:

He lov'd to court the ftranger fhade,
And thro' the lone vale ftray.

Within the bofom of a wood,
By circling hills embrac❜d,
A little, modeft manfion food,
Built by the hand of taste.

While many a prouder caftle fell,
This fafely did endure;

The house where guardian virtues dwell
Is facred, and fecure.

Of Eglantine an humble fence

Around the manfion flood,

Which charm'd at once the ravish'd sense, And fcreen'd an infant wood.

The wood receiv'd an added

As pleas'd it bent to look,

grace,

And view'd its ever verdant face
Reflected in a brook.

The smallness of the ftream did well
The mafter's fortunes fhew;
But little ftreams may ferve to tell
From what a fource they flow.

This manfion own'd an aged Knight,
And fuch a man was he,

As heaven juft fhews to human fight
To tell what man fhou'd be.

His youth in many a well fought field
Was train'd betimes to war;
His bofom like a well worn fhield,
Was grac'd with many a fear.

The vigour of a green old age
His reverend form did bear;
And yet, alas! the warrior fage
Had drain'd the dregs of care:

And forrow more than age can break,
And wound its hapless prey;
'Twas forrow furrow'd his firm cheek,
And turn'd his bright locks gray.

A

One darling daughter footh'd his cares,
young
and beauteous dame;
Sole comfort of his failing years,
And BIRTHA was her name.

Her heart a little facred fhrine,
Where all the Virtues meet';
And holy Hope, and Faith divine,
Had claim'd it for their feat.

She rear'd a fair and fragrant bower

Of wild and ruftic taste,

And there fhe fcreen'd each fav'rite flower

And not a fhrub or plant was there

But did fome moral yield;
For wisdom, by a father's care,
Was found in every field.

The trees whofe foliage fell away,
And with the fummer died,
He thought an image of decay
Might lecture human pride.

While fair, perennial greens that stood,
And brav'd the wintry blaft,
As types of the fair mind he viewed
Which fhall for ever laft.

He taught her that the gaudieft flowers
Were feldom fragrant found,
But wafted foon their little powers,
Lay ufelefs on the ground.

While the fweet-fcented rose shall taft,
And boat its fragrant power,
When life's imperfect day is past,
And beauty's fhorter hour.

And here the virgin lov❜d to lead
Her inoffenfive day,

And here the oft retir'd to read,
And oft retir'd to pray.

Embower'd she grac'd the woodland fhades,

From courts and cities far, The pride of Caledonian maids, The peerless northern far.

As fhines that bright and blazing star,
The glory of the night,
When failing thro' the cloudlefs air,
She fheds her filver light.

SO BIRTHA fhone -But when she spoke
The Mufe herself was heard,

As on the ravish'd air she broke,
And thus her prayer preferr❜d.

"O blefs thy BIRTHA, Power Supreme, "In whom I live and move,

"And bless me noft by bleffing him

"Whom more than life I love.".

She starts to hear a stranger's voice,
And with a modeft grace
She lifts her meek eye in furprize,
And fees a ftranger's face.

The ftranger loft in tranfport ftood,
Bereft of voice and pow'r,
While fhe with equal wonder view'd
SIR ELDRED OF THE BOWER.

The virgin blush which spreads her cheek, With Nature's pureft dye,

And all thofe dazling beams which break, Like morning from her eye.

He view'd them all, and as he view'd
Drank deeply of delight;

And fill his raptur'd eye pursued,
And feafted on the fight.

With filent wonder long they gaz'd,
And neither filence broke;
At length the fmoother'd paffion blaz'd,
Enamour'd ELDRED spoke:

"O facred Virtue, heavenly power! 66 Thy wonderous force I feel; gaze, I tremble, I adore,

"I

"Yet die my love to tell.

"My fcorn has oft the dart repell'a "Which guileful beauty threw, "But goodness heard, and grace beheld, "Muft every heart fubdue."

Quick on the ground her eyes were caft,
And now as quickly rais'd :-
Her father haply that way paft,
On whom the trembling gaz'd.

Good ARDOLPH's eye his BIRTHA meets
With glances of delight;

And thus with courteous fpeech he greets
The young and graceful Knight;

"O gallant Youth, whoe'er thou art, "Thou art welcome to this place; "There's fomething rifes at my heart, "Which fays I've feen that face."

"Thou generous Knight," the youth rejoin'd, "Tho' little known to fame, "I trust I bear a grateful mind"Sir ELDRED is my name.

"Sir ELDRED?"-ARDOLPH loud exclaim'd, "Renown'd for worth and power? "For valour and for virtue fam'd,

"Sir ELDRED OF THE BOWER?

"Now make me grateful, righteous Heaven, "As thou art good to me, "Since to my aged eyes 'tis given

"Sir ELDRED's fon to fee!

Then ARDOLPH caught him by the hand,

And gaz'd upon his face,

And to his aged bosom strain❜d,

With many a kind embrace,