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"Who crown'd mine humblest fortune with her love? "Her shall I leave, who now, perchance, alone "Climbs the proud cliff, and chides my slow return? "And shall that vessel, whose approaching sails "Shall swell her breast, with ecstasies convey "Death to her hopes, and anguish to her soul? "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 breast "Demand what honour, faith, and love, denies.” "Oh! happy she," rejoin'd the pensive maid, 275 "Who shares thy fame, thy virtue, and thy love! "And be she happy! thy distinguish'd choice "Declares her worth, and vindicates her claim.

"Farewell, my luckless hopes ! my flatt'ring dreams "Of rapt'rous days! my guilty suit, farewell ! 280 "Yet fond howe'er my plea, or deep the wound "That waits my fame, let not the random shaft "Of censure pierce with me th' Iberian dames ; “They love with caution, and with happier stars. "And, oh! by pity mov'd, restrain the taunts 235 “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 say, 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 292 "With care convey; and well may such adorn "Her cheerful front, who finds in thee alone "The source of ev'ry transport, but disgrace 295 "My pensive breast, which, doom'd to lasting wo, "In thee the source of ev'ry bliss resign.

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"And now, farewell, thou darling youth! the gem "Of English merit! Peace, content, and joy, "And tender hopes, and young desires, farewell! "Attend, ye smiling Train! this gallant mind "Back to his native shores; 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 sacred cells "Of some lone cloister let me shroud my shame; "There to the matin bell, obsequious, pour "My constant orisons. The wanton Loves 309 "And gay Desires shall spy the glimm❜ring tow'rs, And wing their flight aloof: but rest confirm'd, That never shall Elvira's tongue conclude Her shortest pray'r ere Henry's dear success "The warmest accent of her zeal employ." Thus spoke the weeping fair, whose artless mind, Impartial, scorn'd to model her esteem

By native customs, dress, and face and air,
And manners, less; nor yet resolv'd in vain.

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320

He, bound by prior love, the solemn vow
Giv'n and receiv'd, to soft compassion gave
A tender tear; then with that kind adieu
Esteem could warrant, weary'd Heav'n with pray'rs
To shield that tender breast he left forlorn.
He ceas'd, and to the cloister's pensive scene
Elvira shap'd her solitary way.

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Piij

THE SCHOOLMISTRESS.

IN IMITATION OF SPENSER.

Auditae voces, vagitus et ingens

Infantumque animae flentes in limine primo.

IMITATION.

And mingled sounds and infant plaints we hear,

That pierce the entrance shrill, and wound the tender ear.

VIRG.

Advertisement.

What particulars in Spenser were imagined most proper for the Author's imitation on this occasion are bis language, bis simplicity, his manner of description, and a peculiar tenderness of sentiment remarkable throughout his Works.

I.

AH me! full sorely is my heart forlorn,
To think how modest worth neglected lies,
While partial Fame doth with her blasts adorn
Such deeds alone as pride and pomp disguise,
Deeds of ill sort, and mischievous emprise:
Lend me thy clarion, Goddess! let me try
To sound the praise of Merit ere it dies,
Such as I oft have chaunced to espy
Lost in the dreary shades of dull obscurity.

II.

10

In ev'ry village mark'd with little spire,
Embow'r'd in trees, and hardly known to fame,
There dwells, in lowly shade and mean attire,
A matron old, whoin we Schoolmistress name,
Who boasts unruly brats with birch to tame;
They grieven sore, in piteous durance pent,
Aw'd by the pow'r of this relentless dame,
And oft-times, on vagaries idly bent,
For unkempt hair, or task unconn'd, are sorely shent.
III.

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And all in sight doth rise a birchen tree,
Which Learning near her little dome did stowe,
Whilom a twig of small regard to see,
Tho' now so wide its waving branches flow,
And work the simple vassals mickle wo;
For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew,
But their limbs shudder'd, and their pulse beat low,
And as they look'd they found their horror grew,
And shap'd it into rods, and tingled at the view.
IV.

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So have I seen (who has not may conceive)
A lifeless phantom near a garden plac'd,
So doth it wanton birds of peace bereave
Of sport, of song, of pleasure, of repast;
They start, they stare, they wheel, they look aghast;
Sad servitude! such comfortless annoy

May no bold Briton's riper age e'er taste!

Ne superstition clog his dance of joy,

Ne vision empty, vain, his native bliss destroy.

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