ANDREW MARVEL. 16^ 



And all the kingdoms of the world around 



With deep astonishment and rapture view 



The wond'rous pile political, and own 



That Greece and Rome, when in their pride of power. 



Were feeble empires when compared with ours. 

 How softly poesy can sooth the breast 



And charm its thoughts to stillness ! When the cares 



Of state and business for a time withheld 



Their claims upon thee. Marvel, I could deem 



Thy tuneful muse gave solace to thy mind. 



Oft walking forth on some culm rosy eve 



Upon the water's brink, whose rippling waves 

 Gave music not unlike the deeper sound 

 Of ocean playing on his pebbled shore. 

 Whilst their bright surface from the twilight sky 

 Caught crimson colouring, and all around 

 Seemed glowing in the sweet soft light of peace, 

 Thy thought would often catch the poet's flame 

 And revel in its musings. Such an eve 

 Had calmed thy mind to softest tenderness 

 Before thy pen pbui'ed forth its gentlest strain, — 

 The sweetest offspring of thy varied muse, — 

 ** The nymph lamenting for her murdered fawn." 



Methinks I see the gentle maiden laid 

 Upon a bank amid the meadow-flowers. 

 The bleeding victim struggling by her side 

 In death's last agonies. Her gentle hand 

 With trembling tenderness, in kindly strokes 

 Moves o'er its glossy coat, and seeks to sooth 

 Its dying pangs by sweet oflScious love. 

 Its plaintive moan bespeaks its agonies. 

 And its dim eye, once radiant and bright 

 As morning star, now with a feeble glance 

 Rests on its mistress, and by thankful looks 

 Reveals deep gratitude. But how appears 

 The gentle soother of its parting woes ? 

 In negligent array of purest white 

 Her limbs are clad, whose softly moulded forms 



X 



