438 



Orisinal 



And do8t llioii, gentle swain, admire 



A simple, unobtrusive, cliarm ; 



The friend of love and young desire, 



Whose cherub smiles the brow of ire 



Can soon disarm. 



1 know thou dost, for thon art wise ; 

 'Tis Temper, whose eternal sweets, 

 With undiniinisli'd fragrance rise, 

 Wlien Time reclines in Beauty's eyes, 



And Love retreats. 

 Then, shepherd, can'st thou blame the vow 



AVhich late at Laura's feet I made? 

 For, lo! that cherub gilds her biow. 

 And bids perennial odours How 



Around the maid. 

 Nor wonder that this morn I deem 

 . The fairest of the vernal race; 

 Tis fond affection's magic bean). 

 That sheds a softer, brighter gleam, 



O'er Nature's face. 

 Stepney. 



TO CLORINDA. 



Translated from the Ituliun of Metaslasio. 

 At length I feel my soul is free. 



Thanks to thy meretricious wiles ; 

 The gods, to be reveng'd on tiiee, 



Have cliang'd my sorrows into smiles : 

 Tlie galling chain is now remov'd, 



My fetter'd heart 's reieas'd from pain,' 

 It tastes of w'hat it always lov'd. 



Nor dreams of liberty in vain. 

 All former thoughts of love are o'er. 



And now such heavenly bliss I feel. 

 That what my anger hid before 



I now without reserve reveal ; 

 And, if thy name I chance to hear. 



My cheeks no longer seem to glow ; 

 I gaze on all that once was dear, 



Indiff'rent to thy weal or woe. 



I dream, 'tis true, — but in those dreams 



Clovinda's form I never see ; 

 I wake with morning's earliest gleams, 



And all my thoughts from her are free: 

 I roam the woodhind's lonely aisles. 



Nor vj'ish thee there to warm my heart ; 

 And now thy most bewitching smiles 



Nor pleasure nor remorse impart. 



My tongue can on thy beauty dwell, 



Insensible to bliss or woe ; 

 My heart its wrong remembers well, 



Vet scorns for once to be thy foe : 

 AVhene'er to mine thy feet approach, 



I feel as if ihey were not near ; 

 And now, unmov'd, 1 freely broach 



Thy beauties to my rival's ear. 

 That lofty and indignant look 



No more disturhs my traiiqnil mind; 

 Tliy haughtiness I've learn'd to brook. 



Nor do thy favours make me blind : 

 For now those lips I've fondly press'd 



Have wholly lost their sov'ieign sway, 

 And those soft eyes, so long cartss'd, 



Lure Hot niy cautitjua heart away. 



Potlry. [June 1, 



If pleasure deck my brow with smiles, 



I don't derive the bliss from thee ; 

 And, were I sad, thy loveliest wiles 



Would yield nie no felicity : 

 If through the sylvan haunts I stray, 



I'm happy if thou art not there ; 

 Thy presence only clouds my way. 



And turns my pleasure into care. 



List, whilst I prove my words sincere, — 



Clorinda ! I admit thy charms. 

 But now thou never can'st appear 



Unequall'd in these injur'd arms ; 

 And let this truth suppress thy spleen, 



A blemish in thy person lies. 

 Which ouce ai>pear"d in every scene 



A beauty to these cheated eyes. 

 With shame, indeed, I now confess, 



'I'hat when I felt the fatal dart, 

 My bosom languish'd in distress, 



A ud Death seem'd circled round my heart : 

 But now I've conquer'd pain and vtoe, 



And smile at each intended wrong. 

 Forgiving thee, my bitt'rest foe, 



And growing from affliction strong. 

 The bird whom treach'rous lime ensnares, 



(And well that bird resembles me!) 

 Full oft its tender phmiage tears 



To get its fetter'd pinions free: 

 But, once reieas'd, their pride returns. 



The prisoner soon explores the skies. 

 And from its past experience learns 



To shun the spot where danger lies. 



Thou think'st, I know, my wounded heart 



Still feels the ling'ring pains of love. 

 Because my words so oft impart 



The pleasure they were wont to prove : 

 But 'tis not love that now excites 



My tongue to speak of bliss that's o'er. 

 It is that now my soul delights 



To know the danger reigns no more. 

 So, when no more the battle sounds. 



The warrior, proud to swell his fame. 

 Displays his scars and recent wounds. 



And tells of many a well-known name ; 

 And so the slave, who long has worn 



The bondage of a tyrant's reign, 

 When from its scourging influence torn. 



Can smile upon the ruthless chain. 

 Although my heart no longer grieve. 



Thou can'st not its enjoyment share ; 

 Nor would I ask thee to believe 



My soul is free from carking free : 

 I speak, but never wish to gain 



'Thy favouring ear to what I speak. 

 And if myself I entertain, 



'Tis now the only bliss I seek. 

 I lose in thee a worthless flame. 



Thou leav'st a lover few can boast. 

 We both may consolation claim. 



But which, Clorinda, shares the most? 

 And well I know thou'lt never tind 



A heart with warmer pulse to beat, 

 Wliilst I shall j)rove, — in womankind 



"J is easy to procure— a cheat, 



JuhKslrcd, Islutglon. G. M. 



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