1826.] riie Pdacc o/ Love. 165 



III. 



Tlic voices of a thousand lovers sing 

 The charms oi" tlicir fair mistresses, who bring 

 Songs in return for those in which their name 

 Is sung in lays of honour to their shame ! 

 And, ev'ry day, their forehead wreath'd with flower.'i. 

 They crowd into the temple, where, for hours, 

 They worship their fair Master ; and implore 

 New means of conquest, charms unknown heforc. 

 To attract, to win, to ctniquer, and to rule — 

 Too ready pupils in too lax a school ! 

 And who, then, is this Master Deity? 

 Who thus, in troops, across the Eastern sea, 

 Guided by flatt'ring, ever-smiling Hope, 

 Draws to his worship all within the scope 

 Of the wide rainbow's arch ? — O ! none but Love, 

 Supreme o'er men below, o'er gods above. 

 Can gather thus togetiier at his shrine, 

 Gods turned to mortals, mortals made divine 1 



IV. 



See, on the green and flow'r-paved meadows, near 

 His sacred temple, half-clad nymphs appear, 

 Moving in soft harmonious unison 

 With their voice-music ; while the gentle tone 

 Fills, and with sweetness satisfies, the ear 

 Of soft voluptuous Ease ; who calmly, here. 

 On the cool bed of deep soft grass, reposes — 

 A bank her pillow, and her curtains roses : 

 There, by her side, in lip-closed silence sit 

 Love-Mysteries, — and, o'er against them, Wit 

 Applied to those small courtesies, which shew. 

 Beneath the galliard phrase, the heart below ; 

 Repaid so oft by that delicious laughter 

 Which, softened almost to a smile, comes after, 

 And still fore-runs, an April sigh — so bright, 

 So full of sparkling and yet softened light. 

 Of gaiety and sweetness, both together, 

 That the enthralled sense almost doubts whether 

 Love's own real sighing smile be so enchanting. — 

 But here both sisters sit— here nought is wanting 

 To woo and win ; here Pleasure, here Desire, 

 Unite ill kindling that soft-breathing fire. 

 Of such seductive force, that it hath power 

 E'en over Love himself, in his own bower !* 



Such is the lovely entrance to these halls, 

 So much renown'd; but ere within theii- walls 

 Our step has far advanced, — Heavens ! what a scene ! 

 Who from without could guess what the within had been ? 

 No more does Pleasure, with her lovely train. 

 Breathe her soft songs — No ! — Disappointment, Pain, 

 Imprudence, Fear, Satiety, Disgust, 

 And rabid Anger, Rage, and dark Distrust 



"• See note at the end. 



