1792' Love and yo\<, g late. 145 



'diante ; and all nature seemed embelliflied by their pre- 

 sence. They were inseparable companions, and their 

 growing attachment was favoured by Jupiter, who had de- 

 -creed, that a lasting union ftiould be solemnized between 

 them, so soon as they were arrived at maturer years. But 

 -in the mean time, the sons of men deviated frop their na- 

 tive innocence ; vice and ruin overran the earth with 

 giant strides j and Astrea, with her train of celestial visi- 

 tants, forsook their polluted abodes. Love alone remain- 

 ed, having been stolen away by Hope, who was his nurse, 

 and conveyed by her to the forests of Arcadia, where he 

 was brought up among the (hepherds. But Jupiter afsign- 

 -ed him a different partner, and commanded him to espouse 

 Sorrow, the daughter of Ate. He complied with reluc- 

 ' tance ; for her features were harih and disagreeable, her 

 «yes sunk } her forehead contracted into perpetual 

 wrinkles ; and her temples were covered with a wreath of 

 ■ cyprefs and wormwood. From this union sprang a virgin, 

 in whom might be traced a strong resemblance to both 

 ■her parents 5 but the sullen and unamiable features of her 

 mother were so mixed and blended with the sweetnefs of 

 her father, that her countenance, though mournful, was 

 ^highly pleasing. The maids and (hepherds of the neigh- 

 bouring plains gathered round, and called her, Pity. A 

 red-breast was observed to build in the cabin wher^ ihe 

 was born ; and while (he was yet an infant, a dove, pur- 

 sued by a hawk, flew into her bosom. This nymph had a 

 dejected appearance, — but so soft and gentle a mien, that 

 (he was beloved to a degree of enthusiasm. Her voice 

 was low and plaintive, but inexprefsibly sweet j and (he 

 loved to lie for hours together en the banks of some wild 

 and melancholy stream, singiqg to her lute. She taught 

 ijaen to weep j for (he took a strange delight in tears j and 

 VOL, xi. T + 



