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€€ Preserve the beauteous fair from being seen, 



" Nor mountains dire, nor oceans flow between. 



" A shallow water hinders my embrace; 



" And yet the lovely mimic wears a face 



" That kindly smiles; and when I bend to join 



" My lips to hers, she fondly bends to mine. 



Hear, gentle maid, and pity my complaint, 



Come from thy well, thou fair inhabitant. 

 €€ My charms an easy conquest have obtained 

 " O'er other hearts, by thee alone disdained. 

 " But why should I despair? I'm sure she burns 

 " With equal flames, and languishes by turns. 

 " Whene'er I stoop, she kindly bends to me, 

 " And when my arms I stretch, the same does she. 

 u Her eye with pleasure on my face she keeps, 

 " She smiles my smiles, and when I weep she weeps. 

 " When e'er I speak,, her moving lips appear 

 " To utter something, which I cannot hear. — 

 * € Ah wretched me! I now begin too late 



To find out all the long-perplex'd deceit; 



It is myself I love, myself I see; 

 €€ The gay delusion is a part of me. 

 S€ I kindle up the fires by which I burn, 

 fC And my own beauties from the well return. 

 " Whom should I court? how utter my complaint? 



Enjoyment but produces my restraint, 



And too much plenty makes me die for want. 



How gladly would I from myself remove! 



And at a distance set the thing I love. 



My breast is warm'd with such unusual fire, 

 t€ I wish him absent whom I most desire. 



And now I faint with grief; my fate draws nigh; 



In all the pride of blooming youth I die. 



Death will the sorrows of my heart relieve. 



Oh might the visionary youth survive, 



I should with joy my latest breath resign ! 

 " But oh ! I see his fate involv'd in mine." 



This said, the weeping youth again return'd 

 To the clear fountain, where again he burn'd; 

 His tears defaced the surface of the well, 

 With circle after circle, as they fell : 

 And now the lovely face but half appears, 

 O'errun with wrinkles, and deform'd with tears. 



Ah whither/' cries Narcissus, " dost thou fly? 

 Let me still feed the flame by which I die ; 



Let me still see, though I'm no further blest." 

 Then rends his garments off, and beats his breast: 



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