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My generous Fair, thy gloomy thoughts dismiss ; 

 Nor let dark omens interrupt our bliss, 

 And cloud these moments that with tranport shine, 

 While ray exulting heart thus feels thee mine. 

 Thy troubled fancy prompts my mutual sigh ; 

 Nor that I think the hour of danger nigh : 

 But Love so melts me with his soft controul, 

 Impossibilities alarm my soul. 

 If thy kind wishes bid Lautaro live, 

 Who to this frame the wound of death can give ? 

 Tho' 'gainst me all the powers of earth combine, 

 My life is subject to no hand but thine. 

 W^ho has restor'd the Araucanian name. 

 And rais'd it, sinking in the depths of shame, 

 When alien lords our nation's spirit broke, 

 And bent its neck beneath a servile yoke ? 

 I am the chief who burst our galling chain. 

 And freed my country from oppressive Spain ; 

 My name alone, without my sword's display, 

 Humbles our foes, and fills them with dismay. 

 These happy arms while thy dear beauties fill, 

 I feel no terror, I foresee no ill. 

 Be not by false and empty dreams deprest, 

 Since truth h as nothing to afflict thy breast. 

 Oft have I 'scap'd, inur'd to every state, 

 From many a darker precipice of fate ; 

 Oft in far mightier perils risk'd my life, 

 And issued glorious from the doubtful strife. 



With less'ning confidence, and deeper grief. 

 Trembling she hung upon the soothing Chief, 

 His lip with supplicating softness prest, 

 And urg'd with many a tear this fond request : 



If the pure love, which, prodigal and free, 

 W^hen freedom most was mine, I gave to thee ; 

 If truth, which Heaven will witness and defend, 

 Weigh with my sovereign lord and gentle friend ; 

 By these let me adjure thee ; by the pain 

 Which at our parting pierc'd my every vein, 

 And all the vows, if undispers'd in air. 

 Which then with many a tear I heard thee swear 

 To this my only wish at least agree, 

 If all thy wishes have been laws to me : 



