Armine and Elvira . 
477 
At each kind glance their souls unite, 
Wnile loves soft sympathy imparts 
That tender transport of delight, 
That beats in undivided hearts. 
Respectful to his lips he prest 
Her yielded hand in haste away 
Her yielded hand she drew distrest, 
With looks that witness’d wild dismay ! 
44 Ah ! whence, fair excellence ! those fears ? 
44 What terror unforeseen alarms ? 
44 See where a father’s frown appears”™- « 
She said and sunk into his arms. 
44 My daughter ! — Heav’ns l — it cannot be — * 
44 And yet it must — O dire disgrace ! 
44 Elvira have I liv’d to see 
44 Clasp’d in a peasant’s vile embrace ! 
44 This daring guilt let death repay” -» 
His vengeful arm the javelin threw ; 
With erring aim it wing’d its way, 
And far, by fate averted, flew. 
Elvira breathes — her pulses beat, 
Returning life illumes her eye ; 
Trembling a father’s view to meet. 
She spies a reverend hermit nigh. 
44 Your wrath,” she cries, 44 let tears assuage, 
44 Unheeded must Elvira pray l 
44 O let an injur’d father’s rage 
44 This hermit’s sacred presence stay I 
44 Yet deem not, lost in guilty love, 
44 I plead to save my virgin fame ; 
44 My weakness virtue might approve, 
44 And smile on nature’s holy flame.”— ^ 
44 Oh ! welcome to my hopes again, 
44 My son,” — the raptur’d hermit cries, 
44 1 sought thee sorrowing on the plain,” 
And all the father fill’d his eyes. 
44 Art thou,” the raging Raymond said, 
44 Of this audacious boy, the sire ? 
