ATM

From every duty, every care, That in my mournful thoughts might claim a fhare,

Or force my tears their flowing ftream to dry,
Beneath the gloom of this embow'ring fhade,
This lone retreat, for tender forrow made,
I now may give my burden'd heart relief,
And pour forth all my ftores of grief,
Of grief furpaffing every other woe,
Far as the pureft blifs, the happiest love,
Can on th' ennobled mind beftow,
Exceeds the vulgar joys that move
Our gross defires, inelegant and low.
Ye tufted groves, ye gently-falling rilla,
Ye high o'ershadowing hills,
Ye lawns gay-fmiling with eternal green,
Oft have you my Lucy feen!
But never fhall you now behold her more:
Nor will the now with fond delight.

And tafte refin'd your rural charms explore. Clos'd are thofe beauteous eyes in endless aight,

Thofe beauteous eyes where beaming us❜d to fhine

Reafon's pure light, and Virtue's spark dio vine.

Oft would the Dryads of these woods rejoice
To hear her heav'nly voice,

For her defpifing, when the deign'd to fing,
The fweeteft fongkers of the fpring :
The woodlark and the linnet pleas'd no more;
The nightingale was mute,

And every fhepherd's flute-
Was caft in filent fcorn away,
While all attended to her sweeter lay.
Ye larks and linnets now resume your fong
And thou melodious Philomel,

Again thy plaintive story tell.

For death has ftop'd that tuneful tongue, Whofe mufic could alone your warbling notes excel;

In vain I look around

O'er all the well-known ground My Lucy's wonted footfteps to defcry; Where oft we us'd to walk,

Where oft in tender talk

We faw the fummer fun go down the fky
Nor by yon fountain's fide,

Nor where its waters glide

Along the valley, can the now be found: In all the wide-ftretch'd profpect's ample < bound

No more my mournful eye

Can aught of her efpy,

But the fad facred earth where her dear re lics lie.

O fhades of H

-y, where is now your boast ? Your bright inhabitant is loft. You the preferr'd to all the gay reforts Where female vanity might wish to fhine, The pomp of cities, and the pride of courts. Her modeft beauties fhun'd the public eye:

"To your fequefter'd' dales

And flow'r-embroider'd vales From an admiring world the chose to fly; With Nature there retir'd, and Nature'sGoog

The Glent paths of wisdom trod, And banish'd every paffion from her breaft But thofe, the gentleft and the beft, Whofe holy flames with energy divine. The virtuous beart enliven and improve, The conjugal, and the maternal love. Sweet babes, who, like the little playful fawns,

Were wont to trip along these verdant lawns By your delighted mother's fide,

Who now your infant fteps fhall guide ?* Ah! where is now the hand whose tender

And forew'dy with flowers the' thorny ways off Truths cute!

O lofs beyond repair!

67 Oswretched Father left alone:

To weep their dire misfortune, and thy own -- Hovfhall:thy/weakan'd mind, oppress'd with

Where were yes Mufes, when relentless Fate &

From these fond arms your fair difciple-tore,
From these fond arms that vainly trove
With haploft ineffectual love
To guard her boom from the mortal blow?
Could not your fav ring power, Aonian maids,
Could not alas! your pow'r prolong her
Job date? SA !..

For whom fo oft in thefe infpiring flades,
Or under Campden's, mofs-clad, mountain's
hoar,

You opend all your facred ftore, Whate'er your ancient fages taught, Your ancient bards fublimely thought, And bade her raptur d; breast with all your fpirit glow,?

A

The

Or what in Britain's isle,

MoA favour'd with your fimile rs of reafon and of fancy join'd To full perfection have confpir'd to raife? Ah what is now the ufe,

Of all these treasures that enrich'd her mind, To black oblivion's gloom for ever now confign'd?

Unhappy Petrarch call'd to mourn, O come, and to this fairer Laura pay A more impaffion'd tear, a more pathetic lay Tell how each beauty of her mind and face,

brighten'd by fome fweet, peculiar grace! How eloquent in every look Through her expreflive eyes her foul diftinctly fpoke!

Tell how her manners by the world refin'd
Left all the taint of modith vice behind,,.
And made each charm of polish'd courts agree
With candid Truth's fimplicity,
And uncorrupted Innocence!

Tell how to more than manly fense
She join'd the foftning influence
Of more than female tenderness:

How in the thoughtless days of wealth and joy,

Which oft the care of others' good deftroy,
Her kindly-melting heart,
To every want, and every woe,
To guilt itfelt when in diftrefs

The balm of pity would impart,

And all relief that bounty could bestow
Ev'n for the kid or lamb that pour'd its life
Beneath the bloody knife,

Her gentle tears would fall,

Tears from sweet Virtue's fource, benevolent to all.

Not only good and kind,

But ftrong and elevated was her mind A fpirit that with noble pride Could look fuperior down

On Fortune's fmile, or frown; That could without regret or pain

To