Long fhe remain'd-th' enamour'd Knight, Impatient at her stay, And all unfit to tafte delight When BIRTHA was away.. Betakes him to the fecret Bower; O, horror! horror! blafting fight! Wild frenzy fires his frantic hand, He flies to where the lovers ftand, "Die traitor, die, thy guilty flames An aged peafant, Epwy's guide, O how the father's feelings melt! "Let me behold my darling's face, "And blefs him ere I die! Then with a swift and vigorous pace, He to the the Bower did hie. O fad reverse !—fank on the ground Cold, fpeechless, senseless ELDRED near The father faw-fo Jepthah ftood, He look'd the woe he could not speak, Then BIRTHA faintly rais'd her eye, The cold, cold dews of haftening death Upon her pale face stand; And quick and fhort her failing breath, And tremulous her hand. The cold, cold dews of haftening death, The quivering hand, the fort quick breath He faw her fpirit mount in air, His heart its anguish could not bear, The mournful Muse forbears to tell She draws the Grecian Painter's veil, Yet Heaven's decrees are juft and wife, And man is born to bear, Joy is the portion of the skies, * In the celebrated Picture of the Sacrifice of Iphigenia, Timanthes having exhaufted every image of grief in the by-ftanders, threw a veil over the face of the father, whofe forrow he was utterly unable to exprefs. PLIN. Book xxxv. THE END. |