They love with caution, and with happier ftars.{
And oh! by pity mov'd, reftrain the taunts.
Of levity, nor brand ELVIRA's flame;
By merit rais'd; by gratitude approv'd;
By hope confirm'd; with artlefs truth reveal'd ;
Let, let me fay, but for one matchlefs maid.
Of happier birth, with mutual ardor crown'd.

These radiant gems, which burnish happiness,
But mock misfortune, to thy fav'rite's hand. 197 A
With care convey.
And well may fuch adorn
Her chearful front, who finds in thee alone
The fource of ev'ry tranfport; but difgrace
My penfive breaft, which doom'd to lafting woe,
In thee the fource of ev'ry blifs refign.

And now farewel, thou darling youth! the gem
Of English merit! peace, content, and joy,
And tender hopes, and young defires, farewel!
Attend, ye fmiling train, this gallant mind
Back to his native fhores; there sweetly smooth
His ev'ning pillow; dançe around his groves;
And, where he treads, with vi'lets paint his way.
But leave ELVIRA! leave her, now no more
Your frail companion! in the facred cells
Of føme lone cloifter let me fhroud my fhame :
There, to the matin bell, obfequious, pour
My conflant orifons. The wanton loves,
And gay defires fhall spy the glim'ring tow'rs,
And wing their flight aloof; but reft confirm'd,
That never shall ELVIRA's tongue conclude

Her

Her shortest pray'r, ere HENRY's dear fuccefs
The warmest accent of her zeal employ."

Thus fpoke the weeping fair, whofe artless mind
Impartial fcorn'd to model her efteem

By native customs; drefs, and face, and air,
And manners, lefs; nor yet refolv'd in vain.
He, bound by prior love, the folemn vow
Giv'n and receiv'd, to foft compaffion gave
A tender tear; then with that kind adieu
Efteem could warrant, weary'd heav'n with pray're
To shield that tender breaft he left forlorn.
He ceas'd, and to the cloifter's penfive fcene
ELVIRA fhap'd her solitary way.

LILIZI

The SCHOOL-MISTRESS.

In Imitation of SPENSER.

Auditæ voces, vagitus & ingens, Infantumque animæ flentes in limine primo. VIRG.

ADVERTISEMENT.

What particulars in Spenfer were imagined moft proper for the author's imitation on this occafion, are his language, his fimplicity, his manner of defcription, and a peculiar tenderness of fentiment remarkable throughout his works.

AH me! full forely is my heart forlorn,
how

To think how modeft worth neglected lies;
While partial fame doth with her blasts adorn
Such deeds alone, as pride and pomp disguise;
Deeds of ill fort, and mifchievous emprize:
Lend me thy clarion, goddefs! let me try
To found the praife of merit, ere it dies ;
Such as I oft have chaunced to espy,
Loft in the dreary fhades of dull obfcurity.

1

In ev'ry village mark'd with little spire,

Embow'r'd in trees, and hardly known to fame,
There dwells, in lowly shed, and mean attire,
A matron old, whom we school-mistress name;
Who boafts unruly brats with birch to tame;
They grieven fore, in piteous durance pent,
Aw'd by the pow'r of this relentless dame;
And oft-times, on vagaries idly bent,

For unkempt hair, or task unconn'd, are forely fhent,

And all in fight doth rife a birchen tree,
Which learning near her little dome did ftowe;
Whilom a twig of small regard to fee,
Tho' now fo wide its waving branches flow;
And work the fimple vaffals mickle woe;
For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew,
But their limbs fhudder'd, and their pulse beat low;
And, as they look'd, they found their horror grew,
And fhap'd it into rods, and tingled at the view.

So have I feen (who has not, may conceive,)
A lifeless phantom near a garden plac'd;
So doth it wanton birds of peace bereave,
Of fport, of fong, of pleasure, of repast;
They ftart, they ftare, they wheel, they look aghaft;
Sad fervitude! fuch comfortless annoy

May no bold Briton's riper age e'er taste!
Ne fuperftition clog his dance of joy,

Ne vifion empty, vain, his native blifs deftroy.

VOL. I.

X

Near

Near to this dome is found a patch fo green,
'On which the tribe their gambols do difplay;
And at the door impris'ning board is seen,
Left weakly wights of fmaller fize should ftray;
Eager, perdie, to bask in funny day!

The noifes intermix'd, which thence refound,
Do learning's little tenement betray:

Where fits the dame, difguis'd in look profound, And eyes her fairy throng, and turns her wheel around,

Her cap, far whiter than the driven fnow, Emblem right meet of decency does yield : Her apron dy'd in grain, as blue, I trowe, As is the hare-bell that adorns the field: And in her hand, for fcepter, fhe does wield Tway birchen fprays; with anxious fear entwin'd, With dark diftruft, and fad repentance fill'd; And fledfaft hate, and fharp affliction join'd, And fury uncontroul'd, and chaftifement unkind.

Few but have ken'd, in femblance meet pourtray'd,
The childish faces of old Eol's train;
LIBS, NOTUS, AUSTER: thefe in frowns array'd,
How then would fare or earth, or sky, or main,
Were the stern god to give his flaves the rein?
And were not the rebellious breafts to quell,
And were not the her ftatutes to maintain,

The cot no more, I ween, were deem'd the cell, Where comely peace of mind, and decent order dwell.

A ruffet