By noon-tide's heat it's youth was wafted, ends o
The waters as they pass'd, complain'd;

At eve it's glories all were blafted,c

• And not one former tint remain'd.

• Lead you from wifdom's path aftrayed. • What genius lives renown'd in story,, sodass den? To happiness who found the way

In yonder mead, behold that vapour, • Whofe vivid beams illufive play :: Far off, it feems a friendly taper,

To guide the traveller on his way ...

But fhould fome hapless wretch pursuing,
• Tread where the treach'rous meteors glow.
He'd find, too late his rafhnefs rueing,
• That fatal quickfands lurk below.

In life, fuch bubbles nought admiring,
Gilt with falfe light, and fill'd with air, -i

Do you, from pageant crowds retiring,

To peace, in virtue's cot, repair:

There feek the never-wafted treasure,
• Which mutual love and friendship give;
Domestick comfort, spotlefs pleasure!

And blefs'd, and bleffing, you will live."

*

• If

• If Heav'n with children crowns your dwelling,
• As mine it's bounty does with you;
• In fondness fatherly excelling,

Th' example you have felt, purfue."

IA

He paus'd-for, tenderly careffing
The darling of his wounded heart,
Looks had means only of expreffing
Thoughts language never could impart.

Now night her mournful mantle spreading,
Had rob'd with black th' horizon round,
And dank dews from her treffes fhedding,
With genial moisture bath'd the ground:

When back to city follies flying,

'Midft cuftom's flaves he liv'd refign'd; His face, array'd in fmiles, denying The true complexion of his mind :

For feriously around furveying

Each character in youth and age,
Of fools betray'd, and knaves betraying,
That play'd upon this human ftage;

(Peaceful himself, and undefigning)
He loath'd the scenes of guile and strife,
And felt each fecret with inclining

To leave this fretful farce of life.

Yet, to whate'er above was fated,
Obediently he bow'd his foul;

For, what All-bounteous Heav'n created,
He thought Heav'n only should controul.

ELEGY;

DESCRIBING THE SORROW OF AN INGENUOUS MIND, ON THE MELANCHOLY EVENT OF A LICENTIOUS AMOUR.

W

BY W. SHEN STONE, ESQ

HY mourns my

friend? why weeps his downcaft eye?

That eye where mirth, where fancy us'd to fhine!

Thy chearful meads reprove that fwelling figh;
Spring ne'er enamell'd fairer meads than thine.

Art thou not lodg'd in Fortune's warm embrace?
Wert thou not form'd by Nature's partial care?
Blefs'd in thy fong, and bless'd in every grace

That wins the friend, or that enchants the fair?

• Damon,' faid he, thy partial praise restrain; • Not Damon's friendship can my peace reftore; Alas! his very praise awakes my pain,

<

And my poor wounded bofom bleeds the more.

For, oh! that Nature on my birth had frown'd!

• Or Fortune fix'd me to fome lowly cell!

• Then had my bofom 'scap'd this fatal wound, Nor had I bid these vernal fweets farewel.

But led by Fortune's hand, her darling child,'

My youth her vain licentious blifs admir'd;"

In Fortune's train the Syren Flattery fmil'd,
And rafhly hallow'd all her queen infpir'd.

⚫ Of folly ftudious, e'en of vices vain,

Ah, vices! gilded by the rich and gay!
I chas'd the guilelefs daughters of the plain;
Nor dropp'd the chafe, till Jeffy was my prey.

• Poor2

• Poor, artless maid! to ftain thy fpotlefs name, • Expence, and art, and toil, united strove; To lure a breaft that felt the purest flame,

Suftain'd by virtue, but betray'd by love.

• School'd in the science of love's mazy wiles,
• I cloath'd each feature with affected fcorn;
I fpoke of jealous doubts, and fickle smiles,
And, feigning, left her anxious and forlorn.

Then, while the fancy'd rage alarm'd her care, • Warm to deny, and zealous to difprove; • I bade my words the wonted foftness wear, • And feiz'd the minute of returning love.

To thee, my Damon, dare I paint the rest?
Will, yet, thy love a candid ear incline?
Affur'd, that virtue, by misfortune prefs'd,

Feels not the sharpness of a pang like mine.

• Nine envious moons matur'd her growing shame;
• Ere while to flaunt it in the face of day;
• When, fcorn'd by virtue, ftigmatiz'd by fame,
• Low at my feet defponding Jeffy lay.

"Henry," she said, "by thy dear form fubdu'd,
"See the fad relicks of a nymph undone !

"I find, I find each rifing fob renew'd;
"I figh in fhades, and ficken at the fun.

"Amid the dreary gloom of night, I cry,

"When will the morn's once pleasing scenes return?

"Yet what can morn's returning ray fupply,

"But foes that triumph-or, but friends that mourn!

"Alas!

"Alas!, no more the joyous morn appears, !!

"That led the tranquil hours of fpotlefs fame;

"For I have steep'd a father's couch in tears, la mať "And ting'd a mother's glowing cheek with fhame.

"The vocal birds that raife their matin ftrain,
"The fportive lambs increase my penfive moan
"All seem to chafe me from the chearful plain,
"And talk of truth and innocence alone.

"If thro' the garden's flow'ry tribes I ftray,

"Where bloom the jasmines that could once allure
Hope not to find delight in us," they say,
"For we are spotlefs, Jeffy; we are pure."

"Ye flowers! that well reproach a nymph fo frail,
Say, could ye with my virgin fame compare?
"The brighteft bud that fcents the vernal gale,
"Was not fo fragrant, and was not so fair.

"Now the grave old alarm the gentler young;
"And all my fame's abhorr'd contagion flee; :
"Trembles each lip, and faulters every tongue,
"That bids the morn propitious smile on me.

"Thus, for your fake, I fhun each human eye; "I bid the sweets of blooming youth adieu : "To die I languish, but I dread to die,

"Left my fad fate fhould nourish pangs for you.

"Raise me from earth, the pangs of want remove, "And let me filent feek fome friendly fhore; "There only, banish'd from the form I love,

66

My weeping virtue fhall relapse no more.

"Be