"With virtuous transport, that the task is thine "To solve my chains, and to my weeping friends, “ And ev'ry longing relative, restore 125 “A soft-ey'd maid, a mild offenceless prey! "But know, my Soldier! never, youthful mind, "Torn from the lavish joys of wild expense "By him he loath'd, and in a dungeon bound 129 "To languish out his bloom, could match the pains “This ill-starr'd freedom gives my tortur'd mind. "What call I freedom? is it that these limbs, "From rigid bolts secure, inay wander far "From him I love? Alas! ere I may boast "That sacred blessing, some superior pow'r 135 “To mortal kings, to sublunary thrones, "Must loose my passion, must unchain my soul: "Ev'n that I loathe: all liberty I loathe! "But most the joyless privilege to gaze "With cold indifference where desert is love. 140 "True, I was born an alien to those eyes "I ask alone to please; my fortune's crime! "And, ah! this flatter'd form, by dress endear'd "To Spanish eyes, by dress may thine offend, "Whilst I, ill-fated maid! ordain'd to strive 145 "With custom's load beneath its weight expire. "Yet Henry's beauties knew in foreign garb "To vanquish me; his formn, howe'er disguis'd, "To me were fatal! no fantastic robe "That e'er Caprice invented, Custom wore, 150 "Or Folly smil'd on, could eclipse thy charms. "Perhaps by birth decreed, by Fortune plac'd "Thy country's foe, Elvira's warmest plea "Seems, but the subtler accent fraud inspires; "My tend'rest glances but the specious flow'rs, 155 “ That shade the viper while she plots her wound. "And can the trembling candidate of love "Awake thy fears? and can a female breast, "By ties of grateful duty bound ensnare ? "Is there no brighter mien, no softer smile "For Love to wear, to dark Deceit unknown? "Heav'n search my soul! and if thro' all its cells "Lurk the pernicious drop of pois'nous guile, "Full on my fenceless head its phial'd wrath "May Fate exhaust, and for my happiest hour 165 "Exalt the vengeance I prepare for thee! 160 170 "Ah me! nor Henry's nor his country's foe, "On thee I gaz'd, and Reason soon dispell'd "Dim Error's gloom, and to thy favour'd isle "Assign'd its total merit, unrestrain'd. "Oh! lovely region to the candid eye! "'Twas there my fancy saw the Virtues dwell, "The Loves, the Graces, play, and bless'd the soil "That nurtur'd thee! for sure the Virtues form'd "Thy gen'rous breast, the Loves, theGraces, plann'd "Thy shapely limbs. Relation, birth, essay'd 176 "Their partial pow'r in vain; again I gaz'd, "And Albion's isle appear'd, amidst a track "Of savage wastes, the darling of the skies! "And thou by Nature form'd, by Fate assign'd, "To paint the genius of thy native shore. 181 "'Tis true, with flow'rs, with many a dazzling scene "Of burnish'd plants, to lure a female eye, "Iberia glows; but ah! the genial sun "That gilds the lemon's fruit, or scents the flow'r, "On Spanish minds, a nation's nobler boast! 186 "Beams forth ungentle influences. There "Sits Jealousy enthron'd, and at each ray "Exultant lights his slow consuming fires. "Not such thy charming region; long before 190 "My sweet experience taught me to decide "Of English worth, the sound had pleas'd mine "Is there that savage coast, that rude sojourn, [ear. "Stranger to British worth? the worth which forms "The kindest friends; the most tremendous foes; "First, best supports of liberty and love! 196 No, let subjected India, while she throws "O'er Spanish deeeds the veil, your praise resound. Long as I heard, or ere in story read 200 "Of English fame, my biass'd partial breast "Wish'd them success: and happiest she, I cry'd, "Of women happiest she, who shares the love, "The fame, the virtues, of an English lord. "And now, what shall I say? Bless'd be the hour "Your fair-built vessels touch'd th' Iberian shores: "Bless'd, did I say, the time? if I may bless 206 "That lov'd event, let Henry's smiles declare. "Our hearts and cities won, will Henry's youth "Forego its nobler conquest? will he slight "The soft endearments of the lovelier spoil? 210 "And yet Iberia's sons, with ev'ry vow "Of lasting faith, have sworn these humble charms "Were not excell'd; the source of all their pains, "And love her just desert, who sues for love, "But sues to thee, while natives sigh in vain. 215 "Perhaps in Henry's eye (for vulgar minds "Dissent from his) it spreads an hateful stain "On honest Fame amid his train to bear "A female friend. Then learn, my gentle youth! "Not Love himself, with all the pointed pains 220 "That store his quiver, shall seduce my soul, "From honour's laws. Elvira once deny'd "A consort's name, more swift than lightning flies "When elements discordant vex the sky, 229 "Shall, blushing, from the form she loves retire. "Yet if the specious wish the vulgar voice 226 "Has titled Prudence, sways a soul like thine, "In gems or gold what proud Iberian dame "Eclipses me? Nor paint the dreary storms "Or hair-breadth 'scapes that haunt the boundless "And force from tender eyes the silent tear; [deep, "When Mem'ry to the pensive maid suggests "In full.contrast the safe domestic scene "For these resign'd. Beyond the frantic rage Volume II. P "Of conqu❜ring heroes brave, the female mind, 235 250 She ceas'd, and ere his words her fate decreed, Impatient, watch'd the language of his eye : 240 There Pity dwelt, and from its tender sphere Sent looks of love, and faithless hopes inspir'd. "Forgive me,gen'rous maid!" the youth return'd, "If by thy accents charm'd, thus long I bore "To let such sweetness plead, alas! in vain! 245 "Thy virtue merits more than crowns can yield "Of solid bliss, or happiest love bestow : "But ere from native shores I plough'd the main, "To one dear maid, by virtue and by charms "Alone endear'd, my plighted vows I gave, "To guard my faith, whatever chance should wait "My warring sword: if conquest, fame, and spoil, "Grac'd my return, before her feet to pour "The glitt'ring treasure, and the laurel wreath, Enjoying conquest then, and fame and spoil: 255 If Fortune frown'd adverse, and Death forbade The blissful union, with my latest breath "To dwell on Medway's and Maria's name. This ardent vow deep-rooted, from my soul "No dangers tore; this vow my bosom fir'd 260 "To conquer danger, and the spoil enjoy. "Her shall I leave, with fair events elate, 1 |