As o'er the corfe he ftrews the humbling duft,
The fterneft heart will raife compaffion's figh;
Ev'n then no longer to his child unjuft,

The tears may trickle from a FATHER's eye.

THE

THE

DESERTER.

By others bleft with genius' rays

Let noble acts be told,

While I, content with humbler praise,
A fimple tale unfold:

The SPANIARD left the hostile plain,

To feek his native land,

Beneath the fails that swept the main,
CABEYSA join'd the band :

Who, as he met his country's foes,
Within the field of Fame,

Above his rank obfcure arofe

And grac'd his humble name :

Yet

Yet not the early wreath of Fame,
With haughtiness was twin'd.
Nor pride nor ficklenefs could claim
The empire of his mind:

The lowly hut, beneath whofe roof
He figh'd a fad adieu,

Receiv'd him (time and distance-proof)
To love and LAURA true :

This hamlet-fair, by Fortune fcorn'd,"
Seem'd Nature's fav'rite child,

With hand profufe by her adorn'd
-The flowret of the wild!

Her neat but homely garment press'd
The pure, the feeling heart,
Oft fought in vain behind the vest

Of decorated art:

"If fharing all thy cares (fhe faïd) "Has paled my beauty's rose,

"Ah know! for thee the heart that bled,

With all its paffion glows:

"Bleft

"Bleft moment to my wish that gives "The long long abfent youth!

"He lives-th' endearing CABEYSA lives, "And love confirms the truth.

"When thy brave comrades fell around,
"What pow'rs berignant care,
"Secur'd thee from the fatal wound?
"And LAURA from despair?

"Oft in the troubling dream of night "I faw the rushing spear,

"Nor did the morn's awak'ning light

"Difpel the ling'ring fear.

Thy tender fears (the youth replied)

"Ah give them to the air!

"To happiness we're now allied,

"And pleasure be our care:

"Let us pursue the joy begun,

66

"Nor lose by dull delay:

Say, LAURA, fhall to-morrow's fun

"Illume our nuptial day?

With look declin'd she blush'd confent

Referve that takes alarm,

And Love and Joy their influence lent
To raise meek beauty's charm.

The guests, to hail the wedded pair,
Beneath their roof repair'd,
With them the little feast to share
Their fcanty purse prepar'd:

Tho' no delicious wines were pour'd,

Mirth took his deftin'd place,

The hand-maid Neatness spread the board,

And fage Content said grace.

Scarce thro' one hafty week had Love
His grateful bleffings shed,

When blifs (as flies the frighted dove)
Their humble manfion fled :

Twas at BELLON A's voice it flew,

That call'd to war's alarms:

Bad the youth rife to valor true,

And break from LAURA's arms :

But