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The glift'ning eye, the half-feen breast of fnow,
The coral lip, the bright vermilion bloom,
Awaits alike th' inexorable foe;

The paths of pleasure lead but to the tomb.

Perhaps, in this drear manfion are confin'd,
Some bofom form'd to love, unfpoil'd by art;
Charms that might soften the feverest mind,
And wake to extacy the coldest heart.

But pleasure flies them, a forbidden guest,
Around whose brow a vernal garland blooms:
The clay-cold hand of penance chills their breast,
And in reflection's urn their mirth intombs.

Full many a riv❜let wand'ring to the main,
Sequefter'd pours its folitary ftream:
Full many a lamp devoted to the fane,
Sheds unregarded its nocturnal beam.

Some veil'd ELIZA (like the clouded fun)
May here refide inglorious and unknown :
Some like AUGUSTA might have rear'd a fon,

To bless a nation, and adorn a throne.

From

From Flatt'ry's lip to drink the fweets of praise,
In confcious charms with rivals ftill to vie ;
In circles to attract the partial gaze,

And view their beauty in th' admirer's eye,

Their lot forbids: nor does alone remove,

The thirst of praise, but ev'n their crimes restrain :
Forbids thro' folly's labyrinth to rove,

And yield to vanity the flowing rein:

To rear 'mid HYMEN's joys domestic strife,
Or feek that converfe which they ought to fhun;
To loose the facred ties of nuptial life,
And give to many what they vow'd to one.

What tho' they're fprinkled with etherial dew!
With blooming wreaths by hands of feraphs crown'd!
Tho' heav'n's unfading fplendors burst to view,
And harps celestial to their ear resound

Still grateful mem'ry paints the distant friend,
Not ev'n the world to their remembrance dies
Their midnight orifons to heav'n afcend,

To ftay the bolt defcending from the skies.

For

For who entrane'd in visions from above,
The thought of kindred razes from the mind?
Feels in the foul no warm returning love,
For fome endear'd companion left behind?

Their joy encircled hearth as they forfook,
From fome fond breast reluctant they withdrew :
As from the deck they sent a farewell look,
Fair Albion funk for ever to their view.

For thee who mindful of th' encloister'd train,
Doft in these lines their mournful tale relate,
If by compaffion guided to this fane,

Some kindred spirit fhall enquire thy fate:

Haply fome matron-veftal may reply,

• Oft have we heard him, when light's ling'ring ray, 'Scarce mark'd its paffage thro' the dark'ning sky, At yonder altar join the vesper-lay.

Where hapless Adaleida fought repose, "Oft at yon grave wou'd he her fate condole < And in his breast as scenes of grief arose,

He faw afcending-flow her spotlefs foul.

• Peace

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Peace to my EDWARD's heart the vifion faid,

Ab not unfeen thou shed'ft that grateful tear,

I wait at night to catch thy wonted tread,
And thank thy faithful love that forrows here.

'One eve I mifs'd him at the hour divine,

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Along that ayle and in the facrifty:

Another came, nor yet beside the shrine, • Nor at the font, nor in the porch was he.

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The next we heard the bell of death intone,

And in the filent grave we saw him laid,

Approach and read on this fepulchral stone,

'The lines engrav'd to foothe his hov'ring shade:

EPITAPH.

EPITAPH.

By Fate's rude hand untimely fnatch'd away, A youth unknown to fame these vaults infold, He gave to Solitude the penfive day,

And Pity fram'd his bofom of her mould.

FINI S.

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