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which thunders terror through the guilty heart, with tongues of seraphs whispers peace to thine: 't is safety to be near thee sure, and thus

to clasp perfection!" From his void embrace mysterious Heaven! that moment, to the ground, a blacken'd corse, was struck the beauteous maid. But who can paint the lover, as he stood, pierc'd by severe amazement, hating life, speechless, and fix'd in all the death of woe! so, faint resemblance! on the marble tomb, the well-dissembled mourner stooping stands, for ever silent and for ever sad.

BATHING.

Cheer'd by the milder beam, the sprightly youth speeds to the well-known pool, whose crystal depth a sandy bottom shews. Awhile he stands gazing th' inverted landscape, half afraid to meditate the blue profound below; then plunges headlong down the circling flood. His ebon tresses, and his rosy cheek,

instant emerge: and through the obedient wave, at each short breathing by his lips repell'd, with arms and legs according well, he makes, as humour leads, an easy-winding path; while, from his polish'd sides, a dewy light effuses on the pleas'd spectators round.

This is the purest exercise of health,

the kind refresher of the summer-heats; nor, when cold Winter keens the bright'ning flood would I weak-shivering linger on the brink, Thus life redoubles, and is oft preserv'd, by the bold swimmer, in the swift illapse of accident disastrous. Hence the limbs

knit into force; and the same Roman arm, that rose victorious o'er the conquer'd earth, first learn'd while tender to subdue the wave. Even, from the body's purity, the mind receives a secret sympathetic aid.

DAMON AND MUSIDORA.

Close in the covert of an hazel copse, where winded into pleasing solitudes

runs out the rambling dale, young DAMON sat, pensive, and pierc'd with love's delightful pangs. There to the stream that down the distant rocks boarse-murmuring fell, and plantive breeze that play'd among the bending willows, falsely he

of MUSIDORA's cruelty complain'd.

She felt his flame; but deep within her breast,
in bashful coyness, or in maiden pride,
the soft return conceal'd; save when it stole
in side-long glances from her downcast eye,
or from her swelling soul in stifled sighs.
Touch'd by the scene, no stranger to his vows,
he fram'd a melting lay, to try her heart;
and, if an infant passion struggled there,
to call that passion forth. Thrice happy swain!
a lucky chance, that oft decides the fate
of mighty monarchs, then decided thine.
For lo! conducted by the laughing Loves,
this cool retreat his MUSIDORA sought:
warm in her cheek the sultry season glow'd;
and, rob'd in loose array, she came to bathe
her fervent limbs in the refreshing stream.
What shall he do? In sweet confusion lost,
and pnbious flutt'rings, he awhile remain'd:
a pure ingenuous elegance of soul,

a delicate refinement, known to few, perplex'd his breast, and urg'd him to retire: but love forbade. Ye prudes in virtue, say, say, ye severest, what would you have done? Meantime, this fairer nymph than ever blest arcadian stream, with timid eye around

the banks surveying, stripp'd her beauteous limbs to taste the lucid coolness of the flood. Ah then! not Paris on the piny top of Ida panted stronger, when aside the rival-goddesses the veil divine

cast unconfin'd, and gave him all their charms, than, DAMON, thou; as from the snowy leg, and slender foot, th' inverted silk she drew; as the soft touch dissoly'd the virgin zone; and, through the parting robe, th' alternate breast, with youth wild-throbbing, on thy lawless gaze in full luxuriance rose. But, desperate youth, how durst thou risque the soul-distracting view; as from her naked limbs, of glowing white, harmonious swell'd by nature's finest hand, in folds loose-floating fell the fainter lawn; and fair-expos'd she stood, shrunk from herself, with fancy blushing at the doubtful breeze alarm'd, and starting like the fearful fawn? then to the flood she rush'd; the parted flood it's lovely guest with closing waves receiv'd; and ev'ry beauty softening, ev'ry grace flushing anew a mellow lustre shed:

as shines the lily through the crystal mild; or as the rose amid the morning dew,

fresh from Aurora's hand, more sweetly glows. While thus she wanton'd, now beneath the wave but ill conceal'd; and now with streaming locks,

that half embrac'd her in a humid veil, rising again, the latent DAMON drew

such madd'ning draughts of beauty to the soul,
as for a while o'erwhelm'd his raptur'd thought
with luxury too daring. Check'd, at last,
by love's respectul modesty, he deem'd
the theft profane, if aught profane to love

can e'er be deem'd; and, struggling from the shade, with headlong hurry fled: but first these lines,

trac'd by his ready pencil, on the bank

with trembling hand he threw.

"Bathe on my fair, yet unbeheld save by the sacred eye

of faithful love; I go to guard thy haunt,
to keep from thy recess each vagrant foot,
and each licentious eye." With wild surprise,
as if to marble struck, devoid of sense,
a stupid moment motionless she stood:
so stands the statue that enchants the world,
so bending tries to veil the matchless boast,
the mingled beauties of exulting Greece.
Recovering, swift she flew to find those robes
which blissful Eden knew not; and, array'd
in careless haste, th' alarming paper snatch'd.
But, when her DAMON's well-known hand she saw,
her terrors vanish'd, and a softer train

of mix'd emotions, hard to be describ'd,
her bosom sudden seiz'd: shame void of guilt,
the charming blush of innocence, esteem
and admiration of her lover's flame,

by modesty exalted: even a sense
of self-approving beauty stole across

her busy thought. At length, a tender calm hush'd by degrees the tumult of her soul;

and on the spreading beech, that o'er the stream

incumbent hung, she with the sylvan pen of rural lovers this confession carv'd,

which soon her DAMON kiss'd with weeping joy: "Dear youth! sole judge of what these verses mean, by fortune too much favour'd, but by love, alas! not favour'd less, be still as now discreet: the time may come you need not fly."

EVENING DESCRIBED.

The sun has lost his rage; his downward orb shoots nothing now but animating warmth, and vital lustre; that with various ray, lights up the clouds, those beauteous robes of heaven, incessant roll'd into romantic shapes,

the dream of waking fancy! Broad below cover'd with ripening fruits, and swelling fast into the perfect year, the pregnant earth and all her tribes rejoice. Now the soft hour of walking comes: for him who lonely loves to seek the distant hills, and there converse with Nature; there to harmonize his heart, and in pathetic song to breathe around the harmony to others. Social friends, attun'd to happy unison of soul; to whose exalting eye a fairer world, of which the vulgar never had a glimpse, displays it's charms; whose minds are richly fraught with philosophic stores, superior light;

and in whose breast, enthusiastic, burns virtue, the sons of interest deem romance; now call'd abroad enjoy the falling day: now to the verdant Portico of woods, to Nature's vast Lyceum, forth they walk; by that kind School where no proud master reigns,

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