"Once more in foft and facred bands The rifing fun inflam'd the fky, The Prieft, in milk-white veftments clad, How feeble language were to fpeak That fir'd Sir ELDRED's ardent cheek, Sir ARDOLPH's pleasure stood confest, The guarded rapture of a breaft Which many a grief had known. Long the remain'd-th' enamour'd Knight, Impatient at her stay, And all unfit to tafte delight When BIRTHА was away. Betakes him to the fecret Bower; O, horror! horror! blafting fight! Wild frenzy fires his frantic hand, He flies to where the lovers ftand, "Die traitor, die, thy guilty flames An aged peafant, EDwy's guide, O how the father's feelings melt! "Let me behold my darling's face, O fad reverfe!-funk on the ground Cold, fpeechlefs, fenfelefs ELDRED near The father faw-fo Jepthah ftoad, He look'd the woe he could not speak, Then BIRTHA faintly rais'd her eye, The cold, cold dews of haftening death Upon her pale face ftand; And quick and fhort her failing breath, And tremulous her hand. The cold, cold dews of haftening death, The quivering hand, the fort quick breath He faw her fpirit mount in air, His heart its anguifh could not bear, The mournful Mufe forbears to tell How wretched ELDRED died: She draws the Grecian The vaft diftrefs to hide. Painter's veil, Yet Heaven's decrees are just and wise, And man is born to bear, Joy is the portion of the skies, * In the celebrated Picture of the Sacrifice of Iphi genia, Timanthes having exhaufted every image of grief in the by-ftanders, threw a veil over the face of the father, whofe forrow he was utterly unable to exprefs. PLIN. Book xxxv. THE END. |