The founds, though faint, her recollection caught,
Drew her quick eye, and fixt her wond'ring thought,
Loft in this fweet furprife, fhe could not hear
A fingle accent of the am'rous peer.
Spleen faw the moment that the fought to gain,
And perch'd triumphant on the noble's brain.
With jealous envy ftung, and baffled pride,
"Contemptuous girl !" with fudden rage, he cry'd,
If here to happier youths thy views incline,
I want not fairer nymphs who challenge mine.
Thy breaft, in vain, with penitence may burn;
But once neglected, I-no more return.”
Thus loudly speaking, with diftemper'd heat,
Rudely he turn'd, with ranc'rous fcorn replete.
SERENA, ftartled at th' injurious found,
Survey'd th' infulting peer, who fternly frown'd;
Shame and refentment through her bofom rush,
Swell ev'ry vein, and raise the burning blush.
Love, new-born love, but in its birth conceal'd,
Nor to the nymph herself as yet reveal'd,
And just difdain, and anger's honest flame,
With complicated pow'r convulfe her frame;
Contending paffions ev'ry thought confound,
And in tumultuous doubt, her foul is drown'd.
Now treacherous pride, who tempts her tongue to trip,
Forms to a keen reply, her quiv'ring lip:
Infidious Spleen now hovers o'er the fair,
Deems her half lock'd within her hateful fare;
In her new flave, preparing to rejoice,
To taint her spirit, and untune her voice.
Haplefs SERENA! what can fave thee now?
The fiend's dark fignet ftamps thy clouded brow ;.
In thy fwoln eye I fee the starting drop;
This fatal fhow'r, etherial guardian! stop:
Hafte to thy vot'ry, hafte, her foul sustain,
Nor let the trials fhe has paft, be vain.
Ah me! while yet I fpeak, with fhudd'ring dread
I hear the magic girdle's burfting thread.
This horrid omen, ye kind pow'rs! avert :
Nor thou, bright zone thy brighter charge defert
Ah, fruitless pray'r ! her panting breaft behold!!
See the gauze shakes in many a ruffled fold!
Forc'd from their ftation, by her heaving heart,
From the ftrain'd girdle thrice three fpangles ftart:
Through her disorder'd dress a pafs they've found,
And fall'n, fee, they glitter on the ground!
Obleffed chance! with life recalling light:
The glitt'ring monitors attract her fight!
Like stars, emerging from the darken'd pole,
They sparkle fafety to her harrafs❜d foul.
See! from her brow the clouds of trouble fly,,
Vexation's tear is vanish'd from her. eye !
Her rofy cheeks with joy's foft radiance burn,
Like nature smiling at the fun's return;
The nymph, no more with mental darkness blind,!,
Shines the fweet ruler of her refcu'd mind.
Hence, hateful Spleen! thy fancy'd prize resign, ✨,
Renounce forever what shall ne'er be thine;
For, confcious of her airy guardian's aid,
She feels new fpirit through her heart convey'd, 1,
And, inly bleffing this victorious hour,
Her foul exults in its recover'd power.
In fuch mild terms the hails th' infulting peers.
As Spleen, if mortal, muft expire to hear;
But, driv'n forever from the lovely girl,
The foul fiend riots in the captive earl.
He answers not; but, with a fullen air,
On happier EDWIN, who approach'd the fair,
Darts fuch a glance of rage and envious hate,
As Satan caft on Eden's blissful state,
When on our parents first he fixt his fight,
And, undelighted, gaz'd on all delight :
So doom'd to look, and doom'd fuch pangs to feel
Scornful he turn'd on his elastic heel.
"O lovely mildnefs! oh angelic maid! Deferving homage, though to fcorn betray'd; Rife ftill, fweet fpirit, rife thefe wrongs above, Turn from injurious pride, to faithful love ş
Though on my brow no coronet may shine,
Wealth I can offer at thy beauty's fhrine,
And, worthier thee, a heart that worships thine."
Thus, with new-kindled love's afpiring flame,
Spoke the fond youth, conceal'd by Edwin's name,
The gallant FALKLAND, rich in inborn worth,.
By fortune bleft, and not of abject birth.
Warmly he spoke, with that indignant heat,
With which the gen'rous heart ne'er fails to beat,
When worth, infulted, wakens virtuous ire,
And injur'd beauty fets the foul on fire..
Quick to his voice the ftartled virgin turn'd,
With wonder, hope, and joy, her bofom burn'd ;
With fweet confufion, flurry'd and amaz'd,
On his attractive form fhe wildly gaz'd.
Full on her thought the friendly vifions rufh'd;
Blufhing the view'd him,view'd him still, and blufh'd;
And, foft affection quick'ning at the fight,
Perchance had fwoon'd, with fullness of delight,
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