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CLXXXVIII.

Here ends this' canto. Need I sing, or say,
How Juan, naked, favour'd by the night,
Who favours what she should not, found his way,
And reach'd his home in an unseemly plight?

The pleasant scandal which arose next day,

The nine days' wonder which was brought to

If you would like to see the whole proceedings,
The depositions, and the cause at full,

The names of all the witnesses, the pleadings
Of counsel to nonsuit, or to annul,

There's more than one edition, and the readings
Are various, but they none of them are dull,
The best is that in shorthand ta'en by Gurney,
Who to Madrid on purpose made a journey.

CXC.

But Donna Inez, to divert the train

Of one of the most circulating scandals That had for centuries been known in Spain,

At least since the retirement of the Vandals, First vow'd (and never had she vow'd in vain) To Virgin Mary several pounds of candles; And then, by the advice of some old ladies, She sent her son to be shipp'd off from Cadiz.

CXCI.

She had resolved that he should travel through
All European climes, by land or sea,
To mend his former morals, and get new,
Especially in France and Italy,

(At least this is the thing most people do.)

Julia was sent into a convent; she

Grieved, but, perhaps, her feelings may be better

Shown in the following copy of her letter:

CXCII.

"They tell me 'tis decided; you depart:

'Tis wise

'tis well, but not the less a pain; ,,I have no further claim on your young heart,

,,Mine is the victim, and would be again; ,,To love too much has been the only art ,,I used; I write in haste, and if a stain ,,Be on this sheet, 'tis not what it appears, ,,My eyeballs burn and throb, but have no tears.

CXCIII.

,,I loved, I love you, for this love have lost

,,State, station, heaven, mankind's, my own

esteem,

,,And yet can not regret what it hath cost,
,,So dear is still the memory of that dream;
,,Yet, if I name my guilt, 'tis not to boast,

,,None can deem harshlier of me than I deem: ,,I trace this scrawl because I cannot rest ,,I've nothing to reproach, or to request.

CXCIV.

,,Man's love is of man's life a thing apart,

,,'Tis woman's whole existence; man may range ,,The court, camp, church, the vessel, and the mart, „Sword, gown, gain, glory, offer in exchange ,Pride, fame, ambition, to fill up his heart,

,,And few there are whom these can not estrange; ,,Men have all these resources, we but one,

„To love again, and be again undone.

CXCV.

5 You will proceed in pleasure, and in pride, ,,Beloved and loving many; all is o'er

,,For me on earth; except some years to hide ,,My shame and sorrow deep in my heart's core;

These I could bear, but cannot cast aside

,,The passion which still rages as before, ,,And so farewell-forgive me, love me→→ No, ,,That word is idle now- but let it go.

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CXCVI.

,,My breast has been all weakness, is so yet;
„But still I think I can collect my mind;
,,My blood still rushes where my spirit's set,
,,As roll the waves before the settled wind;
,,My heart is feminine, nor can forget

„To all, except one image, madly blind;

,,So shakes the needle, and so stands the pole, ,,As vibrates my fond heart to my fix'd soul.

CXCVII.

,,I have no more to say, but linger still,
,,And dare not set my seal upon this sheet,
,,And yet I may as well the task fulfil,

,,My misery can scarce be more complete: ,,1 had not lived till now, could sorrow kill; ,,Death shuns the wretch who fain the blow

would meet,

,,And I must even survive this last adieu,

And bear with life, to love and pray for you!“