From every branch the balmy flow'rets rife, Cold with perpetual fnows: The tender blighted plant fhrinks up his leaves, and dies. XIV. Arife O Petrarch, from th' Elyfian bow'rs, Was fpread the fame of thy difaftrous love; Rough mountain oaks, and defart rocks, to pity move. XV. What were, The joys of wedded love were never thine, In thy domeftic care She never bore a share, Would heal thy wounded heart Of every fecret grief that fester'd there : Of fickness watch thee, and thy languid head. Nor did the crown your mutual flame With pledges dear, and with a father's tender name. XVI. O belt of wives! O dearer far to me Were yielded to my arms, How can my foul endure the lofs of thee? Without my fweet companion can I live? The dear reward of every virtuous toil, XVII. For my diftracted mind What fuccour can I find? On whom for confolation fhall I call? Support me every friend, Your kind affiftance lend To bear the weight of this oppreffive woe. My dear departed love, fo much was thine, In every other grief, Are now with your idea fadden'd all : My tortur'd mem'ry wounds, and fpeaks of Lucy dead. XVIII. We were the happieft pair of human kind! Harmonious Concord did our wishes bind; That all this pleasing fabric Love had rais'd ́ On which ev'n wanton Vice with envy gaz'd, Yet O my foul, thy rifing murmurs ftay, That all thy full-blown joys at once should fade Was his moft righteous will, and be that will obey'd. XIX. Would thy fond love his grace to her controul, Her pure, exalted four That heav'nly radiance of eternal light, Ev'n love itself if rifing by degrees Beyond the bounds of this imperfect state, Whofe fleeting joys fo foon muft end, It does not too its fov'reign Good afcend. Rife then, my foul, with hope elate, And feek thofe regions of ferene delight, Whofe peaceful path and ever open gate Nor feet but those of harden'd guilt fhall mifs. There death himself thy Lucy shall restore, There yield up all his pow'r ne'er to divide us more. VERSES Making PART of an EPITAPH or the fame LAD Y. M By the Same. ADE to engage all hearts, and charm all eyes; Tho' meek, magnanimous, tho' witty, wife; Polite, as all her life in courts had been ; Yet good, as fhe the world had never feen; The noble of an exalted mind, With gentle fen, le tenderness combin❜d. Her Speech was the melodious voice of Love, Her Song the warbling of the vernal Grove; Her Eloquence was fweeter than her Song, Soft as her Heart, and as her Reason ftrong; Her Form each beauty of her mind exprefs'd, Her Mind was Virtue by the Graces drefs'd. |