By folitude and deep furrounding shades, 185 190 The modeft virtues mingled in her eyes, Still on the ground dejected, darting all 195 Their humid beams into the blooming flowers: A myrtle rifes, far from human eye, And breathes its balmy fragrance o'er the wild; So flourish'd blooming, and unseen by all, VOL. I. 200 205 210 The The sweet Lavinia; til, at length, compel'd 215 220 225 230 Should his heart own a gleaner in the field: 235 And thus in fecret to his foul he figh❜d. "What pity! that fo delicate a form, "By beauty kindled, where enlivening fenfe "And more than vulgar goodness seem to dwell, "Should be devoted to the rude embrace 240 "Of fome indecent clown! She looks, methinks, "Of old Acafto's line; and to my mind "Recalls that patron of my happy life, "From "From whom my liberal fortune took its rise; "Now to the duft gone down; his houses, lands, 245 "And once fair-spreading family, dissolv'd. "Tis faid that in fome lone obfcure retreat, 250 "Urg'd by remembrance fad, and decent pride, "Far from those scenes which knew their better days, "His aged widow and his daughter live, "Whom yet my fruitlefs fearch could never find. "Romantic wifh! would this the daughter were !" When, ftrict enquiring, from herself he found She was the fame, the daughter of his friend, Of bountiful Acafto; who can speak The mingled paffions that furpriz'd his heart, And through his nerves in shivering transport ran ? 255 260 "And art thou then Acafto's dear remains? 265 "She, whom my restless gratitude has fought "So long in vain? O, heavens! the very fame, "The foften'd image of my noble friend, "Alive his every look, his every feature, "More elegantly touch'd. Sweeter than Spring! 270 "Thou fole furviving bloffom from the root "That nourish'd up my fortune! Say, ah where, "In what fequefter'd defert, haft thou drawn "The kindest aspect of delighted Heaven?' "Into fuch beauty spread, and blown so fair; 275 280 "Transplant thee safe! where vernal funs, and showers, "Diffuse their warmeft, largest influence; "And of my garden be the pride, and joy! "Ill it befits thee, oh, it ill befits "Acafto's daughter, his whofe open stores, 285 "The very refuse of those harvest-fields, "Which from his bounteous friendship I enjoy. "Then throw that shameful pittance from thy hand, "But ill apply'd to fuch a rugged task; "The fields, the mafter, all, my fair, are thine; 290 "If to the various bleffings which thy house "Has on me lavish'd, thou wilt add that blifs, "That dearest blifs, the power of bleffing thee!" Here ceas'd the youth, yet ftill his speaking eye Exprefs'd the facred triumph of his foul, With confcious virtue, gratitude, and love, Above the vulgar joy divinely rais'd. Nor waited he reply. Won by the charm Of goodness irresistible, and all 295 In fweet diforder loft, the blush'd confent. 300 While, pierc'd with anxious thought, fhe pin'd away The lonely moments for Lavinia's fate; Amaz'd, Amaz'd, and scarce believing what she heard, 310 Their trembling tops; and a ftill murmur runs 315 But as th' aerial tempeft fuller fwells, 320 325 Shook waste. And fometimes too a burst of rain, 330 Swept from the black horizon, broad, defcends In one continuous flood. Still over head The mingling tempest weaves its gloom, and still |