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His rising cares the Hermit spied,

With answering care oppress'd; "And whence, unhappy youth," he cried, The sorrows of thy breast?

"From better habitations spurn'd,

Reluctant dost thou rove;

Or grieve for friendship unreturn'd,
Or unregarded love?

"Alas! the joys that fortune brings

Are trifling, and decay;

And those who prize the paltry things,
More trifling still than they.

"And what is friendship but a name,
A charm that lulls to sleep;

A shade that follows wealth or fame,
And leaves the wretch to weep?

"And love is still an emptier sound, The modern fair-one's jest,

On earth unseen, or only found

To warm the turtle's nest.

"For shame, fond youth, thy sorrows hush,

And spurn the sex," he said:

But while he spoke, a rising blush

His love-lorn guest betray'd.

Surprised he sees new beauties rise
Swift mantling to the view,

Like colours o'er the morning skies,
As bright, as transient too.

The bashful look, the rising breast,
Alternate spread alarms,

The lovely stranger stands confess'd,
A maid in all her charms.

"And, ah! forgive a stranger rude, A wretch forlorn," she cried, "Whose feet unhallow'd thus intrude, Where heaven and you reside.

"But let a maid thy pity share,

Whom love has taught to stray;

Who seeks for rest, but finds despair
Companion of her way.

"My father lived beside the Tyne,

A wealthy lord was he;

And all his wealth was mark'd as mine,

He had but only me.

"To win me from his tender arms,

Unnumber'd suitors came;

Who praised me for imputed charms, And felt or feign'd a flame.

"Each hour a mercenary crowd

With richest proffers strove: Among the rest young Edwin bow'd, But never talk'd of love.

"In humblest, simplest habit clad,
No wealth nor power had he;
Wisdom and worth were all he had,
But these were all to me.

"The blossom opening to the day,
The dews of heaven refined,
Could naught of purity display
To emulate his mind.

"The dew, the blossoms of the tree,
With charms inconstant shine;
Their charms were his: but, woe to me,
Their constancy was mine.

"For still I tried each fickle art,

Importunate and vain;

And while his passion touch'd my heart,

I triumph'd in his pain:

"Till quite dejected with my scorn,

He left me to my pride;

And sought a solitude forlorn,

In secret, where he died.

"But mine the sorrow, mine the fault,
And well my life shall pay :
I'll seek the solitude he sought,
And stretch me where he lay:

"And there, forlorn, despairing, hid,
I'll lay me down and die :
"Twas so for me that Edwin did,

And so for him will I."

"Forbid it, Heaven!" the Hermit cried, And clasp'd her to his breast:

The wondering fair-one turn'd to chide, "Twas Edwin's self that press'd.

"Turn, Angelina, ever dear,
My charmer, turn to see

Thy own, thy long-lost Edwin here,
Restored to love and thee.

"Thus let me hold thee to my heart,

And every care resign;

And shall we never, never part,
My life-my all that's mine?

"No, never from this hour to part, We'll live and love so true;

The sigh that rends thy constant heart, Shall break thy Edwin's too."

THE THREE WARNINGS.

A TALE.

BY MRS. PIOZZI.

THE tree of deepest root is found
Least willing still to quit the ground!
"Twas therefore said by ancient sages,

That love of life increased with years'
So much, that in our latter stages,
When pains grow sharp, and sickness rages,
The greatest love of life appears.

This great affection to believe,

Which all confess, but few perceive,
If old assertions can't prevail,

Be pleased to hear a modern tale.

When sports went round, and all were gay, On neighbour Dobson's wedding-day, Death call'd aside the jocund groom

With him into another room,

And looking grave, "You must," says he,

"Quit your sweet bride, and come with me." "With you! and quit my Susan's side! With you!" the hapless husband cried; "Young as I am! 'tis monstrous hard! Besides, in truth, I'm not prepared : My thoughts on other matters go, This is my wedding-night, you know."

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