Story of Celadon and Amelia.

"Of noon, flies harmless: and that very voice, 1210 "Which thunders terror through the guilty heart, "With tongues of seraphs whispers peace to thine. " "Tis safety to be near thee sure, and thus "To clasp perfection!" From his void embrace, Mysterious Heaven! that moment, to the ground, A blackened corse, was struck the beauteous maid. But who can paint the lover, as he stood, Pierc'd by severe amazement, hating life,

Speechless, and fix'd in all the death of woe!

So, faint resemblance! on the marble tomb, 1220

The well-dissembled mourner stooping stands,

For ever silent, and for ever sad.

As from the face of heaven the shattered clouds

Tumultuous rove, th' interminable sky

Sublimer swells, and o'er the world expands
A purer azure. Through the lightened air

A higher lustre and a clearer calm,

Diffusive, tremble; while, as if in sign

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Of danger past, a glittering robe of joy,

Set off abundant by the yellow ray,

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Invests the fields; and Nature smiles reviv'd.

"Tis beauty all, and grateful song around,

Bathing.

Join'd to the low of kine, and numerous bleat

Of flocks thick-nibbling through the clover'd vale.
And shall the hymn be marr'd by thankless Man, 1235
Most favour'd; who with voice articulate

Should lead the chorus of this lower world?

Shall he, so soon forgetful of the Hand
That hush'd the thunder, and serenes the sky,

Extinguish'd feel that spark the tempest wak'd? 1240
That sense of powers exceeding far his own,
Ere yet his feeble heart has lost its fears?

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Cheer'd by the milder beam, the sprightly youth
Speeds to the well-known pool, whose crystal depth
A sandy bottom shows. Awhile he stands
Gazing th' inverted landskip, half afraid
To meditate the blue profound below;

Then plunges headlong down the circling flood.
His ebon tresses, and his rosy cheek,

Instant emerge; and through the obedient wave, 1250
At each short breathing by his lip repell'd,

With arms and legs according well, he makes,

As humour leads, an easy-winding path;

While, from his polish'd sides, a dewy light

Effuses on the pleas'd spectators round.

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Story of Damon and Musidora.

This is the purest exercise of health,

The kind refresher of the summer-heats;

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Nor, when cold WINTER keens the brightening flood,
Would I weak-shivering linger on the brink.
Thus life redoubles, and is oft preserv'd,
By the bold swimmer, in the swift illapse
Of accident disastrous. Hence the limbs
Knit into force; and the same Roman arm,
That rose victorious o'er the conquer'd earth,

First learn'd, while tender, to subdue the wave. 1265
Even, from the body's purity, the mind
Receives a secret sympathetic aid.

Close in the covert of an hazel copse,

Where winded into pleasing solitudes,

Runs out the rambling dale, young DAMON sat, 1270 Pensive, and pierc'd with love's delightful pangs.

There to the stream that down the distant rocks Hoarse-murmuring fell, and plaintive breeze that play'd Among the bending willows, falsely he

Of MUSIDORA's cruelty complain'd.

She felt his flame; but deep within her breast,.........

In bashful coyness, or in maiden pride,

The soft return conceal'd; save when it stole

1275

Story of Damon and Musidora.

In side-long glances from her downcast eye,
Or from her swelling soul in stifled sighs.
Touch'd by the scene, no stranger to his vows,
He fram'd a melting lay, to try her heart;
And, if an infant passion struggled there,
To call that passion forth. Thrice happy swain !

A lucky chance, that oft decides the fate
Of mighty monarchs, then decided thine.
For lo! conducted by the laughing Loves,
This cool retreat his MUSIDORA sought.
Warm in her cheek the sultry season glow'd;
And, rob'd in loose array, she came to bathe
Her fervent limbs in the refreshing stream.
What shall he do? In sweet confusion lost,
And dubious flutterings, he a while remain'd:
A pure ingenuous elegance of soul,
A delicate refinement, known to few,

Perplex'd his breast, and urg'd him to retire :
But love forbade. Ye prudes in virtue, say,
Say, ye severest, what would you have done?
Meantime, this fairer nymph than ever blest

Arcadian stream, with timid eye around

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The banks surveying, stripp'd her beauteous limbs,

Story of Damon and Musidora.

To taste the lucid coolness of the flood.

Ah then! not Paris on the piny top

Of Ida panted stronger, when aside

The rival-goddesses the veil divine

Cast unconfin'd, and gave him all their charms,
Than, DAMON, thou; as from the snowy leg,
And slender foot, th' inverted silk she drew;

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As the soft touch dissolv'd the virgin zone;
And, through the parting robe, th' alternate breast,
With youth wild-throbbing, on thy lawless gaze
In full luxuriance rose. But, desperate youth,
How durst thou risque the soul-distracting view,
As from her naked limbs, of glowing white,
Harmonious swell'd by Nature's finest hand,
In folds loose-floating fell the fainter lawn ;
And fair-expos'd she stood, shrunk from herself,
With fancy blushing, at the doubtful breeze
Alarm'd, and starting like the fearful fawn?

1315

Then to the flood she rush'd; the parted flood 1320

Its lovely guest with closing waves receiv'd;
And every beauty softening, every grace

Flushing anew, a mellow lustre shed:

As shines the lily through the crystal mild;