"Yet tears bedew'd his face "What could a feeble old man do? "He burst from my embrace. "O thirst of glory, fatal flame! "O laurels dearly bought! "Yet sweet is death when earn'd with fame"So virtuous EDWY thought. "Full manfully the brave boy strove, 66 Though pressing ranks oppose; "But weak the strongest arm must prove "Against an host of foes. "A deadly wound my son receives, "A spear assails his side; "Grief does not kill for ARDOLPH lives "To tell that EDWY died. "His long-lov'd mother died again "In EDWy's parting groan; "I wept for her, yet wept in vain — "I wept for both in one. "I would have died—I sought to die, "And to my passion-clouded eye 66 My helpless BIRTHA brought. "When lo! array'd in robes of light, "A nymph celestial came, "She clear'd the mists that dimm'd my sight"RELIGION was her name. "She prov'd the chastisement divine, "RELIGION taught me to sustain "And Piety reliev❜d the pain "Which Time can never heal." He ceas'd with sorrow and delight "O ARDOLPH, might I dare aspire "And though I want a worthier plea "To urge so dear a cause; "Yet, let me to thy bosom be "What once thy EDWY was. "My trembling tongue its aid denies ; "O! read the tale of love. "Thy beauteous BIRTHA!"-"Gracious Power! "How could I e'er repine," Cries ARDOLPH, "since I see this hour? "Yes BIRTHA shall be thine." A little transient gleam of red The tender father kindly smil❜d O then to paint the vast delight That fill'd Sir ELDRED's heart, To tell the transports of the Knight, Would mock the Muse's art. But ev'ry kind and gracious soul, The more the Knight his BIRTHA knew, The virgin, too, was fond to charm Unlike the dames of modern days, Who general homage claim; Who court the universal gaze, And pant for public fame. Then beauty but on merit smil'd, Nor were her chaste smiles sold; No venal father gave his child The ardour of young ELDRED's flame The fond impatience of his breast When oft Sir ELDRED press'd the day "It little recks the woes which wait "Nor thinks to-morrow's alter'd fate 66 May all those dreams destroy. say, "And though the flatterer Hope deceives, "So look'd my bride, so sweetly mild, "But whilst she look'd, and whilst she smil❜d, "Yet, O forgive an old man's care, 66 Forgive a father's zeal; "Who fondly loves must greatly fear, "Who fears must greatly feel. 66 Once more in soft and sacred bands "Shall Love and Hymen meet; "To-morrow shall unite your hands, - be your bliss complete!" "And The rising sun inflam'd the sky, The Priest, in milk-white vestments clad, How feeble language were to speak Sir ARDOLPH's pleasure stood confest, 'Twas such a sober sense of joy As Angels well might keep; A joy chastis'd by piety, A joy prepar'd to weep. |