Others are dragg'd into the crowded room They love it, and yet luath it; fear to die, The flavish dread of folitude, that breeds Whom call we gay? That honour has been § 138. Satirical Review of our Trips to France. COWPER. No ow hoift the fail, and let the streamers float With what intent I touch the holy thing). 140. The Petit-Maitre Clergyman. CowPE Whofe hands are pure, whofe doctrine and And, fham'd as we have been, to the very beard § 141. Armine and Elvira, a Legendary Tale. Brav'd and defied, and in our own fea prov'd $139. The Pulpit the Engine of Reformation. PART I. CARTWRIGHT, HERMIT on the banks of Trent, Life's Life's gayer enfigns once he bore- "Fly from the hermit's lonely cell! Midft every grief thou ftill art mine! "Dear pledge of Winifreda's truth, "And folace of my life's decline. "Tho' from the world and worldly care "My wearied mind I mean to free, "Yet ev'ry hour that heaven can spare, "My Armine, I devote to thee. "And fure that heaven my hopes fhall blefs, "And make thee fam'd for virtues fair, "And happy too, if happiness "Depend upon a parent's pray'r: "Laft hope of life's departing day, "In whom its future fcenes I fee! "No truant thought fhall ever ftray "From this lone hermitage and thee." Thus, to his humble fate refign'd, His breaft each anxious care foregoes; The dearest task a parent knows! To fond Affection's anxious view. To polifh'd life that grace impart: Virtue, he knew, but feebly warms Till fcience humanize the heart. And, when he saw the lawless train Of paffions in the youthful breaft, He curb'd them not with rigid rein, But ftrove to footh them into rest. "Think not, my fon, in this," he cry'd, "A father's precept fhall difpleafe; "No-be each paffion gratify'd "That tends to happiness or ease. "Nor fhall th' ungrateful task be mine "Their native gen'rous warmth to blame, "That warmth if reafon's fuffrage join "To point the object and the aim. "This fuffrage wanting, know, fond boy, "That every pallion proves a foe: "Tho' much it deal in promis'd joy, "It pays, alas! in certain woe. "Complete Ambition's wildest scheme; "In Power's most brilliant robes appear; "Indulge in Fortune's golden dream; "Then ask thy breast if Peace be there. "No: it fhall tell thee, Peace retires "If once of her lov'd friends depriv'd; "Contentment calm, fubdu'd defires, "And happiness that's felf-deriv'd." To temper thus the stronger fires Of youth he strove; for well he knew, Boundless as thought tho' man's defires, The real wants of life were few, And oft revolving in his breast Th' infatiate luit of wealth or fame, He, with no common care opprest, To fortune thus would oft exclaim: "O Fortune! at thy crowded fhrine "What wretched worlds of fuppliants bow! "For ever hail'd thy power divine, "For ever breath'd the serious vow. "With tottering pace and feeble knee, "See age advance in thameless hafte, "The palfy'd hand is ftretch'd to thee "For wealth he wants the power to taste. "See, led by Hope, the youthful train, "Her fairy dreams their hearts have won; "She points to what they ne'er fhall gain, "Or dearly gain-to be undone. "Muft I too form the votive prayer, "And wilt thou hear one fuppliant more? "His prayer, O Fortune! deign to hear, "To thee who never pray'd before. 66 "O may one dear, one favour'd youth, May Armine ftill thy power disclaim; "Kneel only at the thrine of truth, "Count freedom wealth, and virtue fame!" Lo! to his utmost wishes bleft, The prayer was heard; and freedom's flame, And truth the funfhine of the breast, Were Armine's wealth, were Armine's fame. His heart no felfish cares confin'd, He felt for all that feel diftrefs; And, ftill benevolent and kind, He blefs'd them, or he with'd to bless. For what tho' Fortune's frown deny With wealth to bid the fufferer live, Yet Pity's hand can oft fupply A balm the never knew to give: Can oft with lenient drops affuage The wounds no ruder hand can heal, When grief, defpair, distraction, rage, While Death the lips of love fhall feal. Ah then, his anguish to remove, Depriv'd of all his heart holds dear, How tweet the ftill furviving love Of Friendinip's fimile, of Pity's tear! This knew the fire: he oft would cry, "From thefe, my fon, O ne'er depart! "Thefe tender charities that tie "In mutual league the human heart. "Be thine those feelings of the mind, "That wake at Honour's, Friendship's call: "Benevolence, that unconfin'd "Extends her liberal hand to all. 16 66 By Sympathy's untutor'd voice "Be taught her focial laws to keep; Rejoice if human heart rejoice, "And weep if human eye fhall weep. "The heart that bleeds for others' woes "Shall feel each felfish forrow lefs; "His breaft, who happiness beftows, "Reflected happiness fhall bless. "Each ruder paffion ftill withstood "That breaks o'er virtue's fober line, "The tender, noble, and the good, "To cherish and indulge be thine. "And yet, my Armine, might I name "One paffion as a dangerous guest, "Well mayst thou wonder when I blame "The tenderett, nobleft, and the best. "Nature, 'tis true, with love defign'd "To fimooth the race our fathers ran; "The favage of the human kind By love was toften`d into man. "As feels the ore the fearching fire, "Expanding and refining too, "So fairer glow'd each fair defire, "Each gentle thought fo gentler grew. "How chang'd, alas! thofe happy days! "A train how different now fucceeds! "While fordid Avarice betrays, "Or empty Vanity misleads. "Fled from the heart each nobler guest, "Each genuine feeling we forego; "What nature planted in the breast "The flowers of love, are weeds of woe. "Hence all the pangs the heart must feel "Between contending paffions toft, "Wild Jealoufy's avenging fteel, "And life, and fame, and virtue loft! "Yet falling life, yet fading fame, "Compar'd to what his heart annoy "Who cherishes a hopeless flame, "Are terms of happiness and joy. "Ah, then, the foft contagion fly! "And timely fhun th' alluring bait!" The rifing bluth, the downcaft eye, Proclaim'd-the precept was too late. PART II. DEEP in the bofom of a wood, In Gothic grandeur rofe the pile. Her breaft, impatient of controul, Flow'd from her never-filent eye. That dignity that's loft in ease. He lov'd-alas! and he defpair'd! For much he labour'd to conceal That gentleft paffion of the breast, Which all can feign, but few can feel. Ingenuous fears fupprefs'd the flame, Yet ftill he own'd its hidden power; With tranfport dwelling on her name, He footh'd the folitary hour. "How long," he cry'd, "muft I conceal "What yet my heart could with were known." "How long the trueft paffion feel, "And yet that paffion fear to own? "Ah, might I breathe my humble vow! "Might the too deign to lend an ear! "Elvira's felf fhould then allow "That Armine was at leaft fincere. "Wild with! to deem the matchless maid "Would listen to a youth like me, "Or that my vows could e'er perfuade, "Sincere and conftant tho' they be! "Ah! what avail my love or truth? "She liftens to no lowly swain; "Her charms muft blefs fome happier youts, "Some youth of Fortune's titled train, "Then go, fallacious Hope! adieu! "The flattering profpect I refign; "And bear from my deluded view "The blifs that never must be mine! "Yet will the youth, whoe'er he be, "In truth or tenderness excel? "Or will he on thy charms like me "With fondness never-dying dwell? "Will he with thine his hopes unite? "With ready zeal thy joys improve? "With fond attention and delight "Each with prevent, each fear remove? Will he, ftill faithful to thy charms, "For conftant love be long rever'd? "Nor quit that heaven within thy arms "By every tender tie endear'd? "What tho' his boastful heart be vain "Of all that birth or fortune gave, "Yetis not mine, tho' rude and plain, "At least as noble and as brave? "Then Then be its gentle fuit preferr'd! "Its tender fighs Elvira hear! "In vain I figh---but figh unheard; "Unpitied falls this lonely tear!" Twice twelve revolving moons had pafs'd, Since firft he caught the fatal view; Unchang'd by time his forrows laft, Unchear'd by hope his paffion grew. That paffion to indulge, he fought In Raymond's groves the deepest shade; There fancy's haunting fpirit brought The image of his long-lov'd maid. But hark! what more than mortal found Steals on Attention's raptur'd ear? The voice of harmony around Swells in wild whifpers foft and clear. Can hunian hand a tone fo fine Sweep from the ftring with touch prophane? Can human lip with breath divine Pour on the gale fo fweet a ftrain? Her magic hand awakes the ftring. Speak what untutor'd love infpires! "Tis the---Elvira's felf appears! "And thall I on her fteps intrude? "Alarm her in thee lonely fhades? "Oftay, fair nymph! no rufian rude "With base intent your walk invades. "Far gentler thoughts"---his faultering tongue, By humble diffidence reftrain'd, Paos'd in fufpence---but thus ere long, As love impell'd, its power regain'd: "Far gentler thoughts that form infpires; "With me far gentler paffions dwell; "This heart hides only blameless fires, "Yet burns with what it fears to tell. "The faultering voice that fears controul, "Blushes that inward fires declare, "Each tender tumult of the foul "In filence owns Elvira there." He faid; and as the trembling dove Diftreft; and as fome parent mild, They felt the force of Armine's tear, "And who is fhe whofe fortunes bear "A heart," he cries, "that's yours alone; "Long has it own'd Elvira's fway, "Tho' long unnotic'd and unknown. "On Sherwood's old heroic plain "Elvira grac'd the feltal day; "There, foremost of the youthful train, "Her Armine bore the prize away. "There firft that form my eyes furvey'd, "With future hopes that fill'd my heart; "But ah! beneath that frown they fade"Depart, vain, vanquifh'd hopes! depart!" He faid; and on the ground his eyes Were fix'd abath'd: th' attentive maid, Loft in the tumult of furprife. The well-remember'd youth furvey'd, The tranfient colour went and came: The ftruggling bofom funk and rofe; The trembling tumults of her frame The ftrong conflicting foul difclofe. Bluthes that spoke a brighter day. A fweeter charm than flumber brought. The tender air, the afpect kind, And all the angel in her mind, Her Her brow no ftern refentments arm, And scorns what folly priz'd before. On the plain wall in diamonds threw ; And to his favourite fcene he flew. Nor Armine lefs endear'd the scene. Its ftronger tenderness confefs'd, And oft the linger'd to impart To fome foft hade her fecret breast. "How flow the heavy hours advance." She cry'd, "fince that eventful day, "When first I caught the fatal glance "That stole me from my felf away! "Ah, youth belov'd! tho' low thy birth, "The noble air, the manly grace, "That look that fpeaks fuperior worth, "Can fashion, folly, fear erase? "Yet fure from no ignoble stem "Thy lineage fprings, tho' now unknown: "The world cenforious may condemn, "But, Armine, I am thine alone. "To fplendour only do we live? "Muft pomp alone our thoughts employ? "All, all that pomp and fplendour give "Is dearly bought with love and joy! "But oh!---the favour'd youth appears--"In penfive grief he feems to move: "My heart forbodes unnumber'd fears; "Support it Pity, Virtue, Love! "Hither his footsteps feem to bend --"Come, Refolution, to my aid! "My breaft what varying paffions rend! "Averfe to go---to ftay---afraid!" "Dear object of each fond defire "That throbs tumultuous in my breast! "Why with averted glance retire? "At Armine's prefence why diftrest ? "What tho' he boast no titled name, "No wide extent of rich domain, "Yet muft he feed a hopeless flame, "Muft truth and nature plead in vain ?" "Think not," the faid, "by forms betray'd, "To humbler worth my heart is blind; "For foon shall every splendour fade, "That beams not from thy gifted mind. "But firft thy heart explore with care, "With faith its fond emotions prove; "Lurks no unworthy paffion there? "Prompts not ambition bold to love? "Yes, lovely maid," the youth replies, "A bold ambition prompts my breast, "The towering hope that love fupplies, "The wifh in blessing to be blett. "The meaner prospects I despise "That wealth, or rank, or power beftow; "Be yours the grovelling blits ye prize, "Ye fordid minds that ftoop fo low! "Be mine the more refin'd delights "Of love that banishes controul, "When the fond heart with heart unites, "And foul's in unifon with foul." Elvira blufh'd the warm reply, (To love a language not unknown) And there a fofter luftre fhone. In Armine's favour all appear. While love's foft fympathy imparts That beats in undivided hearts. Her yielded hand; in haste away She faid, and funk into his arms. "My daughter! heavens! it cannot be➡ "And yet it must-O dire disgrace! "Elvira have I liv'd to fee "Clafp'd in a peafant's vile embrace! "This daring guilt let death repay"His vengeful arm the javelin threw, With erring aim it wing'd its way, And far, by Fate averted, flew. Elvira breathes-her-pulfes beat, Returning life illumes her eye: Trembling a father's view to meet, She fpies a reverend hermit nigh "Your wrath," fhe cries, "let tears affuage"Unheeded must Elvira pray? "O let an injur'd father's rage "This hermit's facred prefence stay! "Yet deem not, loft in guilty love, "I plead to fave my virgin fame; "My weakness Virtue might approve, "And fmile on nature's holy flame." "O welcome to my hopes again, "My fon!" the raptur'd hermit cries; "I fought thee forrowing on the plain,' And all the father fill'd his eyes, "Art |