As the wood pidgeon cooes without his mate, The peerless maid that did all maids excell. 30 Henceforth the morn fhall dewy forrow shed, And ev❜ning tears upon the grafs be spread; The rolling ftreams with watry grief shall flow, 35 And winds shall moan aloud---when loud they blow. Henceforth, as oft as Autumn shall return, The dropping trees, whene'er it rains, shall mourn; The feafon quite shall strip the country's pride, For 'twas in Autumn Blouzelinda dy'd. 40 Where-e'er I gad, I Blouzelind shall view, Woods, dairy, barn, and mows our passion knew. When I direct my eyes to yonder wood, Fresh rifing forrow curdles in my blood. 45 Thither I've often been the damfel's guide, my love. 51 If by the dairy's hatch I chance to hie, I fhall her goodly countenance espie; 55 For there her goodly countenance I've seen, When in the barn the founding flail I ply, Where from her fieve the chaff was wont to fly, The poultry there will seem around to stand, Waiting upon her charitable hand. No fuccour meet the poultry now can find, For they, like me, have loft their Blouzelind. Whenever by yon barley-mow I pass, Before my eyes will trip the tidy lass. 65 I pitch'd the sheaves (oh could I do fo now) 71 75 81 Lament, ye fields, and rueful fymptoms show; Henceforth let not the smelling primrose grow; Let weeds, instead of butter-flow'rs, appear, 85 And meads, inftead of daifies, hemlock bear; For cowflips sweet let dandelions spread; For Blouzelinda, blithfome maid, is dead! Lament, ye fwains, and o'er her grave bemoan, And spell ye right this verse upon her ftone: 90 Here Blouzelinda lyes-Alas, alas! Weep, Shepherds-and remember Acfb is grass. GRUBBINOL. Albeit thy fongs are sweeter to mine ear, Line 84. Pro molli violà, pro purpureo Narcisso Carduus & fpinis furgit paliurus acutis. VIPG. 90. Et tumulum facite, & tumulo fuperaddite carmen. 93. Tale tuum carmen nobis, divine poeta, Quale fopor feffis in gramine: quale per æftum VIRG. 96. Κρέσσον μελπομενω του ακεέμεν ἢ μέγιΘ λέχειν. 95 THEOC. When Blouzelind expir'd, the weather's bell And with hoarfe croaking warn'd us of her fate; How fhall I, void of tears, her death relate, Mother, quoth she, let not the poultry need, And give the goose wherewith to raise her breed; Be these my fifter's care e---and every morn 115 Amid the ducklings let her scatter corn; The fickly calf that's hous'd, be sure to tend, Feed him with milk, and from bleak colds defend. Yet e'er I die---fee, mother, yonder shelf, There fecretly I've hid my worldly pelf. Twenty good fhillings in a rag I laid; Be ten the parfon's, for my fermon paid. 120 The reft is yours --- My fpinning-wheel and rake Let Sufan keep for her dear fister's sake; My new ftraw hat, that's trimly lin❜d with green, Let Peggy wear, for she's a damfel clean. 126 My leathern bottle, long in harvests try'd, 130 135 To show their love, the neighbours far and near Follow'd with wiftful look the damfel's bier. Sprigg'd rofemary the lads and laffes bore, While difmally the parfon walk'd before. Upon her grave their rosemary they threw, The daisie, butter-flower, and endive blue. After the good man warn'd us from his text, That none could tell whofe turn would be the next; He faid, that heav'n would have her foul no doubt, And spoke the hour-glafs in her praise --- quite out. To her fweet mem'ry flow'ry garlands ftrung, O'er her now empty feat aloft were hung. With wicker rods we fenc'd her tomb around, 145 To ward from man and beast the hallow'd ground; Left her new grave the parfon's cattle raze, For both his horfe and cow the church-yard graze. Now we trudg'd homeward to her mother's farm, To drink new cyder mull'd, with ginger warm. For gaffer Tread-well told us, by the by. Exceffive forrow is exceeding dry. 151 |