"She to her silent couch retired to weep,
"Whilst I embarked, in sadness, on the Deep." His Tale thus closed, from sympathy of grief PALEMON's bosom felt a sweet relief:
To mutual Friendship thus sincerely true,
No secret wish, or fear, their bosoms knew;
In mutual hazards oft severely tried,
Nor Hope, nor Danger, could their love divide.
Ye tender Maids! in whose pathetic souls
Compassion's sacred stream impetuous rolls,
Whose warm affections exquisitely feel
The secret wound you tremble to reveal;
Ah! may no wanderer of the stormy main
Pour through your breasts the soft delicious bane; May never fatal tenderness approve
The fond effusions of their ardent love:
Oh! warned, avoid the Path that leads to Woe,
Where thorns, and baneful weeds, alternate grow: Let them severer stoic Nymphs possess
Whose stubborn passions feel no soft distress.
Now as the Youths returning o'er the plain Approached the lonely margin of the Main,
First, with attention rouzed, ARION eyed
The graceful Lover, formed in Nature's pride:
His frame the happiest symmetry displayed,
And locks of waving gold his neck arrayed;
In every look the Paphian graces shine
Soft breathing o'er his cheek their bloom divine:
With lightened heart he smiled serenely gay,
Like young Adonis, or the son of May.
Not CYTHEREA from a fairer swain
Received her apple on the Trojan plain.
IV. The Sun's bright orb declining all serene Now glanced obliquely o'er the woodland scene. Creation smiles around; on every spray
The warbling birds exalt their evening lay:
Blithe skipping o'er yon hill, the fleecy train
Join the deep chorus of the lowing plain;
The golden lime, and orange, there were seen
On fragrant branches of perpetual green;
The crystal streams that velvet meadows lave,
To the green Ocean roll with chiding wave.
The glassy Ocean hushed forgets to roar,
But trembling murmurs on the sandy shore:
And lo! his surface lovely to behold
Glows in the west, a sea of living gold!
While, all above, a thousand liveries
The Skies with pomp ineffable array.
Arabian sweets perfume the happy plains;
Above, beneath, around, enchantment reigns!
While glowing Vesper leads the starry train,
And Night slow draws her veil o'er Land, and Main,
Emerging clouds the azure East invade,
And wrap the lucid Spheres in gradual shade;
While yet the songsters of the vocal grove,
With dying numbers tune the soul to love;
With joyful eyes th' attentive Master sees
Th' auspicious omens of an eastern breeze.
Round the charged bowl the Sailors form a ring;
By turns recount the wondrous tale, or sing,
As love, or battle, hardships of the Main,
Or genial wine, awake the homely strain:
Then some the Watch of Night alternate keep,
The rest lie buried in oblivious sleep.
Deep Midnight now involves the livid skies
When eastern breezes, yet enervate, rise:
The waning Moon behind a watery shroud
Pale glimmered o'er the long protracted cloud;
A mighty Halo round her silver throne,
With parting meteors crossed, portentous shone:
This in the troubled sky full oft prevails,
Oft deemed a signal of tempestuous gales.
While young ARION sleeps, before his sight
Tumultuous swim the Visions of the Night:
Now blooming ANNA with her happy swain
Approached the sacred Hymencal fane;
Anon, tremendous lightnings flash between,
And funeral pomp, and weeping loves are seen:
Now with PALEMON, up a rocky Steep
Whose summit trembles o'er the roaring Deep
With painful step he climbed, while far above
Sweet ANNA charmed them with the voice of Love;
Then sudden from the slippery height they fell,
While dreadful yawned beneath the jaws of hell-
Amid this fearful Trance, a thundering sound
He hears, and thrice the hollow decks rebound;
Upstarting from his couch on deck he sprung,
Thrice with shrill note the Boatswain's whistle rung:
All hands unmoor! proclaims a boisterous cry,
All hands unmoor! the caverned Rocks reply.
Roused from repose aloft the Sailors swarm,
And with their levers soon the Windlass arm:
The Order given, up springing with a bound
They fix the bars, and heave the Windlass round,
At every turn the clanging pauls resound:
Up-torn reluctant from its oozy cave
The ponderous Anchor rises o'er the wave.
High on the slippery Masts the Yards ascend,
And far abroad the canvass wings extend.
Along the glassy plain the Vessel glides,
While azure radiance trembles on her sides;
The lunar rays in long reflection gleam,
With silver deluging the fluid stream.
Levant, and Thracian Gales, alternate play,
Then in th' Egyptian quarter die away.
A Calm ensues; adjacent shores they dread,
The boats, with rowers manned, are sent ahead;
With cordage fastened to the lofty prow
Aloof to sea the stately Ship they tow;
The nervous crew their sweeping oars extend, And pealing shouts the shore of CANDIA rend:
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