TO A CANDLE.

THOU watchful Taper, by whose silent light I lonely pass the melancholy night! Thou faithful witness of my secret pain; To whom alone I venture to complain! O, learn with me, my hopeless love to moan! Commiserate a life so like thy own!

Like thine, my flames to my destruction turn; Wasting that heart, by which supplied they burn! Like thine, my joy and suffering they display; At once, are signs of life, and symptoms of decay! And as thy fearful flames the day decline, And only, during night, presume to shine; Their humble rays not daring to aspire Before the sun, the fountain of their fire: So mine, with conscious shame and equal awe, To shades obscure and solitude withdraw! Nor dare their light before her eyes disclose; From whose bright beams their Being first arose.

THUS to a ripe, consenting Maid,
Poor, old, repenting DELIA said,
'Would you long preserve your Lover?
Would you still his Goddess reign?
Never let him all discover!

Never let him much obtain!

'Men will admire, adore, and die; While, wishing, at your feet they lie! But admitting their embraces.

Wakes them from the golden dream! Nothing 's new, besides our faces! Every woman is the same!'

SEE! see, she wakes! SABINA wakes!
And, now, the sun begins to rise!
Less glorious is the Morn that breaks
From his bright beams, than her fair eyes!

With light united, day they give;

But different fates, ere night fulfil! How many, by his warmth, will live! How many will her coldness kill!

FALSE though She be to me and Love;

I'll ne'er pursue revenge!
For still the Charmer I approve;
Though I deplore her change!

In hours of bliss, we oft have met;
They could not always last!
And though the present I regret ;
I'm grateful for the past!

SEMELE TO JUPITER.

WITH my frailty, don't upbraid me!
I am Woman, as you made me!
Causeless doubting, or despairing;
Rashly trusting, idly fearing;
If obtaining,

Still complaining;
If consenting,

Still repenting;

Most complying,

When denying;

And to be followed, only flying.

With my frailty, don't upbraid me!
I am Woman, as you made me!

I LOOKED, and I sighed, and I wished I could speak;
And very fain would have been at her:
But when I strove most, my Passion to break;
Still then I said least of the matter!

I swore to myself, and resolved I would try
Some way, my poor heart to recover;
But that was all vain! for I sooner could die,
Than live with forbearing to love her!

Dear CŒLIA! be kind then! and since your own eyes
By looks can command adoration ;

Give mine leave to talk too, and do not despise
Those oglings that tell you my Passion!

We'll look, and we'll love! and though neither should speak,

The pleasure we'll still be pursuing!

And so, without words, I don't doubt we may make A very good end of this wooing!

THE PETITION.

'GRANT me, gentle LovE,' said I,
'One dear blessing ere I die!
Long I've borne excess of pain;
Let me now some bliss obtain !'

Thus to almighty Love I cried;
When, angry, thus the God replied.
'Blessings greater none can have!
Art thou not AMYNTA's slave?
Cease, fond mortal! to implore;
For LOVE, LOVE himself, 's no more!'

A HUE AND CRY

AFTER FAIR AMORET.

FAIR AMORET is gone astray!
Pursue and seek her, ev'ry Lover!
I'll tell the signs, by which you may
The wand'ring Shepherdess discover!

Coquet and coy at once her Air,

Both studied; though both seem neglected! Careless she is, with artful care;

Affecting to seem unaffected!

With skill, her eyes dart ev'ry glance;
Yet change so soon, you'd ne'er suspect them!
For she'd persuade, they wound by chance;
Though certain aim and art direct them!

She likes herself; yet others hates
For that which in herself she prizes!
And, while she laughs at them, forgets
She is the thing that she despises !