oft were done,
What prudes declare a sin to act is,
And never but in darkness practice,
Fearing to trust the tell-tale sun.

11.

And wisely therefore night prefer,
Whose dusky mantle veils their fears,
Of _this_, and _that_, of eyes and ears,
Affording shades to those that err.

12.

Now, by my foul, 'tis most delight
To view each other panting, dying.
In love's _extatic posture_ lying,
Grateful to _feeling_, as to _sight_.

13.

And had the glaring God of Day,
(As formerly of Mars and Venus)
Divulg'd the joys which pass'd between us,
Regardless of his _peeping_ ray.

14.

Of love admiring such a _sample_,
The Gods and Goddesses descending,
Had never fancied us offending,
But _wisely_ followed _our example_.

* * * * *

When to their airy hall, my father's voice,
Shall call my spirit, joyful in their choice,
When pois'd upon the gale, my form shall ride,
Or dark in mist, descend the mountain's side;
Oh! may my shade behold no sculptur'd urns,
To mark the spot, where earth to earth returns.
No lengthen'd scroll of virtue, and renown,
My _epitaph_, shall be my name alone;
If _that_ with honour fails to crown my clay,
Oh! may no other fame my deeds repay;
_That_, only _that_, shall single out the shot,
By _that_ remember'd, or fore'er forgot.--

1803.

* * * * *

TO ----

1.

Oh! when shall the grave hide forever my sorrow?
Oh! when shall my soul wing her flight from this clay?
The present is hell! and the coming to-morrow,
But brings with new torture, the curse of to-day.

2.

From my eye flows no tear, from my lips fall no curses,
I blast not the fiends, who have hurl'd me from bliss,
For poor is the soul which bewailing rehearses,
Its querulous grief, when in anguish like this--

3.

Was my eye, 'stead of tears, with red fury flakes bright'ning.
Would my lips breathe a flame, which no stream could assuage,
On our foes should my glance launch in vengeance its lightning,
With transport my tongue give a loose to its rage.

4.

But now tears and curses alike unavailing,
Would add to the souls of our tyrants delight;
Could they view us, our sad separation bewailing,
Their merciless hearts would rejoice at the sight.

5.

Yet still though we bend with a feign'd resignation,
Life