n given,
"Save parents only. Thou in lofty birth
"I would should me excel. O beauteous youth!
"A mother whom thou'lt make I know not; I
"Ne'er can thee know but with a sister's love:
"Parents the same as thine my hapless lot.
"All that I have, me only pains the more.
"What are to me my visions? Weight have dreams?
"How much more happy are th' immortal gods!
"The gods embrace their sisters. Saturn clasps
"Ops, join'd to him by blood; Ocean enjoys
"His sister Tethys; and Olympus' king
"His Juno. Gods peculiar laws possess.
"Why seek I then celestial rites to bring
"Diverse, with human ord'nance to compare?
"Forbidden love shall from my breast be driv'n,
"Or that impossible, may death me seize
"Instant, and cold upon my couch outstretch'd,
"My brother then may kiss me as I lie.
"Yet still my wish double consent requires.
"Grant I should yield, still might the deed to him
"Seem execrable. Yet th' AEolian youth
"A sister's nuptial couch ne'er dreaded. Why,
"O, why! on this so dwell? Why thus recal
"Examples to my view? Where am I borne?
"Hence, flames obscene! hence far! a sister's love,
"And that alone my brother shall enjoy.
"But had his soul first burn'd for me, perchance
"I had indulg'd his passion. Surely then
"I may demand, who would not, ask'd, refuse.
"What couldst thou speak? Couldst thou confess thy flame?
"Love forces, and I can. If shame my lips
"Close binds; yet secret letters may disclose
"The hidden flame."--With this idea pleas'd,
These words her hesitating mind resolv'd,
Rais'd on her side, supported by her arm.--
"He shall"--she said--"now know it; all my love
"Preposterous confess'd. Alas! what depth
"Now rush I to? What fire has seiz'd my soul?"--
And then with tremulous hand the words compos'd.
Her right hand grasps the style, the left sustains
The waxen tablet smooth; and then begins.
She doubts; she writes; condemns what now she wrote;
Corrects; erases; alters; now dislikes;
And now approves. Now throws the tablet by,
Then seizes it again. Irres'lute what
She would; whate'er is done displeases, all.
Shame and audacious boldness in her face
Are mingled. Sister, once her hand had wrote,
But sister, soon as seen, her hand eras'd;
And her fair tablet bore such words as these.--
"To thee, a lover salutation sends,
"And health, which only thou to her canst give:
"Asham'd, she blushes to d