THE HOUR OF LOVE. When the fair one, and the dear one, Her lover by her side, Strays or sits, as fancy flits, Where yellow streamlets glide, Gleams illuming, flowers perfuming, Where'er her footsteps rove, Time beguiling with her smilingO, that's the hour of love! Should the fair one, and the dear one, The sigh of pity lend, Tears descending, sweetly blending When the fair one, and the dear one, Appears in morning dreams, In flowing vest, by fancy drest And all the angel beams→→ The heavenly mien, and look serene, While rising sighs, and dewy eyes, THE VIRGIN'S FIRST LOVE. Yes,-sweet is the joy when our blushes impart The youthful affection that glows in the heart, If prudence, and duty, and reason approve The timid delight of the virgin's first love. But if the fond virgin be destin’d to feel If stolen the glance by which love is exprest, If sighs when half heaved be with terror supprest, If whispers of passion suspicion must move, Where's then the delight of the virgin's first love? Or if (ah! too faithful) with fondness she sighs For one who has ceased her affection to prize, Forgetting the vows by whose magic he strove To gain that rich treasure the virgin's first love,→ If tempted by interest he venture to shun Her eye, (when the tale of his treachery she hears,) Now beams with disdain, and now glistens with tears; Ah! what can the arrow then rankling remove? Farewell the delight of the virgin's first love! And see, sad companion of mental distress. Disease steals upon her in health's flattering dress: Oh! surely that bloom every fear should remove! Ah! no ;-seek its cause in the virgin's first love. Still brighter the colour appears on her cheek, Her eye boasts a lustre no language can speak ;— But vain are the hopes these appearances move, Fond parent! they spring from the virgin's first love. L S And soon, while unconscious that fate hovers near, While hope's flattering smiles on her features ap pear, No struggle, no groan, his approaches to prove, Death ends the fond dream of the virgin's first love. TO A FRIEND ON HIS MARRIAGE. On thee, blest youth, a father's hand confers, The maid thy earliest, fondest wishes knew. Each soft enchantment of the soul is hers; Thine be the joys to firm attachment due. As on she moves with hesitating grace, She wins assurance from his soothing voice; And, with a look the pencil could not trace, Smiles thro' her blushes, and confirms the choice. Spare the fine tremors of her feeling frame! To thee she turns-forgive a virgin's fears! To thee she turns with surest, tenderest claim, Weakness that charms, reluctance that endears! At each response the sacred rite requires, O'er her fair face what wild emotions play! Ah! soon, thine own confest, ecstatic thought! That hand shall strew thy summer path with flowers; And those blue eyes, with mildest lustre fraught, Gild the calm current of domestic hours! |