Ev'n here, as health and beauty fail, While lilies o'er the rose prevail, Long ere thy menac'd ills can harm, Unconscious of the gradual wane, As years their empire slowly gain, While my Ideas, in the race, Observe a due-proportioned pace, And limbs grow cold, and senses faulter, I sha'nt perceive her Person alter. When Age her dimpled cheek beguiles, And wrinkles plants, instead of smiles, Though every Cupid he should smother, I'll think her handsome as their mother. When, steady to his barbarous plan, To spoil my lovely MARY-ANNE, The savage unrelenting creature Has robb'd her face of every feature, And, to conceptions merely common, My charmer seems a plain old woman, Still in my heart she'll hold her throne, Still in my eyes be twenty-one. ΤΟ CORINNA, BY EARL NUGENT. WHILE I those hard commands obey, All creatures whom fond flames inspire, Pursue the object they desire; But I, prepost'rous doom! must prove Must lose thy sight, or meet thy hate. EPISTLE LXVI. то CAMILLA, By the Same. WEARY'D with indolent repose, Now cheerful springs the morning ray, Now cheerful sinks the closing day; For every morn with her I walk'd, How quick the smiling moments pass, Through varying fancy's mimic glass! While the gay scene is painted o'er, Where all was one wide blank before; And sweetly sooth'd th' inchanting dream, 'Till love inspir'd a bolder scheme. Camilla, stung with grief and shame; Now marks, and shuns the guilty flame ; Fierce anger lighten'd in her face, Then cold reserve assum'd its place: And soon, the wretch's hardest fate, Contempt succeeds declining hate. No more my presence now she flies, She sees me with unheeding eyes; Sees me with various passions burn, Enrag'd depart, submiss return; Return with flattering hopes to find Soft pity move her gentle mind. But ah! her looks were still the same, Unmark'd I went, unmark'd I came ; Unmark'd were all my hopes and fears, While Strephon whispers in her ears. |