| | | How shall the muse in chinking rhyme impart |
| | | The warmth of gratitude that fires my heart, |
| | | To thee, my friend, who taught the easy way |
| | | To see my destiny as clear as day! |
| 5 | | Nor need I now, with trembling steps and slow, |
| | | To yonder church's porch in terror go; |
| | | Or hail pale Cynthia in the coming year, |
| | | When first she's seen, and kindly means to hear |
| | | Each love's petition, when the kneeling maid |
| 10 | | Cold ashes pours on her fantastic head, |
| | | And there invokes the goddess to unfold |
| | | Some scroll of Destiny, by Fates enroll'd, |
| | | That names the man, whom bounteous they afford, |
| | | To be her lover, husband, fool, or lord; |
| 15 | | Nor need the Cake of Silence now be made, |
| | | And I quite tongue-tied backwards go to bed; |
| | | Saint Agnes, why such cruel fasts impose! |
| | | I ask thee not one secret to disclose; |
| | | Nor shall the apples e'er be pared again |
| 20 | | To form a letter in my lover's name. |
| | | 'Tis done! 'tis done! The Bridal Cake declares |
| | | The fixed prediction of my happy stars! |
| | | Fate lighten'd Fancy with her lucid beams, |
| | | And, lo! her shadows glided o'er my dreams, - |
| 25 | | Sweet dreams inspir'd by tender nuptial ties, |
| | | How shall I paint them in their lovely dyes! |
| | | How tell Myrinda half the joys I feel, |
| | | And all the secrets of my dreams reveal! |
| | | Yet shall my pen the arduous task essay, |
| 30 | | And some faint image to thy mind convey. |
| | | When Night's dark curtain clos'd Day's gilded scene, |
| | | Wrapt up in gloom and silently serene; |
| | | Calm as when Summer-evening's gentle fall |
| | | To Contemplation gives the silent call; |
| 35 | | Calm as that heart devoid of lovers' cares, |
| | | That plagues not Hymen with incessant prayers; |
| | | Thus clos'd the eve, in which the Fates were kind, |
| | | And show'd a presage to my wondering mind. |
| | | When every thought of busy day was fled, |
| 40 | | And the Ring'd Cake lay 'neath my dreaming head; |
| | | Sweet sleep exerted all her magic power, |
| | | And soon convey'd me to a well-known bower, |
| | | Which when I saw, my heart with pleasure thrill'd, |
| | | For there sweet Damon oft my eyes beheld. |
| 45 | | With joy I started, nor approach'd too near, |
| | | For Love, I find, is close allied to Fear; |
| | | Then view'd the beauties of the lovely scene |
| | | Where Fortha glides, that sweet meandering stream, |
| | | Where Nature blooms, though far across the Tweed, |
| 50 | | And opes her treasures in the Scotian mead; |
| | | Where Truth and Valour, simply, yet sublime, |
| | | Adorn a Hero in the northern clime; |
| | | Wrapp'd up in reveries of my lovely youth, |
| | | Whose heart's all softness, emblem fair of Truth; |
| 55 | | Whose mind's as fertile as the teeming Spring, - |
| | | Like Autumn rich in every virtuous thing; |
| | | Humane as Mercy, kind as treasur'd Love; |
| | | Say, say, Myrinda, can he fail to move? |
| | | While thus enraptur'd, see, the youth appears, |
| 60 | | Scarce can my telltale eyes withhold from tears! |
| | | Strange, yet a truth, and gains upon belief, |
| | | That joy excessive hurts as much as grief. |
| | | See, see, he comes with eager haste to meet, |
| | | And cast his heart and fortune at my feet! |
| 65 | | Hear me, he cried, Belinda, deign to hear |
| | | Th'unforc'd dictates of a soul sincere; |
| | | Nor shall the tale in flattery's garb be dress'd, |
| | | For love alone directs my captive breast; |
| | | No rhetoric sets your happiness to view, |
| 70 | | Or draws each prospect in chameleon hue; |
| | | Plain is the tale, nor varnish'd o'er by art, |
| | | For I'd not steal but have thee give thy heart; |
| | | Nor do I fancy, e'en if bless'd with thee, |
| | | My life thus guarded should from woes be free; |
| 75 | | Whilst misery clings to every mortal here, |
| | | A chain of grief the happiest man must wear: |
| | | The gay, enchanted by romantic scenes, |
| | | Plan out life's building in their golden dreams, |
| | | And vainly think the edifice shall stand |
| 80 | | Firm as if rear'd by an immortal hand; |
| | | But, ah! when sorrows blow, and woes descend, |
| | | The fabric falls, and all enchantments end; |
| | | Awak'd to woes his soul had lightly deem'd, |
| | | He rails at Fate - nor thinks his idly dream'd. |
| 85 | | But let us not by folly still the voice |
| | | Which Reason whispers and directs the choice; |
| | | Be not deceived by shadows of a shade, |
| | | Elate with praise, or vanity's parade; |
| | | Through all the mazes of my changing life, |
| 90 | | Be thou my fond companion and my wife; |
| | | In grief, thy sympathy will ease my heart, |
| | | In joy, new pleasure to my soul impart; |
| | | So shall my dear, my lov'd Belinda find |
| | | Her every wish re-echo'd in my mind; |
| 95 | | Dispose of me, and o'er my will command; |
| | | (And here methought he seized my willing hand;) |
| | | Suffer this ring, the sweet persuader cried, |
| | | Around thy finger, and become my bride, |
| | | In holy bonds: - but here away I broke, |
| 100 | | Ah! foolish I, and trembling thus awoke; |
| | | And, when my eyes beheld Sol's radiant gleam, |
| | | The vision vanish'd - lo! 'twas all a dream. |
First published 1842.
