Puslapio vaizdai
PDF
„ePub“

I do not afk thy frolic hand
To weave the perishable band
That fades on fashion's brow;
My conftant foul a tie requires,
Firm as the virtue which inspires
And dignifies my vow.

Give me the mild perfuafive art,
Which holds the captivated heart
In unregretted toils;

Shed thy own luftre o'er my face,
When beauty mourns each ravish'd grace,
And youth no longer smiles.

Perplexing doubts my bofom tear:

Oh! let me fan with veftal care
The Hymeneal fire;

Guard it from paffion's wild extreme,

And bid its falutary beam

With life alone expire* !

Having

⚫ Mrs. Prudentia is very forry that she has not abfolutely conformed to the opinion of the Reviewers, who bestowed fuch liberal praise upon her profe, by entirely banishing the vagrant Mufe. She has a most unlucky knack of

hitching

Having now gradually led my readers to that point where I at firft rather abruptly introduced them, I fhall endeavour to proceed ftrait forward during the remainder of my narrative.

"hitching into rhyme;" and when the bantlings are produced, fhe had rather that they fuck on the top shelf of a book-cafe, than that they should be immediately committed to the flames. With regard to their advice of publifhing her poetical productions feparately, thé can only answer, that she has repeatedly made the unfortunate experiment. Her bookfellers all agree in one fentiment, "Poetry will not go off."

CHAP. XII.

As humorous as Winter, and as fudden
As flaws congealed in the spring of day.
His temper, therefore, must be well obferv'd.
Chide him for faults, but do it reverently.

SHAKESPEARE.

LORD MONTEITH was one of those common characters which the world every day produces, and which a very little penetration will eafily unravel. His abilities were not confpicuous, and his application to the improvement of them had been as great as a rich heir, early become his own mafter, usually beftows. He poffeffed a great deal of good temper, and that open-hearted eafy generofity which always fucceeds in fecuring general good opinion. His paffions were naturally very strong; and never having been taught the neceffity

VOL. I.

K

of

of restraining them, they were increased by continual gratification, till they fomewhat refembled the impetuous torrent. Nature intended him to be humane and beneficent; but a neglect of difcipline and conftant indulgence had introduced an indolent felfishness. Yet ftill, if a good deed required no great exertion, or if an object in diftrefs luckily prefented itself at a moment when he was difengaged from any favourite pursuit, he would not only fhew a noble liberality, but also enjoyed a noble pleasure from the benevolent deed.

A character like lord Monteith's rather fitted its poffeffor to follow others, than to be a leader. Unhappily for him, his birth and fortune obtruded him into notice, and placed him in fituations to which his natural talents were unequal. The fplendor of his rank and his reputed munificence furrounded him

with parafites; and the impetuofity of his temper prevented him from having any directing friend. Lord W., at whofe house he lately refided, was a man of the world, very folicitous that his noble guest should form a proper matrimonial connexion; but extending the idea of propriety no farther than to the fortune, the family, or perhaps the perfonal graces of the lady; and though the young earl, during his paroxyfms of love, added to these allurements every angelic quality, he did not accurately define what those angelic quali

ties really were. Such was the man whom the purblind god, in one of his capricious moments, felected to be the husband of the beautiful, animated, intelligent Geraldine Powerfcourt; whose feelings, exquifitely fufceptible, had been accustomed to the regular tepor of gentle manners, uniform conLiftent

K 2

[ocr errors]
« AnkstesnisTęsti »