C

SONG XII. The Mutual Kifs.

ELIA, by those smiling graces,

Which my panting bofom warm ;

By the heaven of thy embraces,

By thy wond'rous power to charm ; By those foft bewitching glances,

Which my inmoft bofom move; By thofe lips, whose kifs entrances, Thee, and thee alone I love.

By thy God-like art of loving,
Calia, with a blush, replies;
By thy heavenly power of moving
All my foul to fympathize;
By thy eager fond careffes,

By thofe arms around me thrown;
By that look, which truth expresses,
My fond heart is all thy own.

Thus, with glowing inclination,
They indulge the tender blifs;
And to bind the lasting paffion,.

Seal it with a mutual kifs:
Clofe, in fond embraces, lying,
They together seem to grow ;
Such fupreme delight enjoying,
As true lovers only know.

THE WIFE.

A

FRAGMENT.

HE virtues that endear and fweeten life,

ΤΗ

And form that foft companion, call'd a Wife ; Demand my fong. Thou who didft firft infpire The tender theme, to thee I tune the lyre.

Hail, lovely woman! nature's bleffing, hail! Whose charms o'er all the powers of man prevail : Thou healing balm of life, which bounteous heaven, To pour on, all our woes, has kindly given! What were mankind without thee? or what joy, Like thy foft converse, can his hours employ? The dry, dull, drowsy bachelor furveys, Alternative, joyless nights and lonesome days a No tender transports wake his fullen breaft, No foft endearments lull his cares to reft: Stupidly free from nature's tenderest ties, Loft in his own fad felf he lives and dies. Not fo the man, to whom indulgent heaven That tender bofom-friend, a wife, has given:

A

Him, bleft in her kind arms, no fears difmay,
No fecret checks of guilt his joys allay:
No hufband wrong'd, no virgin honour spoil'd,
No anxious parent weeps his ruin'd child;
No fell disease, no false embrace is here,
The joys are fafe, the raptures are fincere.
Does fortune fmile? How grateful must it prove
To tread life's pleafing round with one we love!
Or does she frown? The fair, with foftening art,
Will footh our woes, or bear a willing part.

"But are all women of the foothing kind? "In chufing wives no hazard fhall we find? "Will fpleen, nor vapours, pride, nor prate moleft? "And is all fear of cuckoldom a jeft?

Grant fome are bad: yet furely fome remain, Good without fhow, and lovely without ftain ; Warm without lewdnefs; virtuous without pride Content to follow, yet with fenfe to guide. Such is FIDELIA, faireft, fondest wife; Obferve the picture, for I draw from life.

Near that fam'd hill, from whofe enchanting brow
Such various fcenes enrich the vales below;
While gentle Thames, meandering glides along,
Meads, flocks, and groves, and rifing towers among,
FIDELIA dwelt: fair as the faireft fcene

Of smiling nature, when the fky's ferene.
Full fixteen fummers had adorn'd her face,
Warm'd every fense, and waken'd every grace;

Her eye look'd fweetnefs, gently heav'd her breaft,
Her fhape, her motion, graceful cafe expreft.
And to this fair, this finifh'd form, were join'd
The fofteft paffions, and the pureft mind.

Amongst the neighbouring youths who ftrove to gain FIDELIA's heart, LYSANDER made his addreffes. He was a younger brother, of a good family, but fmall fortune. His perfon was handfome and genteel, his manners eafy and engaging. With thefe advantages he foon obtain'd a place in young FIDELIA's heart; and, as her fortune, which was very confiderable, was in her own difpofe, there was no obftacle to their happiness; with all the eloquence of a lover, he prefs'd the confummation of his wishes, a tender foftnefs pleads within her breaft, The yields to the force of his perfwafions, and they are married.

Who can exprefs the pleafures which they now enjoy? To make her happy feem'd the scope of all his actions, and fuch a growing fondness warm'd her heart, that every day endear'd him more and more. The fortune which fhe brought, he manag'd with prudence and difcretion; and the pleasure which he found in her sweet behaviour, and inchanting beauties, repaid his cares with intereft. Thus flew the hours, wing'd with delight; the day pafs'd not without fome new indearment; and the night felt nameless raptures, or ferene repofe.

Before the end of two years their loves were crown'd with a fmiling boy. If any thing could

encrease

encrease their fondness of each other, 'twas this engaging pledge of their affection. But, alas! how variable is the heart of man! how eafily are his paffions inflam'd! how foon his beft affections alter'd! and reason, which should be his guide, is but as the light of a candle, which the least gust of pasfion can puff out, and quite extinguish. Of this unhappy truth, LYSANDER foon became a fatal instance.

It happen'd at this time, whether by accident or defign, I know not, that a creature of exquifite beauty, but of infamous character, came to lodge exactly over against the house of this, till then, moft happy pair. As LYSANDER was not only poffeft of a handsome perfon, but now also of an ample fortune, immediately a thoufand arts were try'd by this inveigling harlot, to attract his obfervation, and if poffible to enfnare his heart. At her window, in his fight, fhe would appear in a loofe and tempting dishabille. Now in a seeming negligence difcover white her naked breafts, then with a leering fmile pretend to hide them from his fight. Her wanton eyes, all sparkling with delight, fhe now would fix with eagerness upon him; then in a foft and languifhing air by flow degrees withdraw, yet looking back as loath to leave the place.

As LYSANDER had too much experience of the world, not to understand this amorous language, fo his heart was too fufceptible of the tender paffi on, not to feel its force. And unable to withstand the daily repetition of these provoking temptations,