PART I

 

A Hermit on the Banks of Trent,

Far from the World's Bewildering Maze,

To humbler Scenes of calm Content,

   Has fled from brighter, busier Days.

 

If haply from his guarded Breast

   Should steal the unsuspected Sigh,

And Memory, an unbidden Guest,

   With former Passions fill'd his Eye;

 

Then pious Hope and Duty prais'd

   The Wisdom of the Uncaring Sway;

And while his Eye to Heaven he rais'd,

   Its silent Waters sunk away.

 

Life's gayer Ensigns once he bore -

   Ah! what avails the mournful Tale?

Suffice it, when the Scene was o'er,

   He fled to the sequestr'd Vale.

 

"What tho' the Joys I lov'd so well,

   "The charms, he cry'd, that youth has known,

"Fly from the Hermit's lonely Cell!

   "Yet is not ARMINE still my own?

 

"Yes, ARMINE, yes, thou valued Youth!

   "Midst every Grief thou still art mine!

"Dear Pledge of WINIFREDA'S Truth,

   "And Solace of my Life's Decline!

 

"Tho' from the World and worldly Care

   "My wearied Mind I mean to free,

"Yet ev'ry Hour that Heaven can spare,

    "My ARMINE, I devote to thee.

 

"And sure that Heaven my Hopes shall bless,

   "And make thee fam'd for Virtues fair,

"And happy too, if Happiness

   "Depend upon a Parent's Pray'r:

 

"Last Hope of Life's departing Day,

   "In whom its future Scenes I See!

"No truant Thought shall ever stray

   "From this lone Hermitage and thee."

 

Thus, to his humble Fate resign'd.

   His Breast each anxious Care forzgoes;

All but the Care of ARMINE'S Mind,

   The dearest Task a Parent knows!

 

And well were all his Cares repaid;

   In ARMINE'S Breast each Virtue grew,

In full Maturity display'd

   To fond Affection's anxious View.

 

Nor yet neglected were the Charms,

   To polish'd Life that Grace impart;

Virtue, he knew, but feebly warms

   'Till Science humanize the Heart.

 

And when he Saw the lawless Train

   Of Passions in the youthful Breast,

He curb'd them not with rigid Rein,

   But strove to soothe them into Reft.

 

"Think not, my Son, in this," he cry'd,

   "A Father's Precept shall displease:

"No - be each Passion gratify'd

   "That tends to Happiness of Ease.

 

"Nor shall th' ungrateful Task be mine

    "Their native generous Warmth to blame,

"That Warmth if Reason's Suffrage join

   "To point the Object and the Aim.

 

"This Suffrage wanting, know, fond Boy,

   "That every Passion proves a Foe:

"Tho' much it deal in promis'd Joy,

   "It pays, alas! in certain Woe.

 

"Complete Ambition's wildest Scheme;

   "In Power's most brilliant Robes appear;

"Indulge in Fortune's golden Dream;

"Then ask thy Breast if Peace be there:

 

"No: it shall tell thee, Peace retires

    "If once of her lov'd Friends depriv'd;

"Contentment calm, subdued Desires,

   "And Happiness that's self-deriv'd.

 

To temper thus the stronger Fires

   Of Youth he strove, for well he knew,

Boundless as Thought tho' Man's Desires,

   The real Wants of Life were few.

 

And oft revolving in his Breast

   Th' insatiate Lust of Wealth or Fame,

He, with no common Care opprest,

   To Fortune thus would oft exclaim:

 

"O Fortune! at thy crouded Shrine

   "What wretched Worlds of Suppliants bow!

"For ever hail'd thy Power divine,

   "For ever breath'd the Serious Vow.

 

"With tott'ring Pace and feeble Knee,

   "See Age advance in shameless Haste,

"The palsy'd Hand is stretch'd to thee

   "For Wealth he wants the Power to taste.

 

"See, led by Hope the youthful Train,

   "Her fairy Dreams their Hearts have won;

"She points to what they ne'er shall gain,

   "Or dearly gain - to be undone.

 

"Must I too form the votive Prayer,

   "And wilt thou heat one Suppliant more?

"His Prayer, O Fortune! deign to hear,

   "To thee who never pray'd before.

 

"O may one dear, one favour'd Youth,

   "May ARMINE still thy Power disclaim;

"Kneel only at the Shrine of Truth,

"Count Freedom Wealth, and Virtue Fame!"

 

Lo! to his upmost Wishes blest,

   The Prayer was heard; and Freedom's Flame,

And Truth, the Sunshine of the Breast,

   Were ARMINE'S wealth, were ARMINE'S fame.

 

His Heart no Selfish Cares confin'd,

   He felt for all that feel Distress

And, still benevolent and kind,

   He bless'd them, or he wish'd to bless.

 

For what tho' Fortune's Frown deny

   With Wealth to bid the Sufferer live?

Yet Pity's  Hand can oft Supply

    A Balm she never knew to give:

 

Can oft with lenient Drops assuage

    The Wounds no ruder Hand can heal,

When Grief, Despair, Distraction rage,

    While Death the Lips of Love shall seal.

 

And then, his Anguish to remove,

   Depriv'd of all his Heart holds dear,

How sweet the still surviving Love

    Of Friendship's Smile, of Pity's Tear!

 

This knew the Sire: He oft would cry,

    "From these, my Son, O ne'er depart!

"These tender Charities, that tye

    "In mutual League the human Heart.

 

"Be thine those Feelings of the Mind

   "That wake at Honour's, Friendship's Call;

"Benevolence, that unconfin'd

   "Extends her liberal Hand to all.

 

"By Sympathy's untutor'd Voice

   "Be taught her Social Laws to keep;

"Rejoice if human Heart rejoice,

    "And weep if human Eye shall weep.

 

"The Heart that bleeds for others Woes,

   "Shall feel each Selfish Sorrow less;

"His Breast, who Happiness bestows,

    "Reflected Happiness shall bless.

 

"Each ruder Passion still withstood

    "That breaks o'er Virtue's sober Line,

"The Tender, Noble, and the Good

   "To cherish and indulge be thine.

 

 

"And yet, my ARMINE, might I name

    "One Passion as a dangerous Guest;

"Well may'st thou wonder when I blame

   "The Tenderest, Noblest, and the Best.

 

"Nature, 'tis true, with Love design'd

    "To Smooth the Race our Fathers ran;

"The Savage of the human Kind

    "By Love was Soften'd into Man.

 

"As Feels the Ore the Searching Fire,

    "Expanding and refining too,

"So fairer glow's each fair Desire,

    "Each gentle Thought so gentler grew.

 

"How chang'd, alas! those happier Days!

    "A Train how different now Succeeds:

"While sordid Avarice betrays,

   "Or empty Vanity misleads.

 

"Fled from the Heart each nobler Guest,

    "Each genuine Feeling we forego;

"What Nature planted in the Breast,

    "The Flowers of Love are Weeds of Woe.

 

"Hence all the Pangs the Heart must feel

   "Between contending Passions tost,

"Wild Jealousy's avenging Steel,

    "And Life and Fame and Virtue lost!

 

"Yet falling Life, yet fading Fame,

   "Compar'd to what his Heart annoy

"Who cherishes a hopeless Flame,

    "And Terms of Happiness and Joy.

 

"Ah, then the soft Contagion fly!

    "And timely shun th' alluring Bait!"

THe rising Blush, the downcast Eye

   Proclaim'd - The Precept was too late.

 

The End of the First Part