ΤΟ

*******

On seeing her with a white veil and a rich girdle.

PUT off the vestal veil, nor, oh!
Let weeping angels view it;
Your cheeks belie its virgin snow,
And blush repenting through it.

Put off the fatal zone you wear:
The lucid gems around it

Are tears, that fell from Virtue there,
The hour that Love unbound it.

THE

RESEMBLANCE.

-vo cercand' io

Donna, quant'è possibile, in altrui
La desiata vostra forma vera.

PETRARC. Sonett. 14.

YES, if 'twere any common love
That led my pliant heart astray,

I grant, there's not a power above
Could wipe the faithless crime away!

But, 'twas my doom to err with one
In every look so like to thee,
That, oh! beneath the blessed sun,

So fair there are but thou and she!

She was thy lovely, perfect twin, And wore the only shape on earth

That could have charm'd my soul to sin!

Your eyes! the eyes of languid doves
Were never half so like each other!
The glances of the baby loves

Resemble less their warm-ey'd mother!

Her lip!-oh, call me not false-hearted,
When such a lip I fondly prest;
'Twas Love some melting cherry parted
Gave thee half and her the rest!

And when, with all thy murmuring tone, They sued half-open to be kist,

I could as soon resist thine own,

And them, heaven knows! I ne'er resist.

Then, scorn me not, though false I be, 'Twas love that wak'd the dear excess; My heart had been more true to thee,

Had mine eye priz'd thy beauty less!

ΤΟ

***** ***

WHEN I lov'd you, I can't but allow,
I had many an exquisite minute;
But the scorn that I feel for you now
Hath even more luxury in it!

Thus, whether we're on or we're off, Some witchery seems to await you; To love you is pleasant enough,

And, oh! 'tis delicious to hate you!

FROM THE

GREEK OF MELEAGER.*

FILL high the cup with liquid flame,

And speak my HELIODORA's name!
Repeat its magic o'er and o'er,
And let the sound my lips adore,
Sweeten the breeze, and mingling swim
On every bowl's voluptuous brim!

Give me the wreath that withers there;
It was but last delicious night

It hung upon her wavy hair,

And caught her eyes' reflected light!
Oh! haste, and twine it round my brow;
It breathes of HELIODORA now!

* Εγχεί, και παλιν είπε, παλιν, παλιν, Ηλιοδώρας
Είπε, συν ακρητω το γλυκο μισγ' ονομα.
Και μοι τον βρεχθεντα μυροις και χθιζον εοντα,
Μναμοσυνον κείνας, αμφιτιθεί σεφανον
Δακρύει φιλερασον ιδε ροδον, ἕνεκα κειναν

Αλλοθι και κολποις ημετεροις εσορά.

Brunck. Analect. tom. I, p. 28.