EVENING
.
GERTRUDE
.
IN
clouds
drew
on
the
evening's
close
,
Which
cross
the
west
in
ranges
stood
,
As
pensive
GERTRUDE
sought
the
wood
,
And
there
the
darkest
thicket
chose
;
While
from
her
eyes
amid
the
wild
briar
flows
A
sad
and
briny
flood
.
Dark
o'er
her
head
Roll'd
heavy
clouds
,
while
showers
,
Pefum'd
by
summer's
wild
and
spicy
flowers
,
Their
ample
torrents
shed
.
Why
does
she
mourn
?
Why
droop
,
like
flowret
nipp'd
in
early
spring
?
Alas
!
her
tenderness
meets
no
return
!
Love
hovers
round
her
with
his
airy
wing
,
And
warms
her
youthful
heart
with
vain
delight
:
While
URBAN's
graceful
form
enchants
her
sight
,
And
from
his
eyes
shoots
forth
the
poisonous
sting
,
Another's
charms
th'
impassion'd
youth
imspir'd
,
The
sportive
ROSAMONDE
his
genius
fir'd
.
The
drops
which
glide
down
GERTRUDE'S
cheeks
,
Mid
bitter
agonies
did
flow
;
And
though
awhile
her
pallid
lips
might
glow
,
'Twas
as
a
blossom
blighted
soon
with
woe
:
Her
disregarded
tresses
,
wet
with
tears
,
Hung
o'er
her
panting
bosom
straight
and
sleek
;
Her
faithful
heart
was
all
despondency
and
fears
.
The
skies
disgorg'd
,
their
last
large
drops
refrain
,
The
cloudy
hemisphere's
no
more
perturb'd
;
The
leafy
boughs
,
that
had
receiv'd
the
rain
,
With
gusts
of
wind
disturb'd
,
Shake
wild
their
scattering
drops
o'er
glade
and
plain
;
They
fall
on
GERTRUDE'S
breast
,
and
her
white
garments
stain
.
Sighing
,
she
threw
her
mantle
o'er
her
head
,
And
through
the
brakes
towards
her
mansion
sped
;
Unheedingly
her
vestments
drew
along
,
Sweeping
the
tears
that
to
the
branches
hung
:
And
as
she
pass'd
O'er
the
soak'd
road
,
from
off
the
shining
grass
,
In
clods
around
her
feet
the
moist
earth
clung
.
The
clouds
dispers'd
,
again
to
sight
The
evening
sun
glow'd
lambent
bright
;
And
forcing
back
the
lowering
shades
,
Spread
its
enlivening
beams
,
and
kindled
mid
the
glades
:
With
high-wrought
verdure
every
object
glow'd
,
And
purple
hills
their
glittering
mansions
show'd
.
The
universal
gleam
invites
to
sport
,
For
toil
and
care
cease
with
the
ebbing
day
;
Th'
industrious
youths
to
plains
or
groves
resort
,
Dance
on
the
lawn
,
or
o'er
the
hillocks
stray
.
GERTRUDE
,
wandering
up
a
lane
,
From
among
the
winding
trees
,
Fann'd
by
a
refreshing
breeze
,
Ascends
upon
the
glistening
plain
.
Across
gay
Iris
flung
her
bow
,
Reflecting
each
celestial
ray
;
As
if
the
flowers
that
deck'd
the
May
Were
there
exhal'd
,
and
through
its
watery
pores
did
glow
.
From
a
fair
covert
,
URBAN'S
gay
resort
,
A
whistling
pipe
in
warbling
notes
respir'd
;
The
well-known
sound
invites
each
youth
to
sport
,
And
every
heart
its
harmony
inspir'd
;
While
from
each
mead
,
So
thick
with
daisies
spread
,
The
bounding
nymphs
with
fairy
lightness
sprung
,
And
gayly
wild
their
sportive
sonnets
sung
;
The
air
was
scented
by
the
odorous
flowers
,
Bright
sprinkled
with
the
dew
of
fresh-fall'n
show'rs
.
Of
lively
grace
,
and
dimpled
smiles
,
Slim
CYNTHIA
,
the
refin'd
,
Came
,
with
neat
PHILLIS
,
full
of
tricksome
wiles
;
While
SILVIUS
stroll'd
behind
,
Chas'd
by
the
marble-hearted
ROSALIND
:
The
loud
and
witty
large-mouth'd
MADGE
,
With
her
obsequious
servant
HODGE
.
Blythe
from
the
mill
,
which
briskly
turning
round
Made
the
young
zephyrs
breathe
a
rural
sound
,
Leap'd
CHARLES
,
gay
glowing
with
industrious
heat
,
Active
to
lead
in
every
rustic
feat
:
Back
from
his
brows
he
shook
his
wavy
locks
,
And
turning
quick
his
lively
eyes
,
His
lovely
,
modest
PEGGY
spies
,
Returning
with
her
aged
father's
flocks
.
Straight
with
his
hand
he
gave
his
heart
sincere
,
Devoid
of
order
danc'd
,
and
whistled
loud
and
clear
.
HEBE
,
a
blooming
,
sprightly
fair
,
With
shallow
HED
,
an
ill-match'd
pair
;
Simple
DAPHNE
,
rosy
JOHN
,
And
ever-blundering
HELESON
:
From
a
large
mansion
,
gloom'd
by
shading
trees
,
Forth
sprung
the
star-ey'd
LUISSE
;
Graceful
her
tresses
flow'd
around
,
Like
scatter'd
clouds
,
that
catch
the
moon's
pale
beams
;
Scarcely
she
seem'd
to
touch
the
verdant
ground
,
But
,
as
inspired
,
along
the
plain
she
streams
.
More
join
the
flock
;
-
they
spring
in
air
,
Light
as
wing'd
doves
,
and
like
to
doves
they
pair
;
The
sun's
last
ray
now
linger'd
o'er
their
head
,
And
sweets
delectable
around
were
spread
.
Poor
GERTRUDE
,
hid
amongst
the
trees
,
survey'd
Each
ardent
youth
,
each
blooming
maid
;
And
as
she
gaz'd
,
Pleasure
by
slow
degrees
within
her
senses
steals
:
Her
eyes
,
with
tears
impearl'd
,
she
rais'd
,
Her
heart
each
sweet
sensation
feels
;
Lightly
her
feet
the
grassy
meadows
tread
,
While
music's
power
deludes
her
from
her
cares
;
Among
the
nymphs
,
by
its
soft
influence
led
,
Her
sympathetic
breast
their
raptures
shares
.
Thus
while
she
felt
,
and
join'd
the
lively
throng
,
Lo
!
quick
ascends
the
plain
The
glory
of
each
swain
,
URBAN
,
with
sportive
song
,
Whose
chearful
notes
in
frolic
measures
fled
;
While
ROSAMONDE
,
Fleet-footed
,
glowing
ROSAMONDE
,
he
led
:
The
rapture
of
the
lark
her
voice
sent
forth
,
Too
well
,
ah
!
GERTRUDE
knew
its
worth
;
Dire
tremblings
soon
her
spirits
seize
:
Could
she
,
vain
untaught
nymph
,
aspire
to
please
?
Her
body
owns
no
grace
,
No
smiles
,
no
dimples
,
deck
her
eyes
or
face
:
She
feels
that
she
has
nought
to
prize
;
Yet
,
totally
devoid
of
art
,
Expression's
charm
was
her's
,
with
beaming
eyes
,
A
voice
far-reaching
,
and
a
feeling
heart
.
She
turn'd
around
-
The
flying
breezes
loosen'd
to
the
air
Her
ill-beseeming
vests
,
her
scatter'd
hair
:
So
sad
she
look'd
,
so
artless
was
her
woe
,
As
from
a
thinking
mind
had
drawn
a
tear
;
But
joy
through
every
vein
had
stole
,
And
mirth
shut
out
the
sympathetic
glow
.
The
heart's
gay
dance
admits
of
no
controul
,
Sweet
joys
but
seldom
through
our
senses
steal
;
Tis
pity
then
we
should
forget
to
feel
.
Gay
wicked
wit
amid
the
circles
spread
,
And
wanton
round
the
lively
sallies
sped
;
Each
neat-trimm'd
maiden
laugh'd
with
playful
glee
,
Whom
whispering
swains
divert
with
mimickry
.
Fair
ROSAMONDE
,
whose
rival
bosom
burn'd
,
With
taunting
mirth
directs
young
URBAN'S
eyes
;
He
,
with
mischievous
archness
,
smiles
return'd
,
Amid
whose
circles
wounding
satires
rise
;
Their
sportive
feet
still
beat
the
flowery
ground
,
While
wicked
looks
,
and
jests
,
and
jeers
went
round
.
Pierc'd
by
their
insults
,
stung
with
bitter
smart
,
Sad
fell
poor
GERTRUDE'S
tears
,
high
heav'd
her
heart
.
Distant
she
flew
,
and
siting
on
a
stone
,
Conceal'd
,
gave
sorrow
vent
,
and
wept
alone
:
Till
'mid
her
grief
,
a
virtuous
just
disdain
Came
to
her
aid
,
and
made
her
bosom
glow
;
With
shame
she
burns
,
she
blushes
at
her
woe
,
And
wonders
at
her
weakness
and
her
pain
.
"
Unhappy
maid
!
"
she
cry'd
,
"
thou
art
to
blame
,
"
Thus
to
expose
thy
virtuous
breast
to
shame
:
"
Poor
heart
!
thy
love
is
laugh'd
at
for
its
truth
;
"
Yet
'tis
a
holy
treasure
,
though
disdain'd
,
"
And
wantonly
by
thoughtlessness
profan'd
;
"
Ah!
why
then
waste
the
blessings
of
thy
youth
?
"
No
more
fair
reason's
sacred
light
despise
;
"
Thy
heart
may
blessings
find
"
That
dwell
not
in
the
eyes
,
"
But
in
the
virtues
of
the
feeling
mind
.
"