"As I desire to live a virgin life, Nor know the name of mother or of wife. Thy votress from my tender years I am, And love, like thee, the woods and sylvan game. Like death, thou knowest, I loathe the nuptial state, And man, the tyrant of our sex, I hate, A lowly servant, but a lofty mate; Where love is duty on the female side, On theirs mere sensual gust, and sought with surly pride. Now by thy triple shape, as thou art seen In heaven, earth, hell, and everywhere a queen, Grant this my first desire; let discord cease, And make betwixt the rivals lasting peace: Quench their hot fire, or far from me remove The flame, and turn it on some other love; Or if my frowning stars have so decreed, That one must be rejected, one succeed, Make him my lord, within whose faithful breast Is fixed my image, and who loves me best. But oh! even that avert! I choose it not, But take it as the least unhappy lot. A maid I am, and of thy virgin train; Oh, let me still that spotless name retain! Frequent the forests, thy chaste will obey, And only make the beasts of chase my prey!" The flames ascend on either altar clear, While thus the blameless maid addressed her prayer. When lo! the burning fire that shone so bright Flew off, all sudden, with extinguished light, And left one altar dark, a little space, Which turned self-kindled, and renewed the blaze; That other victor-flame a moment stood, Then fell, and lifeless, left the extinguished wood; For ever lost, the irrevocable light Forsook the blackening coals, and sunk to night: At either end it whistled as it flew, And as the brands were green, so dropped the dew, Infected as it fell with sweat of sanguine hue. The maid from that ill omen turned her eyes, And with loud shrieks and clamours rent the skies; Nor knew what signified the boding sign, But found the powers displeased, and feared the wrath divine.