‘Nay, Hannah!’ and she answer’d ‘What is Nay? 60 What is there, pray, so hurtful in a song? It is our fancy only makes it wrong; His purer mind no evil thoughts alarm, And innocence protects him like a charm.’ Then would the matron, when the song had past, And her laugh over, ask an hymn at last; To the coarse jest she would attention lend, And to the pious psalm in reverence bend. She gave her every power and all her mind As chance directed, or as taste inclined. 70 “More of our learning I will now omit: } We had our Cyclopædias of Wit, } And all our works, rare fate, were to our genius fit. } “When I had read, and we were weary grown Of other minds, the dame disclosed her own; And long have I in pleasing terror stay’d } To hear of boys trepann’d, and girls betray’d; } Ashamed so long to stay, and yet to go afraid. } “I could perceive, though Hannah bore full well The ills of life, that few with her would dwell, 80 But pass away, like shadows o’er the plain From flying clouds, and leave it fair again; Still every evil, be it great or small, Would one past sorrow to the mind recal-- The grand disease of life, to which she turns, And common cares and lighter suffering spurns. ‘O! these are nothing,--they will never heed Such idle contests who have fought indeed, And have the wounds unclosed.’--I understood My hint to speak, and my design pursued, 90 Curious the secret of that heart to find, } To mirth, to song, to laughter loud inclined, } And yet to bear and feel a weight of grief behind. } How does she thus her little sunshine throw Always before her?--I should like to know. My friend perceived, and would no longer hide } The bosom’s sorrow--Could she not confide } In one who wept, unhurt--in one who felt, untried? } ‘Dear child, I show you sins and sufferings strange, But you, like Adam, must for knowledge change 100 That blissful ignorance: remember, then, What now you feel should be a check on men; For then your passions no debate allow, And therefore lay up resolution now. ’Tis not enough, that when you can persuade A maid to love, you know there’s promise made; ’Tis not enough, that you design to keep That promise made, nor leave your lass to weep: But you must guard yourself against the sin, And think it such to draw the party in; 110 Nay, the more weak and easy to be won, The viler you who have the mischief done. I am not angry, love; but men should know They cannot always pay the debt they owe Their plighted honour; they may cause the ill They cannot lessen, though they feel a will; For _he_ had truth with love, but love in youth