“Near to my father’s mansion--but apart, I must acknowledge, from my father’s heart-- Dwelt a keen sportsman, in a pleasant seat; Nor met the neighbours as should neighbours meet. To them revenge appear’d a kind of right, 90 A lawful pleasure, an avow’d delight; Their neighbours too blew up their passion’s fire, And urged the anger of each rival-squire; More still their waspish tempers to inflame, A party-spirit, friend of anger, came. Oft would my father cry, ‘that tory-knave, That villain-placeman, would the land enslave.’ Not that his neighbour had indeed a place, But would accept one--that was his disgrace; Who, in his turn, was sure my father plann’d 100 To revolutionize his native land. He dared the most destructive things advance, And even pray’d for liberty to France; Had still good hope that Heaven would grant his prayer, That he might see a revolution there. At this the tory-squire was much perplex’d, ‘Freedom in France!--what will he utter next? Sooner should I in Paris look to see An English army sent their guard to be.’ “My poor mamma, who had her mind subdued 110 By whig-control, and hated every feud, Would have her neighbour met with mind serene; But fiercer spirit fired the tory-queen. My parents both had given her high disgust, Which she resenting said, ‘Revenge is just;’ And till th’ offending parties chose to stoop, She judged it right to keep resentment up; Could she in friendship with a woman live Who could the insult of a man forgive? Did not her husband in a crowded room 120 Once call her idiot, and the thing was dumb? The man’s attack was brutal to be sure, But she no less an idiot to endure. “This lofty dame, with unrelenting soul, Had a fair girl to govern and control; The dear Maria!--whom, when first I met,-- Shame on this weakness! do I feel it yet? “The parents’ anger, you will oft-times see, Prepares the children’s minds for amity; Youth will not enter into such debate, 130 ’Tis not in them to cherish groundless hate; Nor can they feel men’s quarrels or their cares, Of whig or tory, partridges or hares. “Long ere we loved, this gentle girl and I Gave to our parents’ discord many a sigh; It was not ours--and, when the meeting came, It pleased us much to find our thoughts the same; But grief and trouble in our minds arose From the fierce spirits we could not compose; And much it vex’d us that the friends so dear 140 To us should foes among themselves appear. “Such was this maid, the angel of her race, Whom I had loved in any time and place, But in a time and place which chance assign’d, When it was almost treason to be kind; When we had vast impediments in view,