All we abhor, abominate, condemn-- The look of scorn, the scowl, th’ insulting leer Of shame, all fix’d on her who ventures here. 660 Yet all she braved! she kept her stedfast eye On the dear cause, and brush’d the baseness by. So would a mother press her darling child Close to her breast, with tainted rags defiled. But thou hast talents truly! say, the ten: Come, let us look at their improvement then. What hast thou done to aid thy suffering kind, To help the sick, the deaf, the lame, the blind? Hast thou not spent thy intellectual force On books abstruse, in critical discourse? 670 Wasting in useless energy thy days, And idly listening to their common praise, Who can a kind of transient fame dispense, And say--“a woman of exceeding sense.” Thus tried, and failing, the suggestions fled, And a corrected spirit reign’d instead. My mother yet was living; but the flame Of life now flash’d, and fainter then became; I made it pleasant, and was pleased to see A parent looking as a child to me. 680 And now our humble place grew wond’rous gay; } Came gallant persons in their red array: } All strangers welcome there, extremely welcome they. } When in the church I saw inquiring eyes Fix’d on my face with pleasure and surprise; And soon a knocking at my door was heard; And soon the lover of my youth appear’d-- Frederick, in all his glory, glad to meet, And say, “his happiness was now complete.” He told his flight from superstitious zeal; 690 But first what torments he was doom’d to feel: The tender tears he saw from women fall-- The strong persuasions of the brethren all-- The threats of crazed enthusiasts, bound to keep The struggling mind, and awe the straying sheep-- From these, their love, their curses, and their creed, Was I by reason and exertion freed. Then, like a man who often had been told And was convinced success attends the bold, His former purpose he renew’d, and swore 700 He never loved me half so well before: Before he felt a something to divide The heart, that now had not a love beside. In earlier times had I myself amused, And first my swain perplex’d, and then refused-- Cure for conceit; but now in purpose grave, Strong and decisive the reply I gave. Still he would come, and talk as idlers do, Both of his old associates and his new; Those who their dreams and reveries receive 710 For facts, and those who would not facts believe. He now conceived that truth was hidden, placed He knew not where, she never could be traced; But that in every place, the world around, Might some resemblance of the nymph be found. Yet wise men knew these shadows to be vain,