The pair must love whenever they should meet; Then, ere the widow or her son should choose Some happier maid, he would explain his views. Now she, like him, was politic and shrewd, With strong desire of lawful gain embued; To all he said, she bow’d with much respect, Pleased to comply, yet seeming to reject; Cool, and yet eager, each admired the strength 180 Of the opponent, and agreed at length. As a drawn battle shows to each a force, Powerful as his, he honours it of course: So in these neighbours, each the power discern’d, And gave the praise that was to each return’d. Jonas now ask’d his daughter; and the aunt, Though loth to lose her, was obliged to grant.-- But would not Sybil to the matron cling, And fear to leave the shelter of her wing? No! in the young there lives a love of change, 190 And to the easy they prefer the strange! Then too the joys she once pursued with zeal, From whist and visits sprung, she ceased to feel; When with the matrons Sybil first sat down, To cut for partners and to stake her crown, This to the youthful maid preferment seem’d, Who thought [that] woman she was then esteem’d; But in few years, when she perceived, indeed, The real woman to the girl succeed, No longer tricks and honours fill’d her mind, 200 But other feelings, not so well defined. She then reluctant grew, and thought it hard, To sit and ponder o’er an ugly card; Rather the nut-tree shade the nymph preferr’d, Pleased with the pensive gloom and evening bird; Thither, from company retired, she took The silent walk, or read the fav’rite book. The father’s letter, sudden, short, and kind, Awaked her wonder, and disturb’d her mind; She found new dreams upon her fancy seize, 210 Wild roving thoughts and endless reveries. The parting came;--and, when the aunt perceived The tears of Sybil, and how much she grieved, To love for her that tender grief she laid, That various, soft, contending passions made. When Sybil rested in her father’s arms, His pride exulted in a daughter’s charms; A maid accomplish’d he was pleased to find, Nor seem’d the form more lovely than the mind. But when the fit of pride and fondness fled, 220 He saw his judgment by his hopes misled; High were the lady’s spirits, far more free Her mode of speaking than a maid’s should be; Too much, as Jonas thought, she seem’d to know, And all her knowledge was disposed to show: “Too gay her dress, like theirs who idly dote On a young coxcomb, or a coxcomb’s coat; In foolish spirits when our friends appear, And vainly grave when not a man is near.” Thus Jonas, adding to his sorrow blame, 230 And terms disdainful to his sister’s name:-- “The sinful wretch has by her arts defiled