No, let me think my Tracy, when away— For thou must go—still innocent and Gay. Short is the Time; yet for a Month to part Shakes the faint Courage of a Mother’s Heart; But to her aid thy Emely will come And think thee happy while she prays thee home. Our distant friends this Sacrifice demand, E’er the lov’d Maid bestows her promis’d Hand. Court the good Dean! nor be with Ease denied, 200 To come and bless thee with thy matchless Bride! Invite each friend to view thy happy Choice, Nor doubt the favouring Eye, th’approving Voice; For not an Ear will hear, and not an Eye Will see a Charmer like our Emely! But tak’st thou Julian?” “Can I leave behind The only Comfort I can hope to find. Friends thou wilt see; yet them I may mistake, And I am certain of the Friend I take.” “Yet this, my Son, and I will cease to plead: 210 ’Tis not in Youth the secret Soul to read; ’Tis not in Age! for who can hope to scan Man’s latent Thoughts, oft hidden from the Man? ’Tis surely dangerous for the best below A Brother’s Secrets like his own to know; Thy failings, follies, weakness, all to learn And half form’d wishes in their birth discern. [Loves] not thy friend—ah! let me judge him wrong— O’er Wine to sit—nay why that look?—too long? Have I not seen the bright’ning Eye, the Cheek 220 With pleasure fever’d, paint the Judgment weak; And hast not thou, all joyful as thou art, Yet pour’d new spirit on the [bounding] Heart; And art thou, Tracy—I will add no more— Alone, in thought, as happy as before? Is all within so pure, so gay, so bright In thine own feelings and thy Maker’s Sight, As I have known thee? is my Tracy sure?” * * * * * As Water pour’d on Spirits pure and bright Will a faint Heat and turbid Look excite, 230 But, both in Quiet suffer’d to remain, The Heat will fly, and all be pure again: So the cool Speech [in] Tracy’s ardent Mind Rais’d sudden Heat, with turbid thought combin’d. But this not long the filial duty prest On the warm Heart, and gave the Spirit rest. Yet the good Lady in the friend beheld A flaw she fear’d, and had the thought repell’d. So forth they go, with Spirits light and gay, } Friends to invite and favours to convey 240} Against the Gladness of a nuptial day; } To see the Elders of their wealthy race, And all the kindred Tracy to embrace; * * * * *