sound more ravishing, a voice that sung these words: Alas, in vain, you pow’rs above, You gave me youth, you gave me charms, And ev’ry tender sense of love; To destine me to old _Phileno_’. arms. Ah how can youth’s gay spring allow The chilling kisses of the winter’s snow! All night I languish by his side, And fancy joys I never taste; As men in dreams a feast provide, And waking find, with grief they fast. Either, ye gods, my youthful fires allay, Or make the old _Phileno_ young and gay. Like a fair flower in shades obscurity, Though every sweet adorns my head, Ungather’d, unadmired I lie, And wither on my silent gloomy bed, While no kind aids to my relief appear, And no kind bosom makes me triumph there. By this you may easily guess, as I soon did, that the song was sung by Madam the Countess of _Clarinau_, as indeed it was; at the very beginning of her song my joyful soul divined it so! I rose, and advanced by such slow degrees, as neither alarmed the fair singer, nor hindered me the pleasure of hearing any part of the song, till I approached so near as (behind the shelter of some jessamine that divided us) I, unseen, completed those wounds at my eyes, which I had received before at my ears. Yes, _Octavio_, I saw the lovely _Clarinau_ leaning on a pillow made of some of those jessamines which favoured me, and served her for a canopy. But, oh my friend! How shall I present her to thee in that angel form she then appeared to me? All young! All ravishing as new-born light to lost benighted travellers; her face, the fairest in the world, was adorned with curls of shining jet, tied up--I know not how, all carelessly with scarlet ribbon mixed with pearls; her robe was gay and rich, such as young royal brides put on when they undress for joys; her eyes were black, the softest heaven ever made; her mouth was sweet, and formed for all delight; so red her lips, so round, so graced with dimples, that without one other charm, that was enough to kindle warm desires about a frozen heart; a sprightly air of wit completed all, increased my flame, and made me mad with love: endless it were to tell thee all her beauties: nature all over was lavish and profuse, let it suffice, her face, her shape, her mien, had more of angel in them than humanity! I saw her thus all charming! Thus she lay! A smiling melancholy dressed her eyes, which she had fixed upon the rivulet, near which I found her lying; just such I fancied famed _Lucretia_ was, when _Tarquin_ first beheld her; nor was that royal ravisher more inflamed than I, or readier for the encounter. Alone she was, which heightened my desires; oh gods! Alone lay the young lovely charmer, with wishing eyes, and all prepared for love! The shade was gloomy, and the tell-tale leaves combined so close, they must have given us warning if any had approached from either side! All favoured my design, and I advanced; but with such