To wing his sure resistless dart, Where all its force is known; And rule the undivided heart Despotic, and alone. Young Edwin charm'd her gentle breast, Tho' scanty all his store; No hoarded treasures he possest, Yet he could boast of more. For he could boast the lib'ral heart; And honour, sense, and truth, Unwarp'd by vanity or art, Adorn'd the gen'rous youth. The maxims of a servile age, The mean, the selfish care, The sordid views, that now engage The mercenary pair; Whom riches can unite, or part, To them were still unknown; For then the sympathetic heart Was join'd by love alone. They little knew, that wealth had power To make the constant rove; They little knew the weighty dower Could add one bliss to love. Her virtues every charm improv'd, Or made those charms more dear; For surely virtue to be lov'd Has only to appear. Domestic bliss, unvex'd by strife, Beguil'd the circling hours; She, who on every path of life Can shed perennial flowers. Eltruda, o'er the distant mead, Would haste, at closing day, And to the bleating mother lead The lamb, that chanc'd to stray. For the bruis'd insect on the waste, A sigh would heave her breast; And oft her careful hand replac'd The linnet's falling nest. To her, sensations calm as these Could sweet delight impart; These simple pleasures most can please The uncorrupted heart. Full oft with eager step she flies To cheer the roofless cot, Where the lone widow breathes her sighs, And wails her desp'rate lot. Their weeping mother's trembling knees, Her lisping infants clasp; Their meek, imploring look she sees, She feels their tender grasp. Wild throbs her aching bosom swell-- They mark the bursting sigh, (Nature has form'd the soul to feel) They weep, unknowing why. Her hands the lib'ral boon impart, And much her tear avails To raise the mourner's drooping heart, Where feeble utterance fails. On the pale cheek, where hung the tear Of agonizing woe, She bids the cheerful bloom appear, The tear of rapture flow. Thus on soft wing the moments flew, (Tho' love implor'd their stay) While some new virtue rose to view, And mark'd each fleeting day. The youthful poet's soothing dream Of golden ages past; The muse's fond, ideal theme, Was realiz'd at last. But vainly here we hope, that bliss Unchanging will endure; Ah, in a world so vain as this, What heart can rest secure! For now arose the fatal day For civil discord fam'd; When _York_, from _Lancaster's_ proud sway, The regal sceptre claim'd. Each moment now the horrors brought Of desolating rage; The fam'd atchievements now were wrought, That swell th' historic page. The good old Albert pants, again To dare the hostile field, The cause of Henry to maintain, For him, the launce to wield. But oh, a thousand gen'rous ties, That bind the hero's soul; A thousand tender claims arise, And Edwin's breast controul.