Some twenty Years I think are gone,-- (Time flies, I know not how, away,) The Sun upon no happier shone, Nor prouder Man, than _Eustace Grey_. Ask where you would, and all would say, The Man admir’d and prais’d of all, By Rich and Poor, by Grave and Gay, Was the young Lord of _Greyling Hall_. Yes! I had Youth and rosy Health; Was nobly form’d, as Man might be; For Sickness then, of all my Wealth, I never gave a single Fee: The Ladies fair, the Maidens free, Were all accustom’d then to say, Who would an handsome Figure see, Should look upon Sir _Eustace Grey_. He had a frank and pleasant Look, A cheerful Eye and Accent bland; His very Speech and Manner spoke The generous Heart, the open Hand; About him all was gay or grand, He had the Praise of Great and Small; He bought, improv’d, projected, plann’d, And reign’d a Prince at _Greyling Hall_. My Lady!--she was all we love; All Praise (to speak her Worth) is faint; Her Manners shew’d the yielding Dove, Her Morals, the seraphic Saint; She never breath’d nor look’d Complaint, No Equal upon Earth had she:--- Now, what is this fair Thing I paint? Alas! as all that live, shall be. There was beside, a gallant Youth, And him my Bosom’s Friend, I had:--- Oh!I was rich--in very truth, It made me proud--it made me mad!-- Yes I was lost--but there was Cause!---- Where stood my Tale?--I cannot find-- But I had all Mankind’s Applause, And all the Smiles of Womankind. There were two Cherub-things beside, A gracious Girl, a glorious Boy; Yet more to swell my full-blown Pride, To varnish higher my fading Joy, Pleasures were ours without alloy, Nay Paradise,--- till my frail Eve Our Bliss was tempted to destroy; Deceiv’d and fated to deceive. But I deserv’d; for all that time, When I was lov’d, admir’d, caress’d, There was within, each secret Crime, Unfelt, uncancell’d, unconfess’d; I never then my God address’d, In grateful Praise or humble Prayer; And if His Word was not my Jest! (Dread thought!) it never was my Care. I doubted:--Fool I was to doubt! If that all-piercing Eye could see,-- If He who looks all Worlds throughout, Would so minute and careful be, As to perceive and punish me:-- With Man I would be great and high, But with my GOD so lost, that He, In his large View, should pass me by. Thus blest with Children, Friend, and Wife, Blest far beyond the vulgar Lot; Of all that gladdens human Life, Where was the Good, that I had not? But my vile Heart had sinful Spot, And Heaven beheld its deep’ning Stain, Eternal Justice I forgot, And Mercy, sought not to obtain.