O soul of all my wishes! I replied, Can that soft fabric stem Affliction’s tide? Canst thou, bright pattern of exalted truth, To sorrow doom the summer of thy youth, And I, ingrateful! all that sweetness see Consigned to lasting misery for me? Sooner this moment may th’ Eternal doom Palemon in the silent earth entomb; Attest, thou moon, fair regent of the night! Whose lustre sickens at this mournful sight: By all the pangs divided lovers feel, Which sweet possession only knows to heal: By all the horrors brooding o’er the deep, Where fate, and ruin, sad dominion keep; Though tyrant duty o’er me threatening stands, And claims obedience to her stern commands, Should fortune, cruel or auspicious prove, Her smile, or frown, shall never change my love; My heart, that now must every joy resign, Incapable of change, is only thine. “Oh cease to weep, this storm will yet decay, And the sad clouds of sorrow melt away: While through the rugged path of life we go, All mortals taste the bitter draught of woe. The famed and great, decreed to equal pain, Full oft in splendid wretchedness complain: For this, prosperity, with brighter ray, In smiling contrast gilds our vital day. Thou too, sweet maid! ere twice ten months are o’er } Shall hail Palemon to his native shore, } Where never interest shall divide us more.— } “Her struggling soul, o’erwhelmed with tender grief, Now found an interval of short relief: So melts the surface of the frozen stream Beneath the wintry sun’s departing beam. With cruel haste the shades of night withdrew, And gave the signal of a sad adieu: As on my neck th’ afflicted maiden hung, A thousand racking doubts her spirit wrung; She wept the terrors of the fearful wave, Too oft, alas! the wandering lover’s grave: With soft persuasion I dispelled her fear, And from her cheek beguiled the falling tear, While dying fondness languished in her eyes, She poured her soul to heaven in suppliant sighs: ‘Look down with pity, O ye powers above! Who hear the sad complaint of bleeding love; Ye, who the secret laws of fate explore, Alone can tell if he returns no more; Or if the hour of future joy remain, Long-wished atonement of long-suffered pain, Bid every guardian minister attend, And from all ill the much-loved youth defend.’ With grief o’erwhelmed we parted twice in vain, And, urged by strong attraction, met again. At last, by cruel fortune torn apart While tender passion beat in either heart, Our eyes transfixed with agonizing look, One sad farewell, one last embrace we took. Forlorn of hope the lovely maid I left, Pensive and pale, of every joy bereft: She to her silent couch retired to weep, Whilst I embarked, in sadness, on the deep.”