Canst thou forget what tears that moment fell, When, warm in youth, I bade the world farewell?[629] 110 As with cold lips I kissed the sacred veil,[630] The shrines all trembled, and the lamps grew pale:[631] Heav'n scarce believed the conquest it surveyed, And saints with wonder heard the vows I made. Yet then, to those dread altars as I drew, 115 Not on the cross my eyes were fixed, but you;[632] Not grace, or zeal, love only was my call, And if I lose thy love, I lose my all. Come! with thy looks, thy words, relieve my woe;[633] Those still at least are left thee to bestow.[634] 120 Still on that breast enamoured let me lie, Still drink delicious poison from thy eye,[635] Pant on thy lip, and to thy heart be pressed; Give all thou canst--and let me dream the rest. Ah no! instruct me other joys to prize, 125 With other beauties charm my partial eyes, Full in my view set all the bright abode, And make my soul quit Abelard for God. Ah, think at least thy flock deserves thy care,[636] Plants of thy hand, and children of thy pray'r; 130 From the false world in early youth they fled, By thee to mountains, wilds, and deserts led.[637] You raised these hallowed walls;[638] the desert smiled, And Paradise was opened in the wild.[639] No weeping orphan saw his father's stores 135 Our shrines irradiate, or emblaze the floors:[640] No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n, Here bribed the rage of ill-requited heav'n: But such plain roofs as piety could raise,[641] And only vocal with the Maker's praise.[642] 140 In these lone walls (their day's eternal bound), These moss-grown domes with spiry turrets crowned, Where awful arches make a noon-day night, And the dim windows shed a solemn light,[643] Thy eyes diffused a reconciling ray,[644] 145 And gleams of glory brightened all the day.[645] But now no face divine contentment wears, 'Tis all blank sadness, or continual tears. See how the force of others' pray'rs I try,[646] O pious fraud of am'rous charity! 150 But why should I on others' pray'rs depend?[647] Come thou, my father, brother, husband, friend! Ah, let thy handmaid, sister, daughter, move,[648] And all those tender names in one, thy love![649] The darksome pines that, o'er yon rocks reclined,[650] 155 Wave high, and murmur to the hollow wind,[651] The wand'ring streams that shine between the hills,[652] The grots that echo to the tinkling rills,[653] The dying gales that pant upon the trees,[654] The lakes that quiver to the curling breeze;[655] 160 No more these scenes my meditation aid,