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      Hence thou lingerer, Light!

       Eve saddens into Night.

      Mother of wildly-working dreams! we view 75

       The sombre hours, that round thee stand

       With downcast eyes (a duteous band!)

      Their dark robes dripping with the heavy dew.

       Sorceress of the ebon throne!

       Thy power the Pixies own, 80

       When round thy raven brow

       Heaven’s lucent roses glow,

       And clouds in watery colours drest

       Float in light drapery o’er thy sable vest:

       What time the pale moon sheds a softer day 85

       Mellowing the woods beneath its pensive beam:

       For mid the quivering light ‘tis ours to play,

       Aye dancing to the cadence of the stream.

      VIII

      Welcome, Ladies! to the cell

       Where the blameless Pixies dwell: 90

      But thou, Sweet Nymph! proclaim’d our Faery Queen,

       With what obeisance meet

       Thy presence shall we greet?

      For lo! attendant on thy steps are seen

       Graceful Ease in artless stole, 95

       And white-robed Purity of soul,

       With Honour’s softer mien;

       Mirth of the loosely-flowing hair,

      And meek-eyed Pity eloquently fair,

       Whose tearful cheeks are lovely to the view, 100

       As snow-drop wet with dew.

      IX

      Unboastful Maid! though now the Lily pale

       Transparent grace thy beauties meek;

      Yet ere again along the impurpling vale,

      The purpling vale and elfin-haunted grove, 105

      Young Zephyr his fresh flowers profusely throws,

       We’ll tinge with livelier hues thy cheek;

      And, haply, from the nectar-breathing Rose

       Extract a Blush for Love!

      THE ROSE

      As late each flower that sweetest blows

      I pluck’d, the Garden’s pride!

      Within the petals of a Rose

      A sleeping Love I spied.

      Around his brows a beamy wreath 5

      Of many a lucent hue;

      All purple glow’d his cheek, beneath,

      Inebriate with dew.

      I softly seiz’d the unguarded Power,

      Nor scared his balmy rest: 10

      And placed him, caged within the flower,

      On spotless Sara’s breast.

      But when unweeting of the guile

      Awoke the prisoner sweet,

      He struggled to escape awhile 15

      And stamp’d his faery feet.

      Ah! soon the soul-entrancing sight

      Subdued the impatient boy!

      He gazed! he thrill’d with deep delight!

      Then clapp’d his wings for joy. 20

      ‘And O!’ he cried—’Of magic kind

      What charms this Throne endear!

      Some other Love let Venus find —

      I’ll fix my empire here.’

      KISSES

      Cupid, if storying Legends tell aright,

      Once fram’d a rich Elixir of Delight.

      A Chalice o’er love-kindled flames he fix’d,

      And in it Nectar and Ambrosia mix’d:

      With these the magic dews which Evening brings, 5

      Brush’d from the Idalian star by faery wings:

      Each tender pledge of sacred Faith he join’d,

      Each gentler Pleasure of th’ unspotted mind —

      Daydreams, whose tints with sportive brightness glow,

      And Hope, the blameless parasite of Woe. 10

      The eyeless Chemist heard the process rise,

      The steamy Chalice bubbled up in sighs;

      Sweet sounds transpired, as when the enamour’d Dove

      Pours the soft murmuring of responsive Love.

      The finish’d work might Envy vainly blame, 15

      And ‘Kisses’ was the precious Compound’s name.

      With half the God his Cyprian Mother blest,

      And breath’d on Sara’s lovelier lips the rest.

      THE GENTLE LOOK

      Thou gentle Look, that didst my soul beguile,

       Why hast thou left me? Still in some fond dream

      Revisit my sad heart, auspicious Smile!

       As falls on closing flowers the lunar beam:

      What time, in sickly mood, at parting day 5

       I lay me down and think of happier years;

      Of joys, that glimmer’d in Hope’s twilight ray,

       Then left me darkling in a vale of tears.

      O pleasant days of Hope — for ever gone!

       Could I recall you! — But that thought is vain. 10

      Availeth not Persuasion’s sweetest tone

       To lure the fleet-wing’d Travellers back again:

      Yet fair, though faint, their images shall gleam

      Like the bright Rainbow on a willowy stream.

      SONNET: TO THE RIVER OTTER

      Dear native Brook! wild Streamlet of the West!

       How many various-fated years have past,

       What happy and what mournful hours, since last

      I skimm’d the smooth thin stone along thy breast,

      Numbering its light leaps! yet so deep imprest 5

      Sink the sweet scenes of childhood, that mine eyes

       I never shut amid the sunny ray,

      But straight with all their tints thy waters rise,

       Thy crossing plank, thy marge with willows grey,

      And bedded sand that vein’d with various dyes 10

      Gleam’d through thy bright transparence! On my way,

       Visions of Childhood! oft have ye beguil’d

      Lone manhood’s cares, yet waking fondest sighs:

       Ah! that once more I were a careless Child!

      FIRST DRAFT: AN EFFUSION AT EVENING

      WRITTEN IN AUGUST, 1792

      Imagination, Mistress of my Love!

      Where shall mine Eye thy elfin haunt explore?

      Dost thou on yon rich Cloud thy pinions bright

      Embathe

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