| |
| NATURE, 1 fair creature! when she form’d thy mind, | |
| Form’d thee a fit companion for mankind: | |
| Not merely to excite love’s genial fire; | |
| And with a flood of joy to quench desire: | |
| Nor wantonly to sport the hours away; | 5 |
| Nor, like a slave, man’s lawless will obey; | |
| But to assist him in life’s num’rous toils; | |
| To cheer him in misfortune with your smiles; | |
| To soothe his breast when troubles overbear; | |
| And with your love to recompense his care: | 10 |
| To raise his drooping spirits in distress; | |
| And with your own promote his happiness. | |
| But who is she whom every grace surrounds; | |
| Whom every grace with all that’s lovely crowns; | |
| By nature form’d to touch a gen’rous breast; | 15 |
| By nature form’d to make man amply blest? | |
| Yonder she walks along in virgin bloom: | |
| And where she walks the rose’s sweets perfume. | |
| See from her presence fly ill-boding fear; | |
| And every gloom before her disappear! | 20 |
| See innocence with cheerfulness combine, | |
| Sit on her brow, and in her actions shine! | |
| See modesty adorn her lovely cheek, | |
| And in her language and behaviour speak! | |
| See temp’rance in due bounds restrain desire; | 25 |
| And give a check to passion’s lawless fire! | |
| Humility and meekness, round her head, | |
| Are as a crown of circling glory spread: | |
| Discretion ripens with her growing years, | |
| And on her brow in sceptred state appears: | 30 |
| When scandal tarnishes a rising name, | |
| And throws from tongue to tongue her neighbor’s fame, | |
| Her soul disdains to spread the scandal round; | |
| And, far from wid’ning, strives to heal the wound. | |
| Unrival’d goodness warms her gen’rous breast; | 35 |
| And there—its native home—takes up its rest: | |
| O’er her it bears so uncontroll’d a sway, | |
| She thinks all nature does its laws obey: | |
| She harbors no suspicion in her mind; | |
| But judges by herself of all mankind. | 40 |
| These virtues, with a graceful freedom crown’d, | |
| Spread far and wide her character around. | |
| Among her virtues prudence bears the sway, | |
| And shines abroad with a distinguish’d ray. | |
| In all she does, it uniformly guides; | 45 |
| And o’er her conduct constantly presides. | |
| Softness and love with a majestic mien, | |
| Speak in her eye, and in her looks are seen. | |
| Her tongue harmonious music warbles round; | |
| And on her lips is honey’s sweetness found. | 50 |
| Sacred to truth, and by its laws confined, | |
| Her lips impart the language of her mind. | |
| With a becoming grace her words appear; | |
| And, like her honest heart, are all sincere. | |
| By custom and example undecoy’d, | 55 |
| With cheerful mind she keeps herself employ’d: | |
| Each day’s revolving sun her task renews; | |
| Nor does her hand the welcome task refuse: | |
| To that—her mind so uniformly bends; | |
| To that, with so much constancy attends; | 60 |
| That morning visits (destined to amuse; | |
| To talk of dress, laced waistcoats, and the news; | |
| To spread the scandal of the night before; | |
| And, that once done, prepare the way for more) | |
| Ne’er interrupt the business of the day; | 65 |
| Nor by their levity her mind betray: | |
| Much less shall rabbles, which the sex debase, | |
| Or routs, or drums her character disgrace. | |
| By wisdom sway’d, she thus her hours employs; | |
| And thus employ’d, a tranquil mind enjoys: | 70 |
| A tranquil mind—that very far outweighs | |
| The applause of crowds; and even her own just praise. | |
| Thus fame from such a course of action springs; | |
| And bears her high upon its rapid wings; | |
| Thus fame, thus inward peace—so heaven ordains— | 75 |
| Flows from one source, and lasting strength obtains. | |
