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59

THE ZEPHYRS.

Tale the First.

Sporting o'er a smiling bow'r
Gay with ev'ry vernal dye,
Rich with every scented flow'r,
Two familiar zephyrs fly:
Ariel that the zephyr's name,
And the soft Amato this;
None who cool the noon-tide flame
Breathe so sweet the temp'ring bliss.
“Tell me, brother,” Ariel cries,
“How thy soft delicious gale
“Mine in sweetness so outvies—
“Richer flow'rs you can't exhale.
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“Lovely rose, as I pass by,
“Turns to me her blushing lip;
“Violet greets me with a sigh;
“Lily's fragrant soul I sip.
“These, enamour'd all of me,
“All their treasur'd sweetness yield.
“Say what blossoms breathe for thee,
“That my sweets are thus excell'd?”
With a smile, he thus replies:
“I round lovely Delia fly;
“Watch her breasts, and when they rise
“Press her lips, and catch the sigh.”
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Tale the Second.

Drooping on a mossy bank,
Odorus the zephyr lay;
Round about the bushes dank
Mourn'd their dews not brush'd away.
Sportive Ariel, brisk and light,
Flitting to the river's side,
Saw, and stopp'd awhile his flight,
His untoward sloth to chide.
“Lazy son of vernal air,
“Dost thou thus in sloth recline,
“Whilst forlorn thy slighted care
“For the wish'd refreshment pine?”
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“Chide not,” sighing, Odor cries,
“For I droop by Cupid's pow'r:
“Aura sweet my suit denies;—
“Aura of yon jasmine bow'r.
“She to whom fair Flora gave
“All its mantling sprays to guide,
“From unwholesome blights to save,
“Wake its bloom and scented pride.”
“Silly zephyr, rise, I say,”
Smiling Ariel made reply;
“Brush these idle dews away,
“Then to gentle Aura fly.
“Yet again her breast assail,
“Nor for one denial droop:
“Frequent vows at last prevail.
“Gentle Odor rise and hope.”
Lightly from each circling bush
Odor brush'd the lazy dew,
Fanning wak'd each roses blush,
And to gentle Aura flew.
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She with open arm receiv'd,
And with kisses met his kiss;
All his tender fears reliev'd,
Melting in extatic bliss.
“Why,” he said, “did Aura chide,
“Yester noon, her love away?”
“Grief had seiz'd me,” she replied,
“Worms had kill'd my fav'rite spray.
“But to-day has happy been
“Ev'ry tendril to improve;
“Pleasure therefore smooths my mien,
“And my soul's attun'd to love.”
Thus it is with all the sex:
Slaves to ev'ry varying wind,
They their lovers please or vex
As by chance or whim inclin'd.
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Tale the Third.

“Pretty youth, whose painted wings
“Glitter in the noon-tide ray,
“From whose motion coolness springs,
“Tempering soft the glowing day!
“Whether now, in happy hour,
“Briskly flitting thro' the air,
“Dost thou all this scented show'r,
“All these vernal treasures bear?
“Blushing roses, jasmine white,
“Primrose sweet, and violet blue,
“Mantling woodbine, lily bright,
“Cowslip yielding honied dew.
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“These, to form a secret bow'r,
“Dost thou happy zephyr bear;
“Where thou may'st recline an hour
“With some lov'd and loving fair?”
On a fleecy cloud reclining,
Gaily tipt with Phœbus' ray,
(Bright above, the welkin shining)
Thus did zephyr Aura say:
“Gentle fair, whose sweeter sigh
“Fans so oft the verdant grove,”
Odor softly made reply,
“No such bliss I'm doom'd to prove;
“But to yonder fountain fair,
“Fring'd with mossy verdure dank,
“With these flow'rets I repair,
“Gay to deck the smiling bank.
“For anon will Damon there,
“Happy Damon! happy ground!
“Meet his Delia, smiling fair!—
“Flora then should bloom around.”
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“Needless toil,” she thus replies;
“Soon as e'er the lovely maid
“Meets her Damon's longing eyes,
“Flora there will seem display'd.
“Ev'ry hue that paints the spring,
“Ev'ry soft perfume of May,
“Smile but Cupid—pleasure's king!
“Raptur'd fancy can pourtray.
“Leave then, leave the needless toil.—
“Mark yon roses red and white,
“And yon woodbines, how they smile,
“Twining close in sweet delight.
“What a pleasant bower they make,
“Closely knit on either side?
“Scarce a sun-beam thro' can break—
“Thro' the blooms and scented pride.
“Thither let us then repair,
(“For no zephyrs there attend)
“Be its inmost shade our care,
“Which from blights we will defend.
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“Pity such a smiling bower
“Should for lack of tending pine,
“Drooping 'fore the noon-tide pow'r:
“Let us, Odor, there recline.”
Thus ambiguous speaks the fair;
Odor answers with a smile;
To the bower they swift repair—
Laughing Love admir'd the wile.
Pendant o'er a dimpled tide
Hung its only entrance free;
Closely wove was either side;—
What they did could no one see.
Happy zephyrs, vagrants blest!
Ye unharm'd indulge in joy;
Yield to soft desires the breast,
Free from guilt or fear's annoy.
But ye maids of mortal mould,
How ye trust to man beware,
Where the bowery shades enfold:—
Dangerous 'tis for you, ye fair.
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And from each ambiguous word
Guard, oh guard your blushing lips:
Censure watches still abroad,
Catching all that idly slips.
Lewdness hence may hope conceive,
And your virtues fall essay;
Chaste esteem the fault will grieve,
Stretch her wings, and haste away.
Treasure this remark ye fair:
“Actions chaste will not suffice;
“Words and looks the stamp must bear
“Of modest caution, scrup'lous, nice:
“Virtue wanton words impair,
“And to actions lewd entice.”
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