University of Virginia Library

Nymph of the mountains! blooming maid,
Whose blush no midnight revels fade,
With sandal'd leg and bosom bare,
Dew pearls glitt'ring on thy hair!
Thy brow with Alpine myrtle crown'd,
Thy waist with laurel cestus bound;
Thy limbs elastic, scarce conceal'd,
Or with thy robe transparent veil'd,
And like the rose 'midst new-fall'n snow,
Thro' thy aerial drap'ry glow!
Thy lips with honey wild imbued,
Thine eye with tear of rapture dew'd,
Thy cheeks embrown'd, yet soft disclose
The blushes of the op'ning rose!
Enchanting health! best gift of heaven,
That e'er to bless mankind was given;
To thee, sweet nymph! what offering, say
What tribute shall thy votarist pay?
For ah! such bliss to thee I owe,
As wealth nor empire can bestow;
Even now, delightful nymph, you shed
Your blooming treasures o'er my head;
This smile is thine,—this laughing eye,
This cheek is tinted with thy dye;
These lips thy blushing honours wear,
And thine this happy careless air!
These rising spirits, gay, yet even,
By thee, delicious health! were given;
That point my hopes, and sooth my care,
And chase the gloomy fiend despair,
That smile away the frowns of life,
Exalt each bliss, and calm each strife!
With thee and them my circling years
Have swiftly flown;—while sorrow's tears,
On either side adown my cheek
You'd fondly dry; and bade me seek
In future hope and innocence;
And in the proudly conscious sense
Of guileless thought, and blameless mind,
A sovereign, healing balm to find;
And then with soft endearing wiles,
Revived my blushes and my smiles:
Led by thy hand my feather'd hours,
Enwreathed with fancy's blooming flowers,
Time's progress check'd with frolic play,
And gaily “trifled life away;”
Revived the chaplet on my brow,
As yet unchill'd by age's snow,
Awoke each anxious wish to please,
And hush'd thy song dull tyrant ease!

Oft have I known thee heavenly maid,
Ere night's mists o'er th'empyrean fade;
Or bright Aurora's orient beam,
Sheds on the purple hill its gleam:
With step elastic lightly bound,
And scatter thick thy roses round;
Dispel the vapours of the morn,
To catch the early huntsman's horn;
Breathe its rescucitating strain,
'Midst vocal hills, o'er verdant plain,
The voice of mountain echo wake,
And the soft twilight silence break!
Then seen thee brush from od'rous lawn,
The pearly tears of infant dawn;
Or sip the fountain's nect'rous spray,
Untinted by the solar ray!
Then leave at noon the opening glade,
And seek the gloom of sombrous shade,
Whose interwoven foliage seems
Impervious to the torrid beams!
Or haste thy glowing limbs to lave
Beneath the undulating wave;
Or hie the gelid cave to grace,
The green surge dashing 'gainst its base;
While pendent from thy rocky bower,
Hangs many a sedge and sea-weed flower:
Then quit thy fresco, green retreat,
The purple evening's ear to meet;
To catch the soft departing ray,
On ridgy cliff of fading day,
While distant waves its glories drink,
In distant waves it seems to sink!

Then, goddess of the blushing mien,
Descend, and seek the dewy green;
And pausing o'er the dying gale,
That fragrant steals from yonder vale,
Bearing the fife and tabor sound,
That leads thee to the fairy ground:
While the first star of evening hour,
Lends to the scene his beamy pow'r!
Then join contentment's happy group,
The gayest of the frolic troop,
Led by thy hand Mirth lighter treads,
Love from his wings fresh odours sheds;
Reposing age renews his song,
And pausing labour joins the throng;
Till weary with the sportive play,
As twilight shadows flit away,
They cheery hie them home, whilst thou
Reposeth on the blue hills brow:
Rest doth each active power steal,
Then o'er thee draws her cobweb veil,
Sleep o'er thy lids her opiate flings,
And golden dreams gay fancy brings!