 | A collection of original poems and translations |  |
Amongst the Dealers at this cruel Fair,
Traffick accurst, that makes Mankind its Ware!
A youthful Turk pass'd poor Cornaro by,
Health flush'd his Cheek, and Lust enflam'd his Eye;
And to the Female Slaves his Way he bent;
'Twas there his Gold must have its wanton Vent.
How should Delphina 'scape his prying Sight?
Too fatally, in spite of Anguish, bright!
Her Breast took Beauty from the heaving Sigh,
Nor cou'd the Tear, that drown'd, eclipse her Eye,
But falling on her damask Cheek it stood,
Like the Pearl Dew-drop on the Morning Bud.
He quickly saw the too-distinguish'd Fair,
And thought his Prophet's Paradise was there.
Her Price at once unquestioning he paid,
The fatal Veil around her Beauties spread,
And led exulting off the swooning Maid.
'Twas then Cornaro felt Despair compleat,
And knew the worst Extreme of tort'ring Fate.
Furies to plague him more had strove in vain,
And gnawing Vultures not encreas'd his Pain,
Too fierce for human Nature to sustain.
He sunk beneath his Sorrow's wondrous Load,
And senseless from Excess of Pain he stood.
Traffick accurst, that makes Mankind its Ware!
A youthful Turk pass'd poor Cornaro by,
Health flush'd his Cheek, and Lust enflam'd his Eye;
And to the Female Slaves his Way he bent;
'Twas there his Gold must have its wanton Vent.
How should Delphina 'scape his prying Sight?
Too fatally, in spite of Anguish, bright!
Her Breast took Beauty from the heaving Sigh,
Nor cou'd the Tear, that drown'd, eclipse her Eye,
But falling on her damask Cheek it stood,
Like the Pearl Dew-drop on the Morning Bud.
He quickly saw the too-distinguish'd Fair,
And thought his Prophet's Paradise was there.
Her Price at once unquestioning he paid,
The fatal Veil around her Beauties spread,
And led exulting off the swooning Maid.
19
And knew the worst Extreme of tort'ring Fate.
Furies to plague him more had strove in vain,
And gnawing Vultures not encreas'd his Pain,
Too fierce for human Nature to sustain.
He sunk beneath his Sorrow's wondrous Load,
And senseless from Excess of Pain he stood.
| A collection of original poems and translations | |