LINES ADDRESSED TO A YOUNG LADY.
[_]
[AS THE AUTHOR WAS DISCHARGING HIS PISTOLS IN A
GARDEN, TWO LADIES PASSING NEAR THE SPOT WERE
ALARMED BY THE SOUND OF A BULLET HISSING NEAR
THEM, TO ONE OF WHOM THE FOLLOWING STANZAS
WERE ADDRESSED THE NEXT MORNING.]
1
Doubtless, sweet girl! the hissing lead,
Wafting destruction o'er thy charms
And hurtling o'er
thy lovely head,
Has fill'd that breast with fond alarms.
2
Surely some envious Demon's force,
Vex'd to behold such beauty here,
Impell'd the bullet's viewless course,
Diverted from its first career.
3
Yes! in that nearly fatal hour,
The ball obey'd some hell-born guide;
But Heaven, with interposing power,
In pity turn'd the death aside.
4
Yet, as perchance one trembling tear
Upon that thrilling bosom fell;
Which I, th' unconscious cause of fear,
Extracted from its glistening cell;—
5
Say, what dire penance can atone
For such an outrage, done to thee?
Arraign'd before thy beauty's throne,
What punishment wilt thou decree?
6
Might I perform the Judge's part,
The sentence I should scarce deplore;
It only would restore a heart,
Which but belong'd to thee before.
7
The least atonement I can make
Is to become no longer free;
Henceforth, I breathe but for thy sake,
Thou shalt be all in all to me.
8
But thou, perhaps, may'st now reject
Such expiation of my guilt;
Come then—some other mode elect?
Let it be death—or what thou wilt.
9
Choose, then, relentless! and I swear
Nought shall thy dread decree prevent;
Yet hold—one little word forbear!
Let it be aught but banishment.
