 | Italy and Other Poems |  |
218
MERGELLINE.
ON THE BIRTH OF CAPTAIN CLIFFORD'S DAUGHTER. Naples—March 5, 1817.
Fair Infant! born in happiest hour,
In Nature's loveliest clime,
Where winter culls the summer flow'r,
And bud of vernal prime,
And halcyons on the sunny wave
Their floating feathers smoothly lave;
In Nature's loveliest clime,
Where winter culls the summer flow'r,
And bud of vernal prime,
And halcyons on the sunny wave
Their floating feathers smoothly lave;
Where every breath we joy to breathe
Inhales the orange bloom,
And every weed the foot beneath
Betrays the press'd perfume,
And heav'n, in richest livery drest,
O'er ocean spreads her rainbow vest:
Inhales the orange bloom,
And every weed the foot beneath
Betrays the press'd perfume,
And heav'n, in richest livery drest,
O'er ocean spreads her rainbow vest:
219
Fair Child! o'er thee the Muse shall bend,
And breathe her warmest vow,
A separate charm each Syren lend,
To grace thy gifted brow,
And name thee, as they hail the scene,
Their own, their fav'rite Mergelline.
And breathe her warmest vow,
A separate charm each Syren lend,
To grace thy gifted brow,
And name thee, as they hail the scene,
Their own, their fav'rite Mergelline.
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