University of Virginia Library

FRAGMENT XLI. HEALTH.

Nymph of the mountain! blithsome maid,
Whose bloom no midnight revels fade;
That breath'st the grey dawn's scented air,
And with its dew-pearls deck'st thy hair;
Thy brow with Alpine myrtle crown'd,
Thy waist with deathless aloes bound,
Thy lip with wild-bees' nectar dew'd,
Thine eye with rapture's tear imbued,
Thy cheek imbrown'd, and rosed with blushes
Warm as the rich carnation flushes,
Thy step of devious frolic measure,
And all around thee breathing pleasure;
Thou dearest gift of bounteous Heaven,
To its most favour'd object given,
Source of the richest joys the heart
Can feel, or senses can impart,
Enchantress Health! what offering, say,
What tribute can thy vot'rist pay,
While now, delicious nymph, you shed
Your richest blessings o'er her head?
This smile is thine, this laughing eye,
This form suffused with thy warm dye,
These rising spirits gay, yet even,
By thee alone, oh Health! were given,
That point each hope, and sooth each care,
And gaily mock the fiend Despair,
That smile away the frowns of life,
Exalt each bliss, and calm each strife;
With whom, and thee, each circling year
Has swiftly flown, while every tear
Which woe shed o'er my fervid cheek
You fondly chased, and bade me seek
In motives pure, and guileless mind,
For every woe a balm to find.
Led by thy hand my feather'd hours,
Enwreath'd with fancy's blooming flow'rs,
Time's progress check'd with frolic play,
And “gaily trifled life away;”
Reviv'd the chaplet on my brow,
Unchill'd indeed by age's snow,
But where each bud my hopes had gather'd
By disappointment's blast was wither'd,
And hush'd the song of syren ease,
And wak'd each latent wish to please,
And many a harmless joy bestow'd
Which from no source but thine e'er flow'd;
Yet oh! for all thou'st done for me
I've nothing, Health, to offer thee,
For all thy joys and all thy blisses,
But such—an idle song as this is.