Poems on Various Subjects By John Thelwall. In Two Volumes |
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ELWIN AND ANNA.
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 | Poems on Various Subjects |  |
31
ELWIN AND ANNA.
A TALE.
Hard by a dell, whose bushy side
Was deckt with primrose sweet,
With violets blue, and daisies pied,
There stood a lone retreat:
Was deckt with primrose sweet,
With violets blue, and daisies pied,
There stood a lone retreat:
A humble cottage, unadorn'd
By arts of useless pride;
Yet was their want, nor be it scorn'd,
By neatness well supplied.
By arts of useless pride;
Yet was their want, nor be it scorn'd,
By neatness well supplied.
Nor let the haughty and the great
The humble roof despise;
For joy oft quits their downy state,
And to the cottage flies.
The humble roof despise;
For joy oft quits their downy state,
And to the cottage flies.
And virtue, and contentment sweet
Oft shun the gay parade,
And fix their calm unrivall'd seat
Within the rural shade.
Oft shun the gay parade,
And fix their calm unrivall'd seat
Within the rural shade.
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And virtue here, content, and joy
Were oft with Anna seen;
While modesty inform'd her eye,
And meekness grac'd her mien.
Were oft with Anna seen;
While modesty inform'd her eye,
And meekness grac'd her mien.
The bud that on the hawthorn grew
Was not like Anna fair;
Nor could the rose's ruddy hue
With Anna's blush compare.
Was not like Anna fair;
Nor could the rose's ruddy hue
With Anna's blush compare.
The violet, when it shone with dew,
Before her eye look'd pale;
Her breath surpast the sweets that flew
Upon the vernal gale.
Before her eye look'd pale;
Her breath surpast the sweets that flew
Upon the vernal gale.
But ah the virtues far more rare
That dwelt within her breast,
Outshone the brightest charms that were
Upon her form imprest.
That dwelt within her breast,
Outshone the brightest charms that were
Upon her form imprest.
A maiden aunt, of adverse mould,
Her infant beauties rear'd;
Of mind pedantic, manners bold:
Less to be lov'd than fear'd.
Her infant beauties rear'd;
Of mind pedantic, manners bold:
Less to be lov'd than fear'd.
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And now when Anna's swelling breast,
Fair as the whitest dove,
The season of desire confest,
Young Elwin sought her love.
Fair as the whitest dove,
The season of desire confest,
Young Elwin sought her love.
Each means, each soft persuasive art
He tried, the maid to gain;
And she return'd his flame at heart,
But fear'd to own her pain.
He tried, the maid to gain;
And she return'd his flame at heart,
But fear'd to own her pain.
But ah! in vain her tongue conceal'd
The feelings of her mind;
Her looks, her actions all reveal'd:—
And Elwin was not blind.
The feelings of her mind;
Her looks, her actions all reveal'd:—
And Elwin was not blind.
Delighted now their minutes glide,
Which mutual passion bless.
Not woodlarks, who in thickets hide,
Such tender joy express.
Which mutual passion bless.
Not woodlarks, who in thickets hide,
Such tender joy express.
Full oft they sought the woodland shade,
Or trac'd the dell around;
Or by the bubbling runnells stray'd,
To mark the pleasing sound.
Or trac'd the dell around;
Or by the bubbling runnells stray'd,
To mark the pleasing sound.
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And on the primrose bank reclin'd,
Where circling woodbines grew,
Would Anna oft reveal her mind,
Or hear her Elwin woo.
Where circling woodbines grew,
Would Anna oft reveal her mind,
Or hear her Elwin woo.
Oft would the hand, with pressure soft,
The want of words supply;
And, here conceal'd, the kiss would oft
Restrain the rising sigh.
The want of words supply;
And, here conceal'd, the kiss would oft
Restrain the rising sigh.
So blossom, like the freshest rose,
Their tender hopes awhile;
More bright their dawn of passion glows
Than May-day's morning smile.
Their tender hopes awhile;
More bright their dawn of passion glows
Than May-day's morning smile.
The rose a sudden blight may kill,
A cloud the sky o'ercast;—
But love—thy joys, more fickle still,
Are seldom known to last.
A cloud the sky o'ercast;—
But love—thy joys, more fickle still,
Are seldom known to last.
The sordid dame, beneath whose care
The tender Anna liv'd,
Had long observ'd the gentle pair,
And long with envy griev'd:
The tender Anna liv'd,
Had long observ'd the gentle pair,
And long with envy griev'd:
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She hated Elwin, for he ne'er
Would soothe her aukward pride,
Nor her pretended sense revere;
But often would deride.
Would soothe her aukward pride,
Nor her pretended sense revere;
But often would deride.
And Anna too this pedant proud
With looks of envy view'd,
Because she was by all allow'd
With greater sense endu'd.
With looks of envy view'd,
Because she was by all allow'd
With greater sense endu'd.
And now at once, with cruel spite,
To blast their peace she strove;
Denied the fair her Elwin's sight,
And bade her cease to love.
To blast their peace she strove;
Denied the fair her Elwin's sight,
And bade her cease to love.
“Can I my Elwin cease to love?”
Exclaim'd the weeping maid;
“No, let me first the desert rove,
“To friendless want betray'd.”
Exclaim'd the weeping maid;
“No, let me first the desert rove,
“To friendless want betray'd.”
“Tis well,” the envious Emma cried,
“Does Anna thus obey
“The last fond words which, ere she died,
“She heard her mother say?
“Does Anna thus obey
“The last fond words which, ere she died,
“She heard her mother say?
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“She bade me by her death-bed stand,
“As thou full well dost know;
“She held you in her pale-grown hand,
“And gaz'd with tender woe;
“As thou full well dost know;
“She held you in her pale-grown hand,
“And gaz'd with tender woe;
“And, sighing thus, with feeble tone,
‘My Anna, oh!’ she cry'd,
‘To Emma be obedience shown.’—
“Then sunk she down and died.
‘My Anna, oh!’ she cry'd,
‘To Emma be obedience shown.’—
“Then sunk she down and died.
“Then if to her thou'dst duteous prove,
“Nor Emma's wrath deplore;
“Renounce for ever Elwin's love,
“And hear his vows no more.”
“Nor Emma's wrath deplore;
“Renounce for ever Elwin's love,
“And hear his vows no more.”
As droops the valley's modest flow'r,
By heavy rain opprest,
So Anna dropt, and rain'd a show'r
Of tears upon her breast.
By heavy rain opprest,
So Anna dropt, and rain'd a show'r
Of tears upon her breast.
Debarr'd her much-lov'd Edwin's sight,
Her beauties fade away;
As fades the rose's beauties bright,
Debarr'd the light of day.
Her beauties fade away;
As fades the rose's beauties bright,
Debarr'd the light of day.
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Now Elwin rov'd thro' each retreat,
Where they so often stray'd,
Yet could he not his Anna meet,
By dell or wood and shade.
Where they so often stray'd,
Yet could he not his Anna meet,
By dell or wood and shade.
“Oh faithless Anna, cruel maid!”
The angry lover cry'd;
“Hast thou my easy heart betray'd,
“My weakness to deride?
The angry lover cry'd;
“Hast thou my easy heart betray'd,
“My weakness to deride?
“Am I deserted then, with scorn?
“Coquetted, slighted, crost?
“Let this by whining fools be born;
“But Elwin's not so lost.”
“Coquetted, slighted, crost?
“Let this by whining fools be born;
“But Elwin's not so lost.”
In scorn then left he Devon's plain,
While Anna pin'd away:
Each hour encreas'd the virgin's pain;
Each hour her charms decay.
While Anna pin'd away:
Each hour encreas'd the virgin's pain;
Each hour her charms decay.
So mourns the dove her absent mate;
So fades the hawthorn bloom,
When pluck'd before its fated date,
Expires its sweet perfume.
So fades the hawthorn bloom,
When pluck'd before its fated date,
Expires its sweet perfume.
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But not the turtle lov'd so true,
Or lov'd so much as she;
Nor not the May-flow'r's gayest hue
Esteem'd so sweet could be.
Or lov'd so much as she;
Nor not the May-flow'r's gayest hue
Esteem'd so sweet could be.
Her meek obedience now she blames;
Recalls each mem'ry sweet;
With past delight each grief enflames,
And haunts each lov'd retreat.
Recalls each mem'ry sweet;
With past delight each grief enflames,
And haunts each lov'd retreat.
Full oft she rov'd each dingle green,
And sought each bushy dell,
Each glade, where she'd with Elwin been,
Their mutual loves to tell.
And sought each bushy dell,
Each glade, where she'd with Elwin been,
Their mutual loves to tell.
Full oft the flow'ry bank she sought,
Where runnells bubbled round;
Where, giving loose to tender thought,
They'd frequent prest the ground.
Where runnells bubbled round;
Where, giving loose to tender thought,
They'd frequent prest the ground.
And where the clear and tranquil stream
Steals silent, would she stray;
Where thro' the trees no sun-beams gleam,
Or on the surface play.
Steals silent, would she stray;
Where thro' the trees no sun-beams gleam,
Or on the surface play.
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“Here,” would she say, “the tender youth
“Did first his love declare;
“Here did he oft protest his truth;
“Here did we last repair.
“Did first his love declare;
“Here did he oft protest his truth;
“Here did we last repair.
“But ah! for ever is he flown,
“And Anna's heart must break:
“Yet, yet the fault was all my own;
“Why did I counsel take?”
“And Anna's heart must break:
“Yet, yet the fault was all my own;
“Why did I counsel take?”
Thus mourn'd the fair when Elwin came
To Devon's plains once more:
Then hope reviv'd her fading frame,
And bliss appear'd in store.
To Devon's plains once more:
Then hope reviv'd her fading frame,
And bliss appear'd in store.
So opes the daisy on the lawn,
What time the sun appears;
So smiles the tulip when the dawn
With gladd'ning lustre cheers.
What time the sun appears;
So smiles the tulip when the dawn
With gladd'ning lustre cheers.
But short the beam of hope and joy;
For Elwin slights her charms:
Affects her proffer'd love to fly,
And seeks another's arms.
For Elwin slights her charms:
Affects her proffer'd love to fly,
And seeks another's arms.
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He scoffs at Anna's artless love,
Insults her easy heart;
And wooes Matilda of the grove,
And triumphs in his art.
Insults her easy heart;
And wooes Matilda of the grove,
And triumphs in his art.
When now one day, in cruel haste,
To Anna Emma flies:
“Here Anna, with this gift be grac'd,
“To please young Elwin's eyes.
To Anna Emma flies:
“Here Anna, with this gift be grac'd,
“To please young Elwin's eyes.
“This bridal present Elwin sends,
“And this his new made bride.”
A sigh poor Anna's bosom rends,
She faints by Emma's side.
“And this his new made bride.”
A sigh poor Anna's bosom rends,
She faints by Emma's side.
At length she op'd her feeble eyes:
“And is it true?” she said,
“If so unhappy Anna dies.
“And am I thus betray'd?
“And is it true?” she said,
“If so unhappy Anna dies.
“And am I thus betray'd?
“Oh Elwin, Elwin! can'st thou ne'er
“Unhappy Anna's be?”
Pale shone her cheek with many a tear,
And trembled either knee.
“Unhappy Anna's be?”
Pale shone her cheek with many a tear,
And trembled either knee.
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Then to despair and grief resign'd,
Retir'd the hapless maid;
Nor long her slighted love repin'd:—
She flitted soon a shade.
Retir'd the hapless maid;
Nor long her slighted love repin'd:—
She flitted soon a shade.
I saw her in the earth laid low;
I wept upon her grave;
While pitying crowds, in speechless woe,
Their silent blessings gave.
I wept upon her grave;
While pitying crowds, in speechless woe,
Their silent blessings gave.
| Poems on Various Subjects | |