 | Women must weep |  |
FAIR AND FRAIL.
Fair she was, more fair than mortal,
Robed in beauty as by right;
Fair she enter'd Hope's pure portal,
Which reveal'd her to the light.
Robed in beauty as by right;
Fair she enter'd Hope's pure portal,
Which reveal'd her to the light.
And she grew up sweet and slender,
Like the willow by the stream;
In her magic maiden splendour,
In the rapture of a dream.
Like the willow by the stream;
In her magic maiden splendour,
In the rapture of a dream.
Full of faith and chaste affection,
Finding jewels in the dust;
And in each untried direction
Sending out the shoots of trust.
Finding jewels in the dust;
And in each untried direction
Sending out the shoots of trust.
True to every touch of nature,
Quick to every human call;
Knowing but the legislature,
Written on the hearts of all.
Quick to every human call;
Knowing but the legislature,
Written on the hearts of all.
Child of impulse, free and fervent,
Blown about by winds of chance;
Friend of joy, yet sorrow's servant,
Moved with moving circumstance.
Blown about by winds of chance;
Friend of joy, yet sorrow's servant,
Moved with moving circumstance.
Sway'd by none but simple notions,
Slow to hatred, quick to love;
Open to all pure emotions,
That can raise the soul above.
Slow to hatred, quick to love;
Open to all pure emotions,
That can raise the soul above.
Prone to fancy, not to reasons,
Following feeling more than facts;
Still creating kindly seasons
For the service of sweet acts.
Following feeling more than facts;
Still creating kindly seasons
For the service of sweet acts.
27
And her face was all the fortune
Nature let her favourite bring;
Fashioned fondly, to importune
Love from every living thing.
Nature let her favourite bring;
Fashioned fondly, to importune
Love from every living thing.
Dark her eyes, and deep their story,
Like a poet's pensive dream;
Through her dusky tresses' glory,
Rippling ran a golden gleam.
Like a poet's pensive dream;
Through her dusky tresses' glory,
Rippling ran a golden gleam.
Bright she blossom'd, fair and tender,
As the happy years went by;
Yet uncourted to surrender,
Maiden life and liberty.
As the happy years went by;
Yet uncourted to surrender,
Maiden life and liberty.
With her artless faith and feeling,
All too innocent a dower,
Not defended with the steeling
Of the knowledge that is power.
All too innocent a dower,
Not defended with the steeling
Of the knowledge that is power.
Still untested by the fever,
Fed with passionate desire;
Ready for the first deceiver
Who to ruin should conspire.
Fed with passionate desire;
Ready for the first deceiver
Who to ruin should conspire.
Ignorant of knaves that palter
With affections as they lust;
Like a victim for the altar,
In the helplessness of trust.
With affections as they lust;
Like a victim for the altar,
In the helplessness of trust.
Came a gallant from the city,
Snared her in his cruel grip;
In his breast no pulse of pity,
And a lie upon his lip.
Snared her in his cruel grip;
In his breast no pulse of pity,
And a lie upon his lip.
He was strong and stately, gifted
With so many manly charms,
That she seem'd to heaven uplifted
In the circle of his arms.
With so many manly charms,
That she seem'd to heaven uplifted
In the circle of his arms.
Fool'd by all his lordly fashion,
She consented to her shame;
Gave but to his passing passion
Soul and body, life and fame.
She consented to her shame;
Gave but to his passing passion
Soul and body, life and fame.
28
Fair she was, more fair than mortal
Beauty that will quickly fail;
Fair she entered sin's dark portal—
Ah, that she was fair and frail!
Beauty that will quickly fail;
Fair she entered sin's dark portal—
Ah, that she was fair and frail!
| Women must weep | |