 | Fatal Constancy |  |
160
ACT III.
The Palmy Grove.The Hero,
solus.
Night, black-brow'd Night, queen of the ebon wand,
Now o'er the world has spread her solemn reign.
The glow-worm twinkles, and from every flower
The pearly dews return the pale reflex
Of Cynthia's beams, each drop a little moon!
Hark! Lindamira comes—no, 'twas the breath
Of Zephyr panting on the leafy spray.
Perhaps he lurks in yonder woodbine bower
To steal soft kisses from her lips, and catch
Ambrosial odors from her passing sighs.
O thief!—
Now o'er the world has spread her solemn reign.
The glow-worm twinkles, and from every flower
The pearly dews return the pale reflex
Of Cynthia's beams, each drop a little moon!
Hark! Lindamira comes—no, 'twas the breath
Of Zephyr panting on the leafy spray.
Perhaps he lurks in yonder woodbine bower
To steal soft kisses from her lips, and catch
Ambrosial odors from her passing sighs.
O thief!—
She comes; quick let us haste away.
The guards pursue us? heav'ns!—come then, my love,
Fly, fly this moment.
[Here a long conference upon love, virtue, the moon, &c. till the guards come up.
—Dogs, will ye tear her from me!
Ye must not, shall not—O my heart strings crack,
My head turns round, my starting eye-balls hang
Upon her parting steps—I can no more.—
The guards pursue us? heav'ns!—come then, my love,
Fly, fly this moment.
[Here a long conference upon love, virtue, the moon, &c. till the guards come up.
161
Ye must not, shall not—O my heart strings crack,
My head turns round, my starting eye-balls hang
Upon her parting steps—I can no more.—
So the first man from paradise exil'd
With fond reluctance leaves the blooming wild.
Around the birds in pleasing concert sing,
Beneath his feet th'unbidden flow'rets spring;
On verdant hills the flocks unnumber'd play,
Through verdant vales meand'ring rivers stray.
Blossoms and fruits at once the trees adorn,
Eternal roses bloom on every thorn,
And join Pomona's lap to Amalthæa's horn.
With fond reluctance leaves the blooming wild.
Around the birds in pleasing concert sing,
Beneath his feet th'unbidden flow'rets spring;
On verdant hills the flocks unnumber'd play,
Through verdant vales meand'ring rivers stray.
Blossoms and fruits at once the trees adorn,
Eternal roses bloom on every thorn,
And join Pomona's lap to Amalthæa's horn.
Exeunt, torn off on different sides.
End of the third Act.
| Fatal Constancy | |