Belvidere, a Poem Addressed to Ethelinda

A WHILE forego your darling Seat,
Hither from Henry's Breast retreat,
Candor, Humanity, and Friendship dear!
While, by your Aid, and in your Praise,
The grateful Note I strive to raise,
To Virtue, Love, Content, and Belvidere.

Graces, that warm and glad the Heart,
To me your brightest Force impart,
The Worth I know ah! let me truly tell!
Well may ye deign my Pray'r to hear,
Full well, I wot, ye all are near,
For where your Henry is, ye surely dwell.

Henry, who bids my Heart to glow
With Pity, for the Suff'rer's Woe,
And to the Shiv'ring Wretch Relief extend,
Shall I not joy to speak his Praise,
Who well might merit better Lays,
My Guardian, Guide, Philosopher, and Friend!

Not his the Pride of shining Spires,
(Uneasy Seat of high Desires)
Nor glitt'ring Pomp of Equipage and Shew!
But his, to feel the Stranger's Sigh,
To wipe the trickling aged Eye,
And from the grief-swoln Bosom banish Woe.

The Spot which Nature's self did frame,
(Ere Art to her Assistance came,)
Blooming Hygea's best-belov'd Retreat,
Is, by his free unsparing Hand,
Become rich Bounty's fav'rite Land,
And Charity's thrice hospitable Seat.

While yet it rustles thro' the Trees,
Quick let me catch the Morning Breeze,
And, ere it flies, enjoy the wholesome Gale!
Prostrate thy Belvidere beside,
Applaud the Mountain's lofty Pride,
Or praise the humble Glories of the Vale!

Now, in the bright meridian Blaze,
Soft let me shun the scorching Rays,
With Henry's Worth domestic Hours employ!
Behold him, with delighted Gaze,
From Mis'ry's Gripe the Orphan raise,
And teach the Widow's Heart to sing for Joy.

Or in the length'ning Shades of Night,
(The Landscape glimm'ring on the Sight)
Her palid Queen with Rev'rence let me greet!
While from above you azure Hills,
With solemn Joy my Soul she fills,
And the dank Nore slow murmurs at my Feet.

While yet the Infant Structure smil'd,
Thus Henry ev'ry Care beguil'd,
(Thro' Acts long past Poetic thought can rove,)
'Child of my Hopes, auspicious rise,
'Omen of many future Joys!
'And sacred Rest to Ethelinda's Love!'

The Walls, which Virtue thus did raise,
Now vocal with their Maker's Praise,
Full sore, I ween, the Grief that dare intrude!
Yet the shak'd Head, and stifled sigh,
Withouten Words, th' Approach descry
Of Care that swells the Heart, and Sorrow rude.

How little ah! would Care avail,
Or dire Misfortune's worst Assail,
Could Henry, Ethelinda's Grief remove!
On her is fix'd the languid Eye,
For her up-rises ev'ry Sigh,
As all his Joys are center'd in her Love.

While thus enwrapt in Thought I stray,
Methinks I hear a Spirit say,
'Here Virtue dwells, and will forever rest;
'But varies her unsettled Feet,
'Nor yet can fix her lasting Seat,
"Till with her Ethelinda's Presence blest.

'She Henry's Heart with Love can warm,
'With native Elegance can charm,
'And add to Beauty Graces more refin'd;
'With Converse sensible and gay.
'Can smile domestic Hours away,
'And calm the rising Tumults in his Mind.

Tho' now those honest Joys deny'd,
Be Hope, my Fair, thy constant Guide!
The Time will come, to chace thy present Woes,
When Love so perfect, Truth so bright
As thine and Henry's must unite,
And dwell for aye, in undisturb'd Repose.

The youngling Muse a Moment spare,
That now he drops a silent Tear,
And softly sighs his lov'd Amasia's Name—
Forgive—o'erlook the tender Line,
That mingles other Praise with thine,
But my Heart swells to own her early Claim.

Such, such as thine her blooming Youth,
Her Virtue, Tenderness, and Truth,
If Virtue such as thine be found on Earth;
Humanity and Honor join'd
To form a great and humble Mind,
And Goodness' self was proud to speak her Worth.

From Virtue such as her's to part,
While in the foldings of my Heart
She liv'd with Life, and far the dearer she,
How hard!—yet robb'd, by cruel Pow'r,
Of Love's assuasive, softer Hour,
She lives (ah! cruel Stars!) no more for me.

O let me then admire in thee,
What my Amasia us'd to be,
With my Soul's Hope thy gen'rous Wishes join!
May thy own Henry waft a Part
Of that vast Worth, which fills his Heart,
And be a second Ethelinda mine!