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My life! my joy! my only love!"

A voice at distance cries :·

That voice her inmost soul could move,
She starts with wild surprize.

Now o'er the beach, with eager haste,
She sees her Henry fly :-
No more she feels her terrors past,
'Twas bliss-'twas ecstacy.

Her aged father too appears,
He press'd her to his heart;
But as he press'd, his streaming tears
Some secret grief impart.

His much-lov'd wife in transport flies
In all their joy to share ;

Yet views her lord with anxious eyes,
And feels a tender fear.

The fond embrace he oft renews,

And oft, with grief oppress'd, The fatal wreck again he views,

And smites his trembling breast.

"Lo! there," he cried, "the sad remains "Of my once boasted store, "For all the fruit of all our pains

"Is sunk-to rise no more.

"Yet should this b

breast ne'er heave a groan

"For all my fruitless care;

"Did sorrow seize on me alone,

"But ah! for thee my heart must grieve,
"For thee I priz'd my gain ;-
"And did I then my child deceive
"With hopes believ'd in vain ?

"Still to our humble home confin'd,
"Must rural tasks employ

"A nymph to shine in courts design'd, "And brighten ev'ry joy.

"In thought, by pleasing hope inspired,

"I saw my child appear, "By all beloved, by all admired,

"The fairest of the fair.

"I saw her raised to pomp and state,
"And rich in fortune's store:
"I heard the praises of the great,
"The blessings of the poor.

"With fond delight my bosom glowed,

"And Heaven the wished success bestowed

"But ah! the dream is filed.

"And thou, dear partner of each care,

"This anxious heart has known; "Thou too, with me, hast felt thy share "Of hopes, for ever gone.

"Thy thoughts, like mine, in time to come, "A scene of bliss enjoyed,

" "Till one sad moment's fatal doom "The airy good destroyed.

“And thou, with me, our loss must mourn,

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Thy tears with mine descend;

“And thus, alas! my wished return

"Our transient joy must end."

While thus with agonizing sighs

They viewed the fatal place,
Louisa's mild yet stedfast eyes
Were fixed on Henry's face :

By her own heart, his heart she knew,
She read his virtues there :--

Ah! blest indeed the chosen few
Who thus each thought can share !

Serene and firm their joys shall prove,
And every change endure,

No mean suspicion taint their love,
In just esteem secure.

And now her soul with transport glows,

And animates each grace;

A smile, beyond what pleasure knows,
Adorns her lovely face.

"And is it thus, my friends," she cried,

"When every storm is past,

“When all our fears at once subside, "Thus do we meet at last?

"O lift with me your hearts to Heaven "In strains of ardent praise,

"With transport own the blessings given, "To crown our future days.

1

"How oft my fervent prayers arose "While terrors shook my soul,

"To Him who could the storm compose, "And winds and waves control ?

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My prayers are heard my fears are gone, My much-loved friends I see;

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"I feel a joy till now unknown, "And can ye grieve for me?

"Content I shared an humble fate,

"Nor wished in courts to shine ;"The airy dream which pleased of late, "With joy I now resign.

"What tho' no scenes of gay delight

"Amuse each idle guest,

"No costly luxuries invite

"To share the splendid feast;

"Yet Peace and Innocence shall smile,

"And purer joys afford;

"And Love secure from doubt or guile

"Shall bless our humble board.

"What tho' we boast nor wealth nor power,

"Each sorrow to relieve,

"A little, from our little store,

"The poor shall yet receive;

"And words of peace shall soothe the woe "Which riches could not heal,

"And sweet benevolence bestow

" An aid which all must feel;

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Beyond the reach of Fortune's power, "Her gentle force extends;

"She cheers Affliction's darkest hour,
"And Joy her steps attends..

"Tho' here to narrow bounds confined,
"Ordained to lowly views,
"For ever-free, the virtuous mind
"Her glorious path pursues;

"In prosperous state, o'er all she showers
"The various blessings given;
"In humble life exerts her powers,

"And trusts the rest to Heaven.

"The lofty dwellings of the great
"Full many a wretch contain,
"Who feel the cares of pomp and state,.
"But seek their joys in vain.

"Yet starting from his short repose,
“Alarmed at ev'ry blast,

"With anxious fear he dreads to lose "That good he ne'er could taste:

"And oft beneath the silent shade

"A noble heart remains,

"Where Heaven's bright image is displayed, "And ev'ry virtue reigns:

"Sweet peace and joy that heart shall find "Unmoved by grief or pain;

"Be such the lot to us assigned,

6 And Fortune's frowns are vain —