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Shwretch! believed the spouse of God in vain, Confefsid within the Have offove and Man:

El

ELOISA

ΤΟ

A B E L A R D.

IN

N these deep folitudes and awful cells,

Where heav'nly-pensive contemplation dwells, . And ever-musing melancholy reigns ; What means this tumult in a Vestal's veins ? Why rove my thoughts beyond this last retreat ?

5 Why feels my heart its long-forgotten heat? Yet, yet I love! --- From Abelard it came, And Eloïsa yet must kiss the name.

In vain loft Eloïsa weeps and prays,

15 Her heart still dictates, and her hand obeys.

Relentless walls! whose darksome round contains Repentant sighs, and voluntary pains: Ye rugged rocks! which holy knees have worn; Yegrots and caverns shagg’d with horrid thorn! 20 Shrines! where their vigils pale-ey'd virgins keep, And pitying saints, whose statues learn to weep! Tho'cold like you, unmov'd and silent grown, I have not yet forgot myself to stone. All is not Heav'n's while Abelard has part, 25 Still rebel nature holds out half my heart; , Nor pray’rs nor fasts its stubborn pulse restrain, Nor tears for ages taught to flow in vain.

Soon as thy letters trembling I unclose, That well-known name awakens all my woes. 30 Oh name for ever fad! for ever dear! Still breath'd in fighs, still usher'd with a tear. I tremble too, where'er my own I find, Some dire misfortune follows close behind. Line' after line my gushing eyes o'erflow,

35 Led thro' a sad variety of woe : Now warm in love, now with’ring in my bloom, Loft in a convent's folitary gloom!

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There stern Religion quench'd th’unwilling flame,
There dy'd the best of pafsions, Love and Fame. 40

Yet write, oh write me all, that I may join
Griefs to thy griefs, and echo fighs to thine.
Nor foes nor fortune take this pow'r away;
And is my Abelard less kind than they?
Tears still are mine. and those I need not spare, 45
Love but demands what else were shed in pray’r;
No happier task these faded eyes pursue;
To read and weep is all they now can do.

Then share thy pain, allow that fad relief;
Ah, more than share it, give me all thy grief. 50
Heav'n first taught letters for some wretch's aid,
Some banish'd lover, or some captive maid;
Theylive,they speak, they breathe what love inspires,
Warm from the soul, and faithful to its fires,
The virgin's wish without her fears impárt, 55
Excuse the blush, and pour out all the heart,
Speed the soft intercourse from soul to soul,
And waft a sigh from Indus to the Pole.

Thou know'st how guiltless first I met thy flame,
When Love approach'dmeunderFriendship’sname;
My fancy form'd thee of angelic kind, 61
Some emanation of th'all-beauteous Mind.

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Those smiling eyes, attemp’ring ev'ry ray,
Shone sweetly lambent with celestial day.
Guiltless I gaz'd; heav'n liften'd while you sung; 65
And truths divine came mended from that tongue.
From lips like those what precept fail'd to move
Too soon they taught me 'twas no fin to love:
Back thro' the paths of pleasing sense I ran,
Nor with’d an Angel whom I lovd a Man. 70
Dim and remote the joys of faints I fee;
Nor envy them that heav'n I lose for thee.

How oft, when prefs’d to marriage, have I said, Curse on all laws but those which love has made ! Love, free as air, at fight of human ties,

75 Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies. Let wealth, let honour, wait the wedded dame, August her deed, and sacred be her fame; Before true passion all those views remove, Fame, wealth, and honour ! what are you to Love?