XXVI. "My father lived beside the Tyne, And all his wealth was marked as mine, XXVII. "To win me from his tender arms XXVIII. "Each hour a mercenary crowd With richest proffers strove; Amongst the rest young Edwin bowed, But never talked of love.k XXIX. "In humble, simplest habit clad, No wealth nor power had he; VARIATIONS. And as he had but only me, "To win me from his tender arms, Their chief pretence my flattered charms, k" Among the rest young Edwin bowed, Wisdom and worth were all he had, XXX. "And when beside me1 in the dale His breath lent fragrance to the gale, XXXI. m "The blossom opening to the day,TM The dews of heaven refined, XXXII. "The dew, the blossom on the tree, 120 And when beside me] This stanza, written some years after the rest of the poem, was communicated by Richard Archdall, Esq. to whom it was given by Goldsmith. VARIATIONS. 1 A constant heart was all he had, m "Whene'er he spoke amidst the train, "And when a little rest I sought, XXXIII. "For still I tried each fickle art, Importunate and vain ; And while his passion touched my heart, I triumphed in his pain.. XXXIV. "Till quite dejected with my scorn, XXXV. "But mine the sorrow, mine the fault, I'll seek the solitude he sought, XXXVI. "And there forlorn, despairing, hid, I'll lay me down and die; VARIATIONS. How have I mended what he taught, "Yet still (and woe betide the hour!) n "Till quite dejected with my scorn, And sought a solitude forlorn, And ne'er was heard of more. "Then since he perished by my fault, 130 140 'Twas so for me that Edwin did, And so for him will I." XXXVII. "Forbid it, Heaven!" the Hermit cried, XXXVIII. "Turn, Angelina, ever dear, Thy own, thy long-lost Edwin here, XXXIX. "Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And every care resign: And shall we never, never part, My life-my all that's mine? VARIATION. • "And there in sheltering thickets hid, I'll linger till I die; 'Twas thus for me my lover did, And so for him will I." "Thou shalt not thus," the Hermit cried, And clasped her to his breast; The astonished fair one turned to chide,- For now no longer could he hide, His looks resume their youthful pride, And flush with honest love. 150 XL. "No, never from this hour to part, The sigh that rends thy constant heart THE DOUBLE TRANSFORMATION.1 A TALE. ECLUDED from domestic strife, Made him the happiest man alive; 1 First printed as Essay 26, in "Essays by Mr. Gold smith," 1765, 12mo. VARIATIONS. No, never, from this hour to part, And the last sigh that rends thy heart In the original draft the ballad ended thus: : "Here amidst Sylvan bowers we'll rove, Blest as the songsters of the grove, "To all that want, and all that wail, And when this life of love shall fail, We'll love again in heaven." |