I FOUND her not-the chamber seem'd It felt as if her lips had shed A sigh around her, ere she fled, Of melodies which had been there! I saw the web, which, all the day, And I could trace the hallow'd print And Love himself had stamp'd the form! Oh, NEA! NEA! where wert thou? A KISS A L'ANTIQUE. BEHOLD, my love, the curious gem Some fair Athenian girl, perhaps, Look, darling, what a sweet design! The more we gaze, it charms the more Come,-closer bring that cheek to mine, And trace with me its beauties o'er. Thou seest, it is a simple youth By some enamour'd nymph embraced Look, NEA, love! and say, in sooth, Is not her hand most dearly placed? Upon his curled head behind It seems in careless play to lie, Yet presses gently, half inclined * To bring his lip of nectar nigh! Oh happy maid! too happy boy! The one so fond and faintly loath, The other yielding slow to joy— Oh, rare indeed, but blissful both! Imagine, love, that I am he, And just as warm as he is chilling; Imagine too that thou art she, But quite as cold as she is willing : So may we try the graceful way In which their gentle arms are twined, * Somewhat like the symplegma of Cupid and Psyche at Florence, in which the position of Pysche's hand is finely expressive of affection. See the Museum Florentinum, tom. ii. tab. 43 44. I know of very few subjects in which poetry could be more interestingly employed, than in illustrating some of the ancient statues and gems. And thus I feel thee breathing sweet, ...... λιβανοτω είκασεν, ότι απολλυμενον ευφραίνει. ARISTOT. Rhetor. lib. iii. cap. 4. THERE's not a look, a word of thine My soul hath e'er forgot; Thou ne'er hast bid a ringlet shine, Nor given thy locks one graceful twine, There never yet a murmur fell Like something Heaven had sung! Ah! that I could, at once, forget And yet, thou witching girl!—and yet, The loved remembrance go! |