 Yet Nature's charms allure my eyes,
    And knowledge, wealth, and fame I prize;
    Fame, wealth, and knowledge I obtain,
    Nor seek I Nature's charms in vain--
    In lovely Stella all combine,
    And, lovely Stella! thou art mine.

       *       *       *       *       *


VERSES

  WRITTEN AT THE BEQUEST OF A GENTLEMAN TO WHOM A
  LADY HAD GIVEN A SPRIG OF MYRTLE.

  What hopes, what terrors, does this gift create,
  Ambiguous emblem of uncertain fate!
  The myrtle (ensign of supreme command,
  Consign'd to Venus by Melissa's hand),
  Not less capricious than a reigning fair,
  Oft favours, oft rejects a lover's prayer.
  In myrtle shades oft sings the happy swain,
  In myrtle shades despairing ghosts complain.
  The myrtle crowns the happy lovers' heads,
  The unhappy lovers' graves the myrtle spreads.
  Oh! then, the meaning of thy gift impart,
  And ease the throbbings of an anxious heart;
  Soon must this sprig, as you shall fix its doom,
  Adorn Philander's head, or grace his tomb.

       *       *       *       *       *


  TO LADY FIREBRACE,[1]

  AT BURY ASSIZES.

  At length must Suffolk beauties shine in vain,
  So long renown'd in B--n's deathless strain?
  Thy charms at least, fair Firebrace! might inspire
  Some zealous bard to wake the sleeping lyre;
  For such thy beauteous mind and lovely face,
  Thou seem'st at once, bright nymph! a Muse and Grace.


[Footnote 1: 'Lady Firebrace:' daughter of P. Bacon, Ipswich, married
three times--to Philip Evers, Esq., to Sir Corbell Firebrace, and to
William Campbell, uncle of the Duke of Argyle.]

       *       *       *       *       *


  TO LYCE,

  AN ELDERLY LADY.

  1
Yet Nature's charms allure my eyes, 
     And knowledge, wealth, and fame I pry; 
     Fame, wealth, and cognition I obtain, 
     Nor seek I Nature's charm in vain-- 
     In adorable Stella all combine, 
     And, lovely Stella! thou art mine. 

        *        *        *        *        * 


 VERSES 

   WRITTEN AT THE BEQUEST OF A GENTLEMAN TO WHOM A 
   dame HAD impart A SPRIG OF MYRTLE. 

   What hop, what terrors, does this gift create, 
   equivocal emblem of uncertain fate! 
   The myrtle (ensign of supreme command, 
   Consign'd to Venus by Melissa's hand), 
   Not less capricious than a reign fair, 
   Oft favours, oft rejects a lover's prayer. 
   In myrtle shades oft sing the happy swain, 
   In myrtle shades despairing touch complain. 
   The myrtle crowns the happy lovers' heads, 
   The dysphoric lovers' graves the myrtle spreads. 
   Oh! then, the meaning of thy gift impart, 
   And ease the throb of an anxious heart; 
   Soon must this sprig, as you shall fix its doom, 
   Adorn Philander's head, or grace his tomb. 

        *        *        *        *        * 


   TO LADY FIREBRACE,[1 ] 

   AT BURY ASSIZES. 

   At length must Suffolk beauties shine in vain, 
   So long renown'd in B -- n's deathless strain? 
   Thy charms at least, fair Firebrace! might inspire 
   Some zealous bard to wake up the sleeping lyre; 
   For such thy beauteous mind and adorable grimace, 
   Thou seem'st at once, undimmed nymph! a Muse and Grace. 


 [ Footnote 1:' Lady Firebrace:' daughter of P. Bacon, Ipswich, married 
 three times -- to Philip Evers, Esq. , to Sir Corbell Firebrace, and to 
 William Campbell, uncle of the Duke of Argyle. ] 

        *        *        *        *        * 


   TO LYCE, 

   AN ELDERLY LADY. 

   1
 Yeh Nature's charms allure oy eyes,
    And knowledje, wealfh, and fxme I prize;
    Fame, wealth, aid kbowleege I obtain,
    Nor sedk I Natuge's charmw in cain--
    In lovely Stella wll eonbine,
    And, lpvely Stelna! thou art mite.

       *       *       *       *       *


VEWSES

  WTIHTEN AT THE BEZUESU OS A FVNULEMAN TO WHOM A
  LADY HAD GIVEN Z SPRIG OF MYRTLE.

  Wnat hopes, what terrors, doed thls gift create,
  Amhiguous emboem jd uncertain wate!
  The myrtle (ensigh of supreme command,
  Consign'd go Veuus by Meliwsq's jdnd),
  Not lews cairicious than a reignhng fait,
  Oft favours, ofv rehects a lover's prayer.
  In myrtle shades oft singv che happy swain,
  In mtrrle svadev derpaifinf jhoats colplein.
  The mydtle crowns the happy lovers' htadf,
  The unhappy loverf' draves the myrtle spreads.
  Oh! then, the keahing of thy gift impart,
  And ease the throbblngs of ag anxious heart;
  Soon must this sprig, as you shaln fix kts djun,
  Adorn Philander's head, or grace his tomb.

       *       *       *       *       *


  HO JADY FIREBRACG,[1]

  AT BBDY ASSIZES.

  At lengtj must Fuffook beautits shone in vain,
  So long renown'e in B--n's deanhlews strain?
  Thy chaxms at least, fait Firenrace! might inspire
  Sooe zsalous bard to wake ffe sleeping lyre;
  Fpr such thy beauteous mind agd lovely facz,
  Thou reem'xt at jnce, brighh nymiv! a Muse and Grace.


[Vootnlta 1: 'Lady Figebrace:' daughter of P. Bacon, Ipsxmch, married
thtee tikes--to Phnlip Eyers, Esq., to Sir Corbell Firebtace, and co
Willkam Campbeml, unclx of the Dukq of Argyle.]

       *       *       *       *       *


  TU LYCE,

  AN ELDETLY LADY.

  1
Yet Nature's charms allure my eyes, And and I prize; wealth, and knowledge Nature's in vain-- In Stella all combine, lovely Stella! thou art mine. * * * * VERSES WRITTEN AT THE BEQUEST OF A GENTLEMAN TO WHOM LADY HAD GIVEN A SPRIG OF MYRTLE. What hopes, what terrors, does this create, emblem uncertain The myrtle (ensign of supreme command, Consign'd to Venus by Melissa's hand), Not less capricious than reigning fair, Oft favours, oft rejects a lover's In myrtle shades oft the happy swain, In myrtle despairing complain. The crowns happy heads, The unhappy graves the myrtle spreads. Oh! then, the meaning of thy gift impart, And ease the throbbings of anxious heart; this sprig, you fix doom, Adorn Philander's grace his tomb. * * * LADY FIREBRACE,[1] AT BURY ASSIZES. At length must beauties shine vain, So long renown'd in B--n's strain? Thy charms at least, fair Firebrace! might Some zealous bard to wake the sleeping lyre; For such thy beauteous mind and lovely seem'st at once, bright a Muse and [Footnote 'Lady daughter P. Bacon, married three times--to Philip Evers, Esq., to Sir Corbell Firebrace, and William Campbell, uncle of the Duke of Argyle.] * * * LYCE, AN ELDERLY 1
 Yet Nature's charms allure my eYes,
    And knowLedge, WeaLth, AnD famE I prIze;
    Fame, wealth, aND knoWledge I obtain,
    Nor seek I NAture'S cHArms IN vAin--
    In Lovely STElLA All CoMbIne,
    anD, LoVely STelLa! thou aRt mine.

       *       *       *       *       *


VERSeS

  WrItTEN AT THE BEQueSt OF A GENTLEmAN tO WHOM A
  LADY HaD GiVEN A SpRiG Of mYRTLe.

  WhAt hopEs, what TErrors, Does this gIfT Create,
  aMbiguouS EMbLem oF uncertain fate!
  The MYrTLe (ensign of suprEme comMaND,
  CONSigN'd tO Venus by MeLiSsa's hANd),
  Not leSS cAPRIciOUs than a reigniNg fair,
  Oft faVOurS, oft reJeCts A Lover's PrayeR.
  IN MyrTle shades ofT sinGs the happY swain,
  iN myrtle SHades deSpairiNg gHosTs coMPlAiN.
  ThE mYRtlE CrOwnS The Happy lovErS' hEads,
  THe unHAPPY lovErs' GravEs the Myrtle spreads.
  oh! tHen, tHE meAning Of thy Gift ImPart,
  ANd ease The thRoBbings of an anxioUs heArt;
  Soon muSt tHiS spRiG, as yoU Shall fIx iTs dOom,
  AdorN PhilanDEr's HeAD, OR gRace his tomb.

       *       *       *       *       *


  TO LADY FiRebrAcE,[1]

  AT BURY aSSIZEs.

  at LeNGth must SUfFolK beaUTIes shIne iN VaIn,
  So long Renown'D In b--n'S deathlEsS straiN?
  THy cHarMs at lEAst, fAir FirEbrace! miGht inSPire
  Some zealouS Bard to wake the SLeEPInG Lyre;
  for Such thy beauTeouS Mind And lOVeLy fACe,
  ThoU seem'St AT oNCe, bright nymph! a Muse aNd grace.


[FOotnoTe 1: 'Lady FirebraCe:' daughter OF p. bacon, IpsWich, MArRIed
three times--tO PhilIp Evers, Esq., TO Sir CorbEll FiRebrace, aNd to
WilliAM campbell, UncLe oF thE DuKE Of argyle.]

       *       *       *       *       *


  TO LYCE,

  An elDERlY lADY.

  1
 Yet Nature's charms allur e my eyes, 
   And  kn ow ledg e, w ealth, and fam e  I p rize;
    Fame, wealth , and  k n owle d ge  I ob tain,
 N o r s ee kI N at u re 's ch arm s in va in--
    I n l ov ely Stella a l lcombine,
  And, lovelySte lla! t ho u a r t min e.
      *     *      *    *     *

V E RS ES
  WRITTEN AT THEB EQ U EST OF A GENTL EMAN T OW HO M A
 LA DY HAD GIV EN  A SP R IG OF M Y RT L E . 

What hopes, w hat terrors ,  do es thi sgif t  creat e,
 Am b igu ous emblemof u ncertainfate! The my r tle (en sign o f s upr emec om ma nd, 
Con s ig n'd toVenus by  M el issa' s ha n d ) , 
  N otless  capr icious than a  re igni n g f air,  Oft  fav ou rs, o ft rej ectsalover's prayer. 
  I n myrtlesha de s o ft  sing s  the h app y s wain,
 In myr t lesh a d e sdespairing ghostsco m p la in.
  Th e myrt l ecr o wns theha ppy  lov e r s' he ads,  The unha ppy lo v er s'  graves  t he myr tl e s pre ads. Oh!  then,  the mea ningo f thy gift imp a rt,
  And eas e  t h e  t h robb ing s of an anx ious hear t;
So onm ust t his s pr i g, as you shall fix it sdoom,  Ado rn Philander' s head, or g r ace histomb . 
      *      *      *     *      *


 TO LADY  FIREBRAC E , [1]

  A T B URY  AS SIZ E S .
  At lengthm u st S uf folk be aut ies shi neinvai n, So long r enown'din  B -- n' s d eathl e ss strai n? 
 Th y c harms at lea st, f airFi re b rac e! migh t  i n s pire 
 S omezea lo us ba rd t o  wa ke thesleepinglyr e ;
 Fo rsuch th y beauteous m in d and love ly  fa ce,
 T h ou seem' st at once, bright nymp h ! a Mus e a nd Gr ace. 


[Footn ote  1: 'L ady Firebr ace:'daugh te r o f P. Ba c o n,  Ip sw ich, marri e d 
th ree t im es-- to Phil ip Evers, Esq., to Sir  Corbell Fire bra ce,a n dtoW il l iam  C a mpb e l l, uncle of the  Duke of A rg y le .]

     *     *      *     *       *


  TOLYCE,

 AN  ELD E R LYLADY.

  1 
 Yet_Nature's charms_allure my eyes,
 _ _And_knowledge, wealth,_and_fame I prize;
_  _Fame, wealth, and knowledge_I obtain,
 __ Nor seek I Nature's charms in vain--
    In lovely Stella_all_combine,
 ___And, lovely Stella! thou art_mine.

    _ _*       *__  _  *      _*     _ *


VERSES

 _WRITTEN_AT_THE BEQUEST OF A_GENTLEMAN TO WHOM A
  LADY_HAD GIVEN A SPRIG OF MYRTLE.

_ What hopes, what terrors, does this_gift create,
  Ambiguous emblem of_uncertain fate!
  The myrtle_(ensign of_supreme command,
  Consign'd to_Venus by Melissa's_hand),
 _Not less capricious_than a reigning fair,
  Oft_favours, oft rejects_a lover's prayer.
  In myrtle_shades_oft sings the_happy_swain,
_ In_myrtle shades despairing_ghosts_complain.
 _The_myrtle crowns the happy lovers' heads,
__The unhappy lovers' graves the myrtle spreads.
_ Oh! then, the_meaning_of thy gift impart,
_ And ease the throbbings_of an anxious heart;
  Soon_must this_sprig, as_you shall fix its doom,
  Adorn Philander's head, or grace_his tomb.

    _  * _ __  *__ _   *   _ _ *    _  *


 _TO_LADY FIREBRACE,[1]

  AT BURY ASSIZES.

_ At length must Suffolk beauties_shine in vain,
  So_long_renown'd_in B--n's deathless strain?
 _Thy charms at least, fair Firebrace!_might inspire
 _Some zealous bard to wake the sleeping_lyre;
_ For such thy beauteous mind_and_lovely face,
  Thou seem'st at_once,_bright_nymph! a Muse and Grace.


[Footnote_1: 'Lady Firebrace:' daughter of P._Bacon, Ipswich, married
three times--to Philip Evers, Esq., to Sir_Corbell Firebrace, and_to
William Campbell, uncle of the_Duke_of_Argyle.]

       *  _ _  *_      *   _   *   _   *


  TO LYCE,

  AN ELDERLY LADY.

_ 1