That done-he left his woodland glade, He lov'd to court the ftranger fhade, Within the bofom of a wood, While many a prouder caftle fell, The house where guardian virtues dwell Of Eglantine an humble fence Around the manfion flood, Which charm'd at once the ravish'd sense, And fcreen'd an infant wood. The wood receiv'd an added As pleas'd it bent to look, grace, And view'd its ever verdant face The smallness of the ftream did well This manfion own'd an aged Knight, As heaven juft fhews to human fight His youth in many a well fought field The vigour of a green old age And forrow more than age can break, A One darling daughter footh'd his cares, Her heart a little facred fhrine, She rear'd a fair and fragrant bower Of wild and ruftic taste, And there fhe fcreen'd each fav'rite flower And not a fhrub or plant was there But did fome moral yield; The trees whofe foliage fell away, While fair, perennial greens that stood, He taught her that the gaudieft flowers While the fweet-fcented rose shall taft, And here the virgin lov❜d to lead And here the oft retir'd to read, Embower'd she grac'd the woodland fhades, From courts and cities far, The pride of Caledonian maids, The peerless northern far. As fhines that bright and blazing star, SO BIRTHA fhone -But when she spoke As on the ravish'd air she broke, "O blefs thy BIRTHA, Power Supreme, "In whom I live and move, "And bless me noft by bleffing him "Whom more than life I love.". She starts to hear a stranger's voice, The ftranger loft in tranfport ftood, The virgin blush which spreads her cheek, With Nature's pureft dye, And all thofe dazling beams which break, Like morning from her eye. He view'd them all, and as he view'd And fill his raptur'd eye pursued, With filent wonder long they gaz'd, "O facred Virtue, heavenly power! 66 Thy wonderous force I feel; gaze, I tremble, I adore, "I "Yet die my love to tell. "My fcorn has oft the dart repell'a "Which guileful beauty threw, "But goodness heard, and grace beheld, "Muft every heart fubdue." Quick on the ground her eyes were caft, Good ARDOLPH's eye his BIRTHA meets And thus with courteous fpeech he greets "O gallant Youth, whoe'er thou art, "Thou art welcome to this place; "There's fomething rifes at my heart, "Which fays I've feen that face." "Thou generous Knight," the youth rejoin'd, "Tho' little known to fame, "I trust I bear a grateful mind"Sir ELDRED is my name. "Sir ELDRED?"-ARDOLPH loud exclaim'd, "Renown'd for worth and power? "For valour and for virtue fam'd, "Sir ELDRED OF THE BOWER? "Now make me grateful, righteous Heaven, "As thou art good to me, "Since to my aged eyes 'tis given "Sir ELDRED's fon to fee! Then ARDOLPH caught him by the hand, And gaz'd upon his face, And to his aged bosom strain❜d, With many a kind embrace, |