A PASTORAL.
A H ! why did Llwellin depart!
And why did he fly from the plain?
He still is the pride of my heart,
Tho' he leave me, unkind, to complain:
I mourn at the foot of the rock,
Or wander distress'd thro' the vale;
The maidens take care of my flock,
But marvel to see me so pale!
I slept by the side of a stream,
I dreamt — my Llwellin stood by,
I woke, — and behold 'twas a dream!
All day I did nothing but cry:
My satchel lay fast by my crook,
On the margin, that bounded the tide,
My pipe it was dropp'd in the brook,
That murmuring ran by my side;
How rapid it floated along!
'Twas in vain that I bad it to stay;
Since sorrow has sadden'd my song —
Why, — bear it ye Naiads away:
Alas! from Llwellin it came!
He said — " ' twas a token of love , "
And carved on its surface — his name , —
All by the tall beech, in the grove.
He gave me a locket of hair ,
Which whilom, I wore on my breast;
(I think I shall die with despair!)
'Tis lost! — and I never can rest!
I once was as cheerful as May,
My cheeks — all as fresh as the rose!
My bloom it is wither'd away!
I'm sure I shall die with my woes!
But why do I sigh, and complain?
Why rove, disregarded, my sheep?
I late was the pride of the plain,
But now, I do nothing but weep:
Yet, ask not the cause of my woe
Ye maidens, who pity my grief;
My tears — they for ever must flow,
I'm hopeless, alas! of relief.
When he last came to bid me adieu!
I falter'd, I blush'd, and I sigh'd;
My heart it was fervent, and true, —
What language its feelings cou'd hide!
Yet prudence forbad me to tell
The anguish I felt at my breast,
I bad the dear shepherd — farewel;
And now am a stranger to rest.
One eve to his grotto I stray'd,
Gay Phaebus was sunk in the main,
The mountain extended its shade;
For Cynthia illumined the plain:
The shepherd gang'd home, with his flock,
His pipe was melodious, and clear;
I lean'd on the side of the rock,
And sigh'd, as I thought of — my dear!
The stars they bespangled the sky,
The zephyrs were lull'd in the grove,
A nightingale , warbled hard by —
And mourn'd the sad fate of her love:
The fountain, Llwellin had taught
To wander, and wind thro' the dale
Soft murmur'd, — and gave to my thought,
What she left me to guess, of her tale:
I listen'd awhile to her lay;
Her plaints but encreased my despair:
I startled! — 'twas nothing but Tray ,
He thought that his master was there;
Sagacious — he flew round the cell:
Poor fellow! thy search is in vain,
Thy master he bids us farewel;
We've nothing to do, but complain.
All pensive I wander'd along
The path-way that led to my cot,
The night-owl begun her harsh song,
And shriek'd as she flew by the grot:
My heart it beat high in my side,
I trembled and fell at the gate —
My sorrows will kill me, — I cried,
Come maidens, and mourn my hard fate!
Come shepherds, — and see me laid low,
In the midst of yon shadowy grove,
Ye fountains, all plaintively flow,
Ye zephyrs, all plaintively move!
The bard, from the verge of the steep —
Shall chant the sad dirge to my shade,
Sit round me ye virgins and weep;
When spectres glide over the glade.
A H ! why did Llwellin depart!
And why did he fly from the plain?
He still is the pride of my heart,
Tho' he leave me, unkind, to complain:
I mourn at the foot of the rock,
Or wander distress'd thro' the vale;
The maidens take care of my flock,
But marvel to see me so pale!
I slept by the side of a stream,
I dreamt — my Llwellin stood by,
I woke, — and behold 'twas a dream!
All day I did nothing but cry:
My satchel lay fast by my crook,
On the margin, that bounded the tide,
My pipe it was dropp'd in the brook,
That murmuring ran by my side;
How rapid it floated along!
'Twas in vain that I bad it to stay;
Since sorrow has sadden'd my song —
Why, — bear it ye Naiads away:
Alas! from Llwellin it came!
He said — " ' twas a token of love , "
And carved on its surface — his name , —
All by the tall beech, in the grove.
He gave me a locket of hair ,
Which whilom, I wore on my breast;
(I think I shall die with despair!)
'Tis lost! — and I never can rest!
I once was as cheerful as May,
My cheeks — all as fresh as the rose!
My bloom it is wither'd away!
I'm sure I shall die with my woes!
But why do I sigh, and complain?
Why rove, disregarded, my sheep?
I late was the pride of the plain,
But now, I do nothing but weep:
Yet, ask not the cause of my woe
Ye maidens, who pity my grief;
My tears — they for ever must flow,
I'm hopeless, alas! of relief.
When he last came to bid me adieu!
I falter'd, I blush'd, and I sigh'd;
My heart it was fervent, and true, —
What language its feelings cou'd hide!
Yet prudence forbad me to tell
The anguish I felt at my breast,
I bad the dear shepherd — farewel;
And now am a stranger to rest.
One eve to his grotto I stray'd,
Gay Phaebus was sunk in the main,
The mountain extended its shade;
For Cynthia illumined the plain:
The shepherd gang'd home, with his flock,
His pipe was melodious, and clear;
I lean'd on the side of the rock,
And sigh'd, as I thought of — my dear!
The stars they bespangled the sky,
The zephyrs were lull'd in the grove,
A nightingale , warbled hard by —
And mourn'd the sad fate of her love:
The fountain, Llwellin had taught
To wander, and wind thro' the dale
Soft murmur'd, — and gave to my thought,
What she left me to guess, of her tale:
I listen'd awhile to her lay;
Her plaints but encreased my despair:
I startled! — 'twas nothing but Tray ,
He thought that his master was there;
Sagacious — he flew round the cell:
Poor fellow! thy search is in vain,
Thy master he bids us farewel;
We've nothing to do, but complain.
All pensive I wander'd along
The path-way that led to my cot,
The night-owl begun her harsh song,
And shriek'd as she flew by the grot:
My heart it beat high in my side,
I trembled and fell at the gate —
My sorrows will kill me, — I cried,
Come maidens, and mourn my hard fate!
Come shepherds, — and see me laid low,
In the midst of yon shadowy grove,
Ye fountains, all plaintively flow,
Ye zephyrs, all plaintively move!
The bard, from the verge of the steep —
Shall chant the sad dirge to my shade,
Sit round me ye virgins and weep;
When spectres glide over the glade.