p^r i?, li? BONNEAU 
 • ^ '-ionoro 
 
SENTIMENTAL LOVE 
 
 ILLUSTRATED IN 
 
 CHARMIDES and THEONE, 
 
 AND » 
 
 ASE-NEITHA, 
 
 TWO ANCIENT TALES. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, 
 
 ELYSIUM, 
 
 A PRELUDE. 
 
 THE WHOLE 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by D. Brewman, for J. Searle, Cofner of 
 Warwick Street and Brewer Street, Golden Square ; 
 Riley, No. 33, Ludgate Hill; Appleyard, in 
 W^impole Street; and Parsley, at the Dunciad, 
 Surrey Side of Blackfriars Bridge, near Chrift Church, 
 
 M DCC LXXXIX. 
 
jayTL 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The finifliing of the Plates having been 
 retarded by an unlucky Accident, which 
 befel the Artift ; the Tranllator of this lit- 
 tle Work — to prevent Difappointment — has 
 been under the Neceffity of publifhing it 
 with the Etchings only, which on being pro- 
 duced by the Purchafer a Fortnight after the 
 Day of Pubhcation, at the Place of Sale, will 
 be exchanged for the complete Engravings. 
 
CHARMIDES and THEONE: 
 
 GRECIAN TALE. 
 
CHARMIDES and THEONE : 
 
 X HE inbabitahts of the ifland of 
 Cyprus were no more the fame people, 
 among whom the young Goddefs of 
 Love had come as a good and innocent 
 little girl, then unconfcious of her own 
 divinity. At that time, the fair of the 
 ifle, in the fimplicity of their hearts, 
 had received the unknown Venus, ac- 
 cording to the rules of hofpitality. 
 They had acquired new charms by 
 her converfation; and when afterwards 
 Ihe was taken from among them to 
 
 A GRECIAN TALE. 
 
 heaven. 
 
2 CHARMIDES 
 
 heaven, they had preferved that high 
 opinion of her, which maidens gene- 
 rally ufe to have of a companion, wha 
 leaves them to be united to the man^. 
 who is the idol of her heart. In the 
 fame manner the attendants of VenuSy 
 the Graces, had appeared to the Cy- 
 prian maidens : three tender-hearted, 
 kind creatures, lovely in all they did ; 
 whether they lay down on the grafs, 
 or fported in the meads ; whether they 
 fpoke, fung, or embraced a friend; 
 •whether they fmiled on one young 
 man, or fled from another ; whether 
 they affilled a companion in her work, 
 or dreffed her for fome folemnity ; 
 whether they caught each other in 
 the ftiadow of the trees, or laid their 
 hands on the altar, they were always 
 lovely ; yet fo, that it was thought 
 eafy to imitate them. The confiden- 
 tial 
 
tial friends of the Graces had imper- 
 ceptibly been initiated into their myf- 
 teries^ or rather, without thinking of 
 any myfleries at all, had acquired all 
 that was necefTary to refemble them ; 
 and though they had not the leaft 
 notion of any written precepts of the 
 Graces, their behaviour would have 
 fufficed to conftitute a complete code 
 of their laws. 
 
 The memory of Venus and the 
 Graces, together with the influence, 
 their prefence had upon them, had 
 long remained with this happy people 
 in its original fimplicity ; and a wor- 
 ihip, fuitable to this flmplicity, had 
 been preferved among them. They 
 had groves inftead of temples ; their 
 altars were nothing but hillocks co- 
 vered with grafs, upon which a little 
 milk and honey, as an offering, was 
 B 2 poured 
 
4^ CHARMIDES 
 
 poured out of wooden veflels ; their 
 dances were fuch as any Ihepherdefs 
 could dance, and their hymns void 
 of all art. But at the fame time their 
 garments were chafte, their head- 
 drefs fimple, their cheeks covered 
 with the blufh of modefty, their looks 
 meek, their foft tone of voice that of 
 a virgin, their deportment the de- 
 portment of a prieftefs, who carries 
 fome object of veneration ; and with 
 becoming geflures and motions of the 
 body, though not yet brought to the 
 utmofl degree of perfediion, they com- 
 bined all the interior amiable qualities 
 of the Graces. 
 
 But now the inhabitants of the ille 
 were no longer that once happy people. 
 They eredted lofty temples and pom- 
 pous altars to the Goddefs of Love ; 
 they approached her in coftly attire, 
 
 and 
 
AND THEONE. 5 
 
 and expended much upon offerings. 
 Their dances were fkilfully invented, 
 nnd their hymns worthy of the Mufes. 
 But in their vaft temples no eye w^as 
 feen calmly to look up to heaven, as 
 formerly ; no more tears of love were 
 Ihed ! The maidens and young men 
 petitioned from the Goddefs nothing 
 but kiffes, and froii^ the Graces no- 
 thing but exterior fweetnefs, foft dif- 
 courfes, alluring glances, pleafing 
 apparel, and eafe in all the motions 
 of their limbs; nor were there any 
 young men who fpoke with more 
 propriety, nor any maidens more re- 
 markable for wearing their veils and 
 garlands with grace. 
 
 At this time the ftatuary Callias, 
 whofe ftatues adorned the principal 
 temples, became famous in Cyprus. 
 His ftatues of the Goddefs of Love 
 B 3 were 
 
6 
 
 CHARMI,J>ES 
 
 were remarkable for a voluptuous at- 
 titude, and a languilhing look; his 
 Graces, for their wanton fmile, the 
 dimple in their chin or cheek, and 
 for the chains of flowers, which were 
 lafcivioufly thrown about them. The 
 public opinion of the worth of thefe 
 performances, which concurred with 
 the moral feelings of the whole na^- 
 tion, was fo decided, that it even 
 forced to filence the envy of the other 
 artifts. — -Venus and her attendants 
 perfonally appear to Callias ; all his 
 works are animated by the breath of 
 love : this was the general cry of 
 fkilled and half frilled judges ; the 
 prielleffes repeated it, and after them 
 it was echoed by every girl in her 
 teens. 
 
 Charmides, Callias's fon, a youth, 
 who, in every refpeft, had fhewn a 
 
 pre- 
 
AN0THEONE. ^ 
 
 premature infpiration, alone remained 
 unmoved by the mafter-pieces of his 
 father, notwithftanding he had been 
 intruded by him in the art ever 
 iince he had been able to handle thp 
 chifleL 
 
 Callias lived not far from the town 
 of Paphos, on a hill on which facri- 
 fices ufed to be made to Venus. Here 
 the neighbouring youth ufed to refort 
 at the time, when the rofes bloflbm ; 
 for that hill was entirely covered with 
 rofe-bu{hes> On the other fide of this 
 hill there was a little ancient wood, 
 bewildered, and vifited by no man. 
 It was reported, that in former times 
 it had been the place of refort of th^ 
 Graces and Mufes, and that there they 
 had been ufed to perform their dances, 
 and to ling their ftrains ; but that now 
 it was quite forfaken by them ; that 
 B 4 DO 
 
CHARMIDES 
 
 no track of their prefence was to be 
 found in it, and that it was the abode 
 of ferpents. Into this wood young 
 Charmides once ventured ; not from 
 a motive of curiofity, but becaufe he 
 felt a defire to become more intimate- 
 ly converfant with the Gods. The 
 branches of the trees, boldly inter- 
 woven, corroborated all that was 
 reported myflerious of this fpot, 
 and gave it, befides, an appearance 
 of antiquity, which to a feeling 
 mind, like his, promifed the fweetefl 
 yifions. 
 
 The entrance of the grove was 
 guarded by the mutilated image of a 
 Mufe, almoft grown undiftinguifh- 
 able. A flute was jull: difcernible in 
 her hand, and a wreath of myrtle 
 round her forehead. Charmides, 
 without being terrified by any venom- 
 
 ofPs 
 
ANDTHEONE. 9 
 
 ous animal, penetrated into the inner- 
 moft recefles of the wood. He came 
 to an altar, made of fods, and to a 
 wooden ftatue, pretty well preferved. 
 He was, at firft fight, awed by the 
 fimplicity of the ancient worlhip, 
 and felt fatisfadtion. The ftatue re- 
 prefented the Goddefs of Love lean- 
 ing with her right arm on a Grace. 
 A rough piece of workmanfhip ; one 
 of thofe, at which the artiil, who is 
 ufed to work only with his hands, 
 would laugh ; but in which an ex- 
 alted meaning lies concealed, and 
 foon is difcovered by him, whofe 
 foul is fit for fuch a difcovery. In 
 the look of this Venus a calm tender- 
 nefs was vifible, and that happy be- 
 nevolence, which ftrives to commu- 
 nicate, and adually does communis 
 cate itfelf to others. Her pofiure 
 
 was 
 
10 CHARMIDES 
 
 was tranquil and noble. In the veil 
 of the Grace there was no lafcivious 
 fold ; nothing wanton in her locks ; 
 two rofe-buds were all their orna^ 
 ment. Bending forward a little with 
 downcaft look, Ihe feemed to blulh 
 at the thought of being deflined to 
 add beauty to her Goddefs. This 
 is Ihe, exclaimed Charmides, kneels 
 ing down before the altar. 
 
 Since the time Charmides had 
 feen this holy fpot, it was Hill more 
 difficult for him than before to re- 
 concile himfelf to the ftatues, made 
 by his father, and to the pomp, which 
 attended the facrifice, made to the 
 Goddefs. Every where the modeft 
 Venus of the grove, with the bafhful 
 Grace, were prefent to him; they 
 iDOth hovered about him, when he 
 ^/as at work, and followed him to 
 
 the 
 
ANDTHEONE, II 
 
 the temple. In the midfl of the 
 marble ftatues and golden altars, his 
 imaguiatlon kept him proftrate be- 
 fore the holy turf and the wooden 
 image of his Deity, by whofe irra^ 
 diance alone he thought himfelf hap- 
 py to be enlightened. Whatever 
 might be the fragrance which exr 
 haled from the fuU-blown garlands 
 pf the prieflelTes, he could never 
 forget the chafle rnyrtle of his Mufe, 
 He remained even unmoved at the 
 charms of the maidens, who in pro- 
 ceffion went with him to facrifice. 
 He often would call: his eyes around, 
 to difcover fome look among then\ 
 which could be compared to that of 
 the Goddefs in the grove ; but he 
 found none. 
 
 At one of the feafls, which were 
 ufually celebrated on the hill, in the 
 
 feafoi^ 
 
12 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 feafon of the rofes, a little girl at- 
 traded his attention. She fat folitary, 
 and feledted the fmalleft rofcbuds ; 
 one of them fhe placed in her hair, 
 and another in her bofom. She 
 feemed to remark, that there ,the 
 flower became brighter ; and with 
 downcaft look blullied at the dif- 
 covery. This was Charmides' Grace. 
 
 A thought like this, was too re- 
 fined indeed for the mind of a little 
 girl ; but, upon firft confidering her, 
 an idea, fimilar to this, and though 
 confufed at that time, yet capable of 
 being conllrued fo in the future, 
 muft be fuppofed in her foul. 
 
 The little fair one rofe from the 
 ground, looked at the youth, and 
 blufhed. The looks of the youth 
 fell on the two rofebuds in her locks, 
 but not on the other; yet he gazed 
 
 with 
 
ANDTHEONE. I3 
 
 with a fort of timidity at thofe eyes 
 which before had been caft down at 
 the fight of the latter rofebud. The 
 little Grace fmiled. She had never 
 had fo high an opinion of any youth 
 before* Meanwhile the grand hymn 
 was chanted ; the folemnity was 
 ended, and the girl was forced to 
 withdraw with her companions. She 
 was from Paphos, and her name 
 Theone. 
 
 The Venus in the grove with her 
 Grace ! and now a mortal girl, which 
 refembled the latter ! Charmides 
 was feized with melancholy. He 
 would often repair to the ancient 
 wood ; but the Goddefles there could 
 not fmile on him, like the little girl 
 of Paphos. — Who knows whether 
 thefe GoddefTes are friendly to me or 
 not ? would he often fay. — I Ihould 
 
 certainly 
 
14 CHARMl6£i 
 
 certainly think them friendly, if the 
 little fair one loved me ! 
 
 She returned to the hill the follow- 
 ing feafon. Charmides met her with 
 a few rofebuds* The foft tone, with 
 which he faluted Theone, had fome- 
 thing fo pleaiing to her, and fo ami- 
 able appeared to him the look, with 
 which file thanked him, that from 
 that very inftant a facred tie exifted 
 between them. 
 
 Theone ! wilt thou follow me to 
 yonder little wood ? faid Charmides* 
 Their union was formed ; fhe gave 
 him her hand, and attended him. 
 
 They had now reached the en* 
 trance of the grove. This Mufe 
 certainly played none but innocent 
 tones on her flute ; faid Charmides, 
 breaking off at the fame time a 
 wreath of myrtle, and winding it 
 
 round 
 
ANDTHEONE. IJ 
 
 round the forehead of Theone. Now 
 they proceeded, and the wooden 
 image appeared before them, toge- 
 ther with the altar. — This is the 
 Goddefs of Love, faid Charmides, 
 and this is a Grace. When he faid 
 fo, his eyes were filled with tears, and 
 he prefled the hand of his fair com- 
 panion. When Theone beheld Char- 
 mides's tears, Ihe could not with* 
 hold her own. Their origin waJ 
 innocence and love. 
 
 This Deity, faid Charmides^ after 
 a fhort paufe, has as yet no prieftefs. 
 Wouldft thou, Theone, devote thy- 
 felf to her myfleries ? She did not 
 quite underftand him. Though the 
 fimplicity of the altar, and the looks 
 of the image had a fomething, which^ 
 without knowing why, Ihe preferred 
 to the fumptuous Paphian temples^ 
 
 and 
 
CHARM IDES 
 
 and the hill of rofes ; yet, to appre- 
 tiate all that was facred in it, wa3 
 beyond the comprehenfion of her in- 
 fantile mind : Charmides, himfelf^ 
 could better feel, than account for 
 its excellence. But at the fame time 
 to Theone, had Ihe not felt an inclina- 
 tion for the Goddefs of Love and the 
 Grace for their own fakes ; their 
 images would have become facred 
 from the moment Charmides led he!* 
 to them. She filled her lap with 
 flowers, wound a garland of them 
 round the Goddefs, and ftrewed the 
 reft on the altar. — Never forget what 
 thou haft done, faid Charmides. 
 
 Theone now returned to the hill 
 with her beloved ; and, by her mo-' 
 ther's command, was forced to mix 
 in the voluptuous dances of the reft. 
 The indignation of offended modefty 
 
 dwelt 
 
A N D T H E O N E. I7 
 
 dwelt on her brow under the wreath 
 of myrtle. Whenever a young man 
 attempted to throw his arms round 
 her waift, Ihe fhewed difpleafure, 
 and was laughed, at. The hand- 
 fomeft among them took from her 
 locks one of the rofes, which Char- 
 mides had given her ; and he did it 
 with fo much grace, that any other 
 maiden would have excufed his rafh- 
 nefs. But no pardon could be ob- 
 tained from the tender Theone ; fhe 
 quitted the dance. 
 
 Good Charmides ! behold the faded 
 flowers on thy altar, and round the 
 ftatue of thy Goddefs. Kifs thefe 
 flowers, becaufe Theone has picked 
 them ; they have lain on her lap. 
 Take good care of the myrtle, of 
 which thou haft wound a wreath 
 round her forehead. Lie down 
 C where 
 
i8 C H A R M I t> E S 
 
 where fhe has lain ; walk where Ihc 
 has walked ; bedew with tears the 
 hill, on which Ihe has danced; but 
 hope not to fee thy little prieftefs 
 again amidll the rofes, which are to 
 bloflbiii next feafon. 
 
 A long year elapfed. The month 
 of the rofes returned, and with it the 
 maidens of Paphos, But Theone 
 came not. 
 
 Good Charmides ! implore the 
 Graces, that thy grief may form thy 
 mind to relignation. Perhaps thou 
 haft feen the little prieftefs for the 
 laft time. 
 
 Five years pafTed like the firft. 
 With each of them the rofe feafon 
 returned, and the maidens of Paphos ; 
 but Theone returned not. 
 
 Meanwhile Charmides was grown 
 a young man, but he had remained 
 
 true 
 
aNdtheon^, ig 
 
 true to the myfteries of the ancient 
 grove, to his love for the initiated 
 fair, and to 'his meditations on all 
 that is amiable in heaven and on earth. 
 
 Before Charmides had feen his 
 Theone, he had been in fearch of a 
 maiden's eye, which could be com- 
 pared to the eyes of the ftatue ; now 
 he wifhed to meet^ in fome other 
 fair, part of the beauty of his be- 
 loved : he fought for a look, like 
 her's, among all the maidens, who 
 came to facrifice ; he liftened at- 
 tentively to difcover a tone of voice 
 like her's. But in vain ; there was 
 no Theone among them. Now and 
 then he remarked a dark blue eye, 
 gentle like her's, cafting a look on the 
 earth ; he now and then heard a dif- 
 creet ton^ of voice like that of 
 Theone, but before it was long, the 
 C 2 maiden. 
 
20 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 maiden, he had admired, mixed in the 
 dances of the free and luxurious 
 young men. Then all modefty vanilh- 
 ed away from her lovely counte- 
 nance, and no chafle difcourfe was 
 heard of any more. O Theone ! 
 Theone ! 
 
 Yet the Graces did not forfake 
 Charmides, as he had, not forfaken 
 them, but conftantly kept with them, 
 even in his tribulations; and, now his 
 mind had been purified by a long 
 probation, he was to be admitted to 
 their mofl fecret myileries. 
 
 When on a day of the month of 
 rofes, the harmony of the voice and 
 the flute had invited him to the hill, 
 and he, penetrated with remorfe, 
 retired thence to repair to the holy 
 grove ; he difcovered, on the peSeftal 
 of the facred image, an infcription, 
 partly erafed; hitherto he had not 
 
 re- 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 21 
 
 remarked it : for we know^ that a 
 better paffion than curiofity had car- 
 ried him hither. Since that time, 
 many have carefully examined the 
 pedeflal, and been delighted with its 
 infcription ; they were very right 
 indeed, for they found little to read 
 on the brow of the Goddefs. 
 
 Charmides, to whom nothing feem- 
 ed void of meaning on this fpot, 
 rejoiced at the difcovery. He at- 
 tentively confidered the ancient enig- 
 matic characfters, and with great 
 trouble made out the following 
 words : To the celeftial Venus. 
 
 It is not to be fuppofed, that in 
 that age of fimplicity, in which the 
 wooden image was made, the fame 
 meaning was given to thefe words, 
 which they afterwards obtained 
 among philofophers. Beyond a doubt 
 both the altar and the flatue were 
 C 3 merely 
 
22 CHARMIDES 
 
 merely eredted in memory of the day, 
 on which Venus was tranfported to 
 heaven from among the Cyprian 
 maidens, and made a companion of 
 the Gods. Charmides, though he 
 could not be a Plato, had more ex* 
 tended thoughts on the occafion, and 
 they gradually elevated his mind 
 through a feries of greater revelations 
 to the vifion, which he has recorded 
 himfelf, and which I ihall communi- 
 cate in his own words. 
 
 The immortal Gods, fays Char- 
 mides, love the man. who is fond of 
 the beautiful ; for the nature of the 
 Gods in Olympus is all beauty, and 
 beautiful are all their works. He, 
 who continually looks out for beauty, 
 feeks the Gods, and they wilh to be 
 found. In former times they ufed to 
 defcend on our globe, and mix with 
 men, but now they fpeak to the mind 
 
 of 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 23 
 
 of man through the medium of in- 
 fph'ation and dreams ; or they caufe 
 thoughts to arife in his foul, which 
 mull be allowed to proceed from them. 
 
 I was a 5^outh, and the month of 
 the rofes was celebrated on our hill ; 
 according to my cullom I went to the 
 grove of the celeflial Venus, and for 
 the firft time read the infcription of 
 the image. As foon as I had read it,, 
 thoughts arofe in my foul, which were, 
 foreign to me; but I became familiar 
 with them, as a friendly man becomes 
 acquainted on the threfhold of his 
 houfe, with an amiable gueft, whom 
 he never has feen before. By de- 
 grees I difcovered fomething divine 
 in thefe thoughts, as the good people 
 of the ancient world did in their 
 Olympian gueft s, whofe coarfe gar- 
 ments were not fit to conceal the 
 fplendour, which is innate in them. 
 
 C 4 Now 
 
24 
 
 CHARM IDES 
 
 Now I felt in myfelf a communi- 
 cation of the fpirit of the ever-bleiTed 
 Gods ; being filled with what in them 
 is actual beatitude, and in man is in- 
 fpiration, or fweet enthufiafm. I was 
 overwhelmed by the Godhead. I lay 
 before the altar, and durft not rife. 
 It began to grow dufk, night came 
 on, I fell afleep. My Humber feemed 
 only to ferve to ftrengthen me for my 
 vilion. When the morning came, and 
 I half awoke, I faw the flatue of Ve- 
 nus fmile on me, and I heard the 
 Grace pronounce the name of Char- 
 mides. I then faw the grove change 
 to a green meadow, to a green like 
 that of the firft fpring of the creation, 
 and fpread over with fuch flowers as 
 were not fown by the hands of men, 
 but fprung up at the nod of almighty 
 Jupiter. On one fide of the meadow 
 flood lofty rocks, on the other fide 
 
 a lit^ 
 
ANDTHEONE. 2*5 
 
 a little wood, encircled with lilies. 
 The atmofphere was filled with fra- 
 grance, and tranfparent clouds in the 
 Iky were tinged with Aurora's hue. 
 
 And not far from the lilies I beheld 
 a maiden : fhe was all beauty, fuch 
 as it exifted in the grand idea of the 
 Creator, when he refolved to make 
 the firll woman. 
 
 At once the clouds refounded, and 
 a fweet voice proceeded from the en- 
 lightened horizon. Every bough of 
 the wood, and every flower of the 
 meadow feemed to repeat it with like 
 fweetnefs ; and the voice fung : 
 
 Proceed, ye mild looks, the rude world to complete, 
 
 The night of the tomb covers all ; 
 Shed light on our earth by your fmiles heav'nly-fweet, 
 
 With pity fee innocence fall : 
 Your fmilcs alone can bring relief, 
 And cheer a world o'erwhelm'd with grief* 
 
 All 
 
26 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 All became muiic round the maiden; 
 but Ihe did not hear the voice herfelf. 
 She remained in her former fimplicity, 
 and timidly walked over the meadow. 
 
 Then the rocks began to tremble, 
 and a loud ihouting enfued ; the voice 
 of the rocks proclaimed, 
 
 what horrid din of arms 
 
 Affrights the fea and flcy! 
 All dread, all dire alarms, 
 
 And bloody vi£lory. 
 In war e'en infeft tribes engage, 
 "While harucfs'd holls in battle rage. 
 
 Then the wood and the lilies began 
 to move; fongs were heard to iffue 
 from them, and to anfwer ; 
 
 But the maiden has brought us fweet peace ; 
 
 She fpeaks in the tumult of arms : 
 The fiend's voice of horror fhall ceafe, 
 
 And ceafe all our dreadful alarms. 
 
 THE 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 n 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE ROCKS# 
 
 The poifon'd goblet view, 
 
 See friend by friend betray'd j 
 A black, infernal crew, 
 
 In whiteft robes array'd, 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE WOOD, 
 
 See the eye of the fair; 
 
 No guilt appears there; 
 The powers of virtue its foft glance (hall move : 
 
 The foul it {hall awe, 
 
 And to mutual love draw : 
 On her lips patience dwells, and fiie breathes joy and love* 
 
 The foft-ey'd virgin can, with cafe, 
 
 The vengeance of the Gods appeafe. 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE ROCKS, 
 
 Olympus and the Gods, alas ! 
 
 With impious men, for names unmeaning pafs; 
 
 A paltry fpe£lacle, the vaft profound; 
 
 And thunder, but an empty found : 
 
 ThQ 
 
28 CHARMIDES 
 
 The echoing mountain, the blofToming grove, 
 Whofe blooms in the fun's fplendour blow, 
 
 To the finner no objefts of wonder can prove; 
 To vice no divinity fhew. 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE WOOD. 
 
 Olympus ! Gods inhabit there ; 
 
 Or whence could fpring the heav'nly fair! 
 
 Olympus is of Gods the feat, 
 
 The Gods divine ambrofia eat; S 
 They and the heav'nly fair in blefs'd aflembly meet. J 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE ROCKS. 
 
 What joys have fons of earth in view, 
 From all Olympus' pow'r and love; 
 
 When the forfaken little crew 
 Are flighted by almighty Jove. 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE WOOD. 
 
 He loves the fons of earth, they (hare 
 
 His bounty in the gentle fair ; 
 
 The dances of the fpheres, and all celellial blifs, 
 
 All hcav'n can give or taftc, are in the maiden's kifs. 
 
 THE 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE ROCKS. 
 
 'Tls jubilee and joy divine, 
 
 Bleft hours by fweet oblivion led ; 
 
 'Tis lips vi^hich lips more beauteous join, 
 *Tis fouls round fouls more lovely fpread : 
 
 Thefe hours of blifs were love's creation, 
 
 While neftar'd cups gave animation. 
 
 But all our blifs at once is gone, 
 
 And fable night comes on : 
 
 The lover's breaft is fill'd v^ith anguifh ; 
 
 The fair one's eye no more fhall languifli; 
 
 Where is creation's harmony ? 
 
 See wrapt in filence nature lie : 
 
 Nought, nought is there. 
 
 But the aflies of the fair. 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE WOOD. 
 
 From heav'n came the fair. 
 Her manfion is there; 
 What is dear to the Gods, 
 Muft enjoy their abodes ; 
 And can never become 
 The foul prey of the tomb : 
 
30 CHARMIDES 
 
 For woman was by heav'n defign'd, 
 
 To civilize and blefs mankind. 
 
 Devoutly (he walk'd as the Deities meant ; 
 
 And now fhall the Gods of their beft work repent ? 
 
 O, never to the ruffian winds be given 
 
 The charms of her, who was fincere to heav'n. 
 
 Heav'n faw her lovely as fincere, 
 
 Proceeding in her fair career. 
 
 Shall the foul of the maid, to the Gods ever true, 
 
 To death be expos'd, when no good can accrue ? 
 
 Should Jove for man intend a blifsful ftate; 
 
 He could, with eafe, 
 
 Of charms like thefe, 
 Ten thoufand thoufand worlds create : 
 Or fend us to fome happier fhore ; 
 And there the fmiles of love reftore. 
 Is this life, with an urn and a few lines of praife, 
 Her reward, who in innocence paCfes her days ? 
 
 O, fair being, if thou refemble the Gods, 
 Immortal like them, and for heav'n art defign'd ; 
 
 Thy lover with thee fliall enjoy thofe abodes ; 
 Like that oath we have fworn, him immortal thoul't 
 find. 
 
 Alas ! without me. 
 There is no joy for thee. 
 
 Thou 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 3$ 
 
 Thou would'ft pine quite forlorn : 
 
 Jor heav'n's blifs we were born ; 
 
 And the palTion, uniting my virtue with thine, 
 
 Than this world is more lafting, and truly divine; 
 
 Then the clouds refounded again^ 
 and for the laft time a finghig iffued 
 from the aurora. 
 
 Proceed, ye mild looks, the rude world to complete, 
 
 The night of the tomb cover'd all ; 
 Now light, glorious light, by your fmiles heav'nly fweet. 
 
 Is feen on earth's fuiface to fall. 
 Letthofe fmiles, which cnlighten'd the night of the tomb, 
 Irradiate, embellifti the world, that's to come. 
 
 And the grove, in which I lay^ 
 together with the turf and the 
 ftatue, became what they had been 
 before ; the vifion returned to- 
 Olympus, and I knelt down before 
 the celeftial Venus and her Grace. 
 
 How 
 
32 CHARMIDES 
 
 How could I, fince the time the 
 Gods had fo converfed with me, be 
 torn from them by any thing unholy 
 or common ? I became their friend, 
 becaufe I was fond of the beautiful ; 
 and in their converfation I now am 
 taught w^hat, like themfelves, is 
 everlafting beauty. 
 
 Thus far I have repeated the 
 identical words of Charmides. 
 
 When the youth left the fpot, 
 where he had feen the apparition, 
 he thought on Theopie, and loved 
 her with greater tendernefs than 
 before. But the hill of the rofes, 
 the lafcivious maidens, and their 
 dances, he wo\ild fee no more, that 
 the idea of beauty mod fublime, and 
 the impreflion, which the vifit of the 
 Gods had made upon him, might 
 remain unadulterated in his purified 
 
 mind. 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 33 
 
 rhind. He feared every Ihadow, 
 v/hich to his eyes could obfcure the 
 brightnefs of heaven, every found 
 which could render the voice of the 
 aurora unintelligible to his ear, every 
 little blaft of wind, which could dif- 
 perfe in him the immortal fpirit of the 
 Gods. Quite holy, like the vifion he 
 had feen, and bleffed like the abodes, 
 whence it had been fent to him, he 
 folitarily moved on the road, which 
 leads towards Paphos. On this road 
 little Theone had proceeded before. 
 
 Charmides bent his fteps towards 
 a mountain, whofe lofty cedars feem- 
 ed to have grown only for a lover, 
 or for a man, who had converfed with 
 the Gods. At the foot of this moun- 
 tain there were groves of myrtle and 
 laurel, with fingle huts fcattered in 
 them. While he was approaching 
 D ' the 
 
34 CHARMIDES 
 
 the mountain, he heard from the 
 fide of the moft delightful of the 
 myrtle-groves, a lyre and an alternate 
 fong. It was not compofed of thofe 
 effeminate, luxurious tones, fo com- 
 mon to the fongs of his time. The 
 lyre was touched in a manly way, 
 and the melody of the fong was at 
 the fame time pleafing, fimple and 
 powerful. He followed the found 
 till he arrived at the myrtle-grove, 
 and there he found three youths, 
 one of whom accompanied on the 
 anftrument the voices of the other 
 two. They were in no refpedt like 
 thofe, who were ufually feen on the 
 hill among the rofes. A frefh com- 
 plexion enlivened their countenance; 
 their look, though free, was modeft ; 
 their garments were limple; and their 
 only ornament was a wreath of myrtle. 
 
 How 
 
ANDTHEONE. 35 
 
 How could Charmides not be fond of 
 them ? He faluted them in a friend- 
 ly manner ; but as foon as he ap- 
 proached them, they ceafed their mu- 
 fic, as if afraid, left their fongs might 
 be profaned by his prefence. Char- 
 mides guelTed the meaning of their 
 lilence, and he began to love them. 
 Youths, faid he, perhaps I am not 
 unworthy to witnefs your contentions. 
 Who art thou ? they afked him ; his 
 anfwer was, Charmides, the fon of 
 Callias. Of Callias ? replied they ; 
 the fon of the artift, who makes the 
 ftatues of Venus ? of the very fame. 
 They grew more grave, yet they faw 
 fomething on the ftranger's brow, 
 which won their atfedlion. Char- 
 mides wifhed, that they could look 
 into his foul. They were all (ilent 
 for fome time. At laft he, who had 
 D 2 played 
 
36 C H A R M I D E S 
 
 played on the lyre, continued : Is not 
 thy abode, Charmides, fituated near 
 the famous grove, where in former 
 times facrifices were made ? It is, 
 anfwered the fon of Callias ; and this 
 very morning I have prayed at the 
 green altar- The youths then on a 
 fudden rejoiced, and iliook him by 
 the hand, and he, who had played on 
 the lyre farther faid : O Charmides, 
 a good genius has conducted thee to 
 find the altar ; a good genius has in- 
 truded thy foul to let thy knee bend 
 before the image of wood, and not 
 before thofe of marble. Know then, 
 Charmides, we are three brothers, 
 the offspring of an ancient tribe 
 of priefls. Our anceflors had de- 
 voted themfelves to the celeflial 
 Venus, they worfhipped her in her 
 grove, and offered her milk and 
 
 honey 
 
AND THEONE. 37 
 
 lioney in wooden veffels. This is 
 the reafon, why we do not kneel down 
 before the altars of Paphos and Ama- 
 thus. We keep to the fimple wor- 
 fhip of our fathers, and yearly repair 
 £0 what was facred to them. 
 
 This artlefs and henefl: language 
 penetrated deep into Charmides' 
 heart. A good genius, faid he, has 
 conducted me to you. Permit me 
 ■to call you my friends. That is our 
 wifli, they anfwered, and one of them 
 added : 
 
 This day has been given to us by the 
 Goddefs of Love. We have feen to- 
 day two maidens, fuch as we never faw 
 before. They were from Paphos, had 
 a female flave with them, and retted 
 under yonder myrtle tree. The elder 
 might be eighteen years of age, and 
 the younger tv/elve ; meeknefs and 
 D 3 mociefty 
 
^8 CHAR1V1I6ES 
 
 niodefty dwelt on their cheeks, in their 
 geftures, on the folds of their veils, 
 and all about them. Hadft thou been 
 here, Charmides, thou wouldfl have 
 deemed them worthy to facrifice 
 with us in our grove. But for the 
 elder, nothing fo fweet has trod on 
 the earth ever fince the Graces. We 
 went up to the maidens, and carried 
 them fome fruit to refrefh them. 
 They at firft declined to take it, but 
 they confidered us nearer, feemed to 
 gaze with wonder at us, and accepted 
 of the refrefhment ; and then, Char- 
 mides, we heard the voice of the 
 elder. O good Charmides, hadft 
 thou heard her, the image of our 
 Goddefs w^ould ftill be more venera- 
 ble to thee. 
 
 When the maiden arofe to depart 
 with her attendants, we broke off 
 
 fome 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 39 
 
 fome wreaths from the myrtle tree, 
 under which fhe had been feated, and 
 gave them to her. Wilt thou dance on 
 the rofe hill at the feaft of Venus? 
 we afked her. I do not dance on the 
 rofe hill, was her anfwer. She left 
 us, and her deportment fhewed that 
 fhe belonged to the celeftial Venus. 
 
 In praife of this unknown maiden 
 we fung the alternate fong, at which 
 employment thou haft caught us : 
 now, if thou art Yond of it, we will 
 repeat it. 
 
 Upon this one of them took his 
 lyre, and the other two fung : 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 The younger of yon myrtles fee : 
 The branches of this little tree 
 To fhelter court the dove. 
 
 SECOND 
 
CHARMIDE$ 
 
 SECOND VOICE, 
 
 Behold the beft of maidens bring 
 Her garlands for the feafl of fpring, 
 With looks of peace and love. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 The nymphs its fweet refrefliment fhare 
 The birds more gaily fmg, where'er 
 It throws its fragrance round. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Pleafures play round her all the while, 
 And in the virgin's fainteft fmile 
 A thoufand charms are found, 
 
 FIRST VOICE, 
 
 All the grove mufl pleafant be, 
 Round the little myrtle tree, 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 The fair maid is fure to find 
 Pure tranquility of mind. 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 41 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 When its leaves the zephyrs ftiake, 
 Amorous whifpers they awake, 
 In this little myrtle tree. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Pleafing words, foft, fweet, and low, 
 From chafte lips arc heard to flow ; 
 Maiden meek, they flow from thee. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Never yet did fatyr dare, 
 For a wreath, the fprigs to tear 
 Of the little myrtle tree. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 In the vale, where fat the maid, 
 X,ove was cautious and afraid ; 
 Boldcft youths were never free. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 From all ungovernable pafllon free, 
 Shall be the grove around the myrtle tree. 
 
 SECOND 
 
42 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 The lovely maiden (hall for ever find 
 A pure and fwect tranquility of mind. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 But the north wind's icy breath. 
 Blowing at the dawn of day, 
 Is to blolToms inllant death. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Or words foft and fweet. 
 Which feducers repeat, 
 Frighten innocence away- 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 But the fun's all-fcorching rays, 
 Where no cooling zephyr plays. 
 
 May kill the myrtle with their heat intenfe. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 But the fmile of vicious love, 
 Which the Graces difapprove, 
 
 May caufe the death of gentle innocence. 
 
 FIRST 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 43 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 No leaves the blafted myrtle (hail adorn, 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 No charms to ruin'd innocence return. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 O, ever, Gods, the myrtle be your care ! 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 O, ever, Graces, fhield the tender fair! 
 
 This is Theone, Charmides faid 
 to himfelf ; and had it not been an 
 invariable law with him to be referved 
 in his words, as if they were uttered 
 in the prefenceof the Graces, he would 
 have loudly proclaimed the name of 
 Theone. But now the youths per- 
 ceived only a ray of rapture fpread 
 
 over 
 
44 C H A R M I D E S 
 
 over his countenance, when he took 
 leave of them, and went in fearch of 
 his beloved. 
 
 Theone was not among thofe who 
 celebrated the feafl on the hill, nor 
 was file to be found in the ancient 
 grove. Charmides fought her in every 
 holy place till evening came on. To- 
 wards dufk, he returned to the grove; 
 and there faintly difcovered three 
 maidens : they approached the wood. 
 One of them was not quite full grown, 
 the other walked by her fide leading 
 her by the hand, and the third re- 
 mained ftanding at fome diitance. He 
 concluded them to be the maidens 
 from Paphos ; and when they began 
 to converfe with each other, Char- 
 mides recoUedied the voice of his 
 Theone. 
 
 Hover 
 
ANDTHEONE. 45 
 
 Hover over him ye Graces ! that 
 in this inftant he may not difown you ; 
 that on this folitary fpot, and at this 
 late hour, he may not throw himfelf 
 at the feet of a maiden, who intends 
 to vilit the Sandtuary. The tempta- 
 tion is very trying, let it be the lafl, 
 ye Graces ! And Ihould he not yield, 
 he has merited Theone. 
 
 Charmides merited Theone. He 
 followed her unobferved to the thick- 
 efl part of the grove for he knew, * 
 that in the wood of the celeflial Ve- 
 nus he was permitted to liften to the 
 words of his beloved. 
 
 He recorded the converfation of 
 the maidens as faithfully as poffible, 
 and changed it into a ftrain. Here 
 is the difcourfe of the two maidens 
 of the tender Theone, and her younger 
 fifter Eudora. 
 
 EUDORA. 
 
46 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 Dear fifter, no further proceed in the grove, 
 Confidcr, we're here all alone ; 
 
 Without a conduftor, two maidens we rove, 
 And day-light is now almoft. gone. 
 
 T H E O N E. 
 
 The night's ferene ; you need not fear : 
 Bcfides, I am no ftranger here. 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 We wander too far; 
 Scarce the ray of a ftar 
 Can pierce thro' the fiiade, 
 By thefe aged trees made. 
 
 THEONE. 
 
 No traitor this holy afylum invades : 
 What wretch dares profane fuch refpcflable fhades ? 
 Thefe were of old the bleft abodes 
 
 Of loves divinely chafte ; 
 Within thefe facred groves, the Gods 
 Their Goddelles embrac'd. 
 
 Truft 
 
AND THEOrTE# 4^ 
 
 I 
 
 Truft me, here, innocently gay, 
 Young zephyrs met for am'rous play. 
 The fmalleft boughs are facred here ; 
 And nought the fhepherdefs can fear. 
 When Goddeffes, her friends, are near. 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 Yet I fear, I know not why. 
 What a timid maid am I ! 
 Something kifs'd my cheek, my dear; 
 Twice it kifs'd. — There's fomething here. 
 
 T H E O N E. 
 
 Your fears, my dear fifter, are groundlefs and weak, 
 'Twas only fome Mufe who faluted your cheek, 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 Do Gods on me beftow fuch blifs • 
 Can I deferve a Mufe's kifs ? 
 Oh ! fomething fweeps my veil, I vow : 
 Jot the third time, I feel it now. 
 
 T H E O N E. 
 Be calm, from idle terrors free ; 
 Some Grace, my dear, is fond of thee. 
 
 EUDORA. 
 
48 
 
 CfiARMIDES 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 Still night within the grove hath found us ;■ 
 
 No ruftling wings of birds in air ; 
 TCo zephyr breathes his whifpers round us ; 
 
 The flowers tremble in my hair. 
 
 THE ONE. ' 
 
 Where the pil'd fod ftrikes thy eyes, 
 Altars to the Graces rife ; 
 Innocent or guilty, there 
 Tliy defert they will declare. 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 My knees begin to fmk and quake, 
 
 The flowers in my hair to fliake; 
 
 Examine, Graces, how my days were fpent, 
 
 And may your equal voice pronounce me innocint. 
 
 T H E O N E. 
 Holy is the trembling knee, 
 
 When the altar we draw near : 
 To the Graces conflant be ; 
 
 As you've a6led, perfevere. 
 
 EUDORA. 
 
 V 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 49 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 I feci fwcet peace my foul pervade; 
 The Gods approve the bafhful maid : 
 Venus, whom modeft garlands grace, 
 Thy holy aliar I'll embrace. 
 
 THEONE. 
 
 When thou, my Eudora, wafl tender and young, 
 Quite fmall, like the fprig^in the grove; 
 
 And fat'ft in the fun, on our hill, all day long, 
 Too weak yet thy fifter to love ; 
 
 Thy talk was inviting, 
 
 Thy geftures delighting; 
 
 I begg'd the Gods, kneeling, to make thee their care, 
 
 And to chafte Acidalia direfted my pray'r, 
 
 " O be this child thy care ! 
 
 " Make, her lovely and fair, 
 
 *« Like the flow'rs on the hill, 
 
 «' Where the foft dews diftil : 
 
 " Her heart with the fweeteft benevolence fill, 
 
 ♦« Like the breath of thofe flow'rs that arife on the hill." 
 
 E By 
 
50 GHARMIBES 
 
 By our firft. kifs, I now entreat ther. 
 My gentle fifter, ever dear ; 
 
 By thofe, with which the Grace* greet thee. 
 My tender admonition hear* 
 When a youth tells his pain ; 
 Could he cv'ry heart gain ; 
 Could the charms of his carriage 
 Make a prieftefs wifh marriage ; 
 Had all Athens ey'^d him, 
 With the olive belide him ; 
 Had th' Olympic courfe rung 
 While his praifes were fung ; 
 Should fueh a youth offer, 
 Rejeft thou the proffer; 
 And let not thy heart be to paffion beguil^S, 
 Unlefs on his cradle the Graces have fraiJ'd. 
 
 E U D O R A. 
 
 Like Ganymede were he all Graces and Loves, 
 Bright as Phoebus when moving in Cynthus's groves. 
 Should he, loaden with honours, triumphantly ride, 
 And offer to place me in ftate by his fide ; 
 If the Graces renounc'd him, I vow by thy eyes, 
 from my heartj from pay foul, I his love would dcfpifc. 
 
ANDTHEONE. 5t 
 
 Thus fpoke the maidens. Then 
 they went filent out of the grove, 
 and Charmides followed them at a 
 diftance. They came near the hill 
 of rofes, to a fpot enlightened by the 
 flambeaux of the young people, who 
 were yet bufy in Tinging and dancing. 
 Here Charmides addrelTed the female 
 Have. Introduce me to thy miftrefs, 
 faid he. I dare not introduce any 
 yauth to her, fhe replied. Tell her 
 my name ; I am Charmides, faid he. 
 Theone turned round at the whifper^ 
 and foon found her hand in the hands 
 of her beloved. Charmides and 
 Theone wept. 
 
 Why did I not fee thee again ? faid 
 Charmides. My mother, Ihe anfwer- 
 ed, was very angry with me, when 
 I faw thee laft, about my quitting 
 the dance, becaufe they had taken a 
 E 2 rofe- 
 
5,2 CHARMIDES 
 
 rofe-bud from my lodes. She forbid 
 me to attend the next feaft by way 
 of punifliment, and I never would 
 follow her thither fince. I fbould 
 have been forced to deliver myfelf 
 up to the audacity of our youths. 
 And how could I fubmit to that^ 
 Charmides ? I loved thee, and thou 
 hadft confecrated me as a priellefs to 
 thy Goddeffes. Is it not fo Char- 
 mides, thou wouldfl not love me if I 
 danced with our youths ? and I grew 
 daily more and more fenfible, that 
 to thy Goddefles no facrifices nor 
 garlands are acceptable, unlefs they 
 are brought by modefl maidens* O 
 may the Graces ever reward thee for 
 this, faid Charmides. And I, faid 
 he, I could not recover thee, becaufe 
 I thought none of the means to find 
 thee out, worthy of thee. Now ray 
 
 mother 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 53 
 
 niother is dead, continued {he, and 
 I am come to condudt my little filler 
 to the grove. This I did in the 
 twilight, for then the Gods love to 
 walk on earth. Alk the Graces, 
 Charmides, whether I could con- 
 veniently come at the fam? time to 
 feek thee. The deity of the Graces, 
 faid Charmides, dwells in thy foul, and 
 fpeaks from thy lips. But Theone, 
 knoweft thou no youth in Paphos, who 
 could make thee happier than I can } 
 None, by the altar of Venus, I have juft 
 now approached. Then thou mayeft 
 alfo at the altar of Venus, and in the 
 fight of her attendants, give me the 
 firll kifs. The laft we will give each 
 other when we die. 
 
 Theone gave Charmides the firft 
 kifs, and the next day the maidens 
 returned to Paphos with their flave. 
 
 E 3 Callias, 
 
54 
 
 C H A R M I D E 3 
 
 Callias, the father of Charmides, 
 now began to grow old, left his fon 
 the workhoufe, in which he ufed to 
 make the flatues of Venus, and 
 fliared his fortune with him. Char- 
 mides felt great pleafure, that now 
 he could devote this workhoufe to 
 a better Venus, and began to form 
 the Goddefs of Love and the Graces 
 after the grand original of beauty, 
 which he conftantly had kept in his 
 mind. But what effedt could fimi^ 
 lar performances produce upon eyes, 
 which never had ventured a look 
 into heaven ? they had no notion of 
 celeftial charms. The compofed 
 Graces, embracing each other, to 
 them appeared lifelefs ; the fublime 
 and tranquil look of the Goddefs of 
 Love, feemed cold to them, and th6 
 bafhfulnefs, diffufed over her counte- 
 nance, 
 
ANDTHEONE, 55 
 
 nance, the fleep of death. There 
 was no demand for the flatues of 
 Charmides ; other artifts were ap- 
 plied to, who imitated the chiffel of 
 Callias. But Charmides chofe rather 
 to live in want, than to fupprefs in 
 his works a (ingle touch of what he 
 thought beautiful. He was unwilling 
 to expofe any thing to the adoration 
 of the people, which he thought 
 unworthy of their worfhip. 
 
 But the kind Gods had provided 
 for the young artift; for the fortune, 
 which he inherited, was quite fuf- 
 ficient to fupport him and his Theone, 
 free from care and forrow, under the 
 fame roof. He and his Theone were 
 now united by love, by that chafle 
 love, which not long before on the 
 hill had fealed their vows wdth two 
 rofe-buds. 
 
 E 4 Wc 
 
56 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 We recoiled, that Charmides in 
 the grove, where Theone had adorn- 
 ed the GoddeiTes with garlands, faid 
 to her : Do not forget, what thou 
 haft done. Such a word, in due time 
 fpoken to the mind of a yoiing girl, 
 is equivalent to, and fometimes more, 
 than a whole book replete with wif- 
 dom to the mind of a maiden, when 
 grown up. Hence it had never been 
 erafed for one iingle moment from 
 Theone's memory. Whether awake 
 or dreaming, Ihe had continually 
 compared the fimple hillock of grafs 
 with the golden altars, the divinity 
 of the wooden image with the pomp- 
 ous ftatues, and Charmides with the 
 reft of the youths. The expreffion 
 of her lover's countenance;, his tone 
 of voice, his arguments, and the man- 
 ner in which fhe had been affefted by 
 
 them 
 
AND THEONE. 57 
 
 them at different times, had fo often 
 and varionlly been put together by 
 her, that at laft they grew a complete 
 whole, and her own foul attained the 
 fummit of perfediion. 
 
 She had fcarcely felt herfelf in 
 this fituation, when Ihe wfent through 
 the ranks of the maidens of Paphos, 
 to find a mind among them, to which 
 Ihe might make herfelf intelligible, 
 and once fay to her : Do not forget, 
 what thou hafl done. 
 
 After many an unfuccefsful trial, 
 often ending in the bittereft tears, 
 nothing remained at lafl but to feledt 
 the meekeft of her companions, and 
 to form them as far as they could be 
 formed. None of them had become 
 li'ke Theone ; yet they all had ac- 
 quired fomething from her, which 
 muft pleafe their mothers. Not that 
 
 fuper- 
 
58 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 fuperterreftial charm of their littk 
 teacher, but domeflic kindnefs, har- 
 mony among themfelves, and a duc- 
 tile heart. By degrees the mothers 
 had begun to look upon Theone as a 
 friendly Genius, who conducted their 
 daughters on the fureft path to every 
 thing, that is good and beautiful. 
 
 But now the wife of Charmidcs 
 was forced to leave her pupils. The 
 maidens could not be comforted ; 
 and the mothers believed, that their 
 deareil houihold Gods were going to 
 be taken from them ; thofe who 
 hitherto had watched for the happi- 
 tiefs of their children. With the 
 open cordiality, with which be- 
 nevolent perfons are addrefTed, fomc 
 of the latter went to Charmides and 
 Thebne, and entreated them to fuffer 
 their daughters to live near them, on 
 
 tl^ 
 
ANDTHEONE. 59 
 
 the hill of rofes, and to grow up 
 under their infpedtion. 
 
 Should Charmides and Theone 
 have declined to increafe the number 
 of beautiful fouls ? Both confented, 
 and took the maidens and little Eu- 
 dora with them ; they extended their 
 houfe on the hill, and founded a 
 fchool of the Graces. 
 
 This fchool became famous, and 
 all over Paphos the amiable qualities 
 of the maidens, who lived with Char- 
 mides, were the topic of general con- 
 verfation. In the beginning there 
 were fuch, as mocked the appearance 
 of fandtity, and referve of innocence, 
 which Charmides gav€ his pupils, and 
 faid, that he formed the maidens after 
 his ftatues. But their eyes were opened 
 by degrees ; the people firft became 
 
 fond 
 
6o 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 fond of Charmides's maidens, and 
 then of his ftatues. 
 
 There were few mothers, who did 
 not deem it a happinefs, whenever 
 their daughters were admitted into 
 this fociety. The adopted were in 
 great numbers and of different ages. 
 
 Charmides and Theone divided the 
 maidens into three claffes. To the 
 firft clafs belonged the youngeft, 
 who w^ere not yet admitted to the 
 facred grove. Thofe, who were to be 
 transferred to the fecond clafs, wei*e 
 in the twilight carried to the grafs- 
 altar. Two fingers accompanied them, 
 and fung to them the dialogue of the 
 tender Theone and her filter Eudora. 
 Then they were called the initiated 
 of the Graces. They became at laft 
 prieflcfTes of the celeftial Venus, and 
 
 were 
 
AND THE ONE, 6l 
 
 were permitted to touch her image, 
 and to adorn it with garlands ; and 
 then they brought to the Goddefs a 
 facrifice of milk and honey in wooden 
 veffels. 
 
 I Ihould be glad to inftrudt our mo- 
 thers in the fecret of forming a young 
 girl in the manner, in which the young- 
 eft of thefe pupils were formed, before 
 they were admitted into the ancient 
 grove. But this is a fecret, which re- 
 quires fuch fouls as thofe of Charmides 
 and Theone. And Ihould I even meet 
 with fuch fouls, they would for all 
 that not learn my fecret. They ought 
 to attend perfonally at the hill of rofes, 
 and afk Charmides and his beloved 
 themfelves. They ought to obferve 
 their whole way of life, every ftep, 
 every tone of voice, every glance of 
 the eye, every fmile, every tear, with 
 
 which 
 
62 
 
 CHAkMl]>£S 
 
 which on every occafion they ufed to 
 fay to their pupils : this is beautiful ; 
 this not. They endeavoured lefs to 
 extol the charms of virtue than to 
 transfufe them from their own fouls 
 into the tender hearts of their com- 
 panions. All, that furrounded thefe 
 maidens, was amiable and beautiful ; 
 they were fo habituated to this, and 
 their hearts fo delighted in this prac- 
 tice, that they grew fad, whenever 
 any of their actions were not fuch. 
 The mod common flower in the 
 fields, each little cloud, tinged by 
 the rays of the rifing or of the fetting 
 fun, had a charrn for them ; hence 
 they felt a thoufand and a thoufand 
 raptures. But they would alfo charm 
 themfelves, and communicate thofe 
 raptures, which they enjoyed. They 
 would never deflroy a flower wanton- 
 
ANDTHEONE. 6^ 
 
 ly, nor difturb in its reft the fmalleft 
 infedt, which lay in the fun. The 
 kind look, the friendly expreffion of 
 another maiden, and the kifs of a 
 confidential companion, were more to 
 them than the deareft of their fports. 
 They would not caufe fuch a look to 
 be darkened, or fuch an expreffion 
 to become unfriendly through their 
 fault. They always endeavoured to 
 meet the kifs of their confidential 
 companion with a free confcience. 
 Whenever they had a thought, which 
 was not beautiful, they would be 
 aflaamed, as if their companions could 
 fee or hear it ; for they were frank. 
 
 In this manner the youngeft pupils 
 were modelled by the hands of Char- 
 mides and Theone. At the fame 
 time they were inftruAed in dancing, 
 finging, and playing on the flute ; by 
 
 which 
 
64 CHARMIDE3 
 
 which means their limbs grew dail/ 
 more Hender, their hearts became 
 more ductile, their fouls more ferene, 
 and their minds more fit for the im- 
 preflions of the beautiful. 
 
 On the morning before they were 
 folemnly devoted to the Graces, the 
 maidens of the fecond and third clafs 
 met together. In the middle was 
 placed the maiden, who was going 
 to be initiated ; for fhe was to have 
 the teflimony of the others, that 
 Ihe deferved to fee the altar. Then 
 came the teachers in the art of danc- 
 ing and playing on the flute. A fpe- 
 cimen of Ikill in both arts was re- 
 quired from the pupil, during which 
 the following ftrain was fung, whofe 
 explanation Theone ufed to feal with 
 the kind embrace of a mother. 
 
ANDTHEONE. 6S 
 
 Admir'd mulician, fkill'd and neat, 
 
 The flute is ravifhingly fweet, 
 When by thy lips cmbrac'd; 
 
 When with the blufhes of the morn, 
 
 Or thofe which love's foft cheek adorn. 
 Thy downcaft looks are grac'd. 
 
 As when the genial zephyr blows, 
 
 \Vhofe breath diflb'yes half-foften'd fuows ; 
 
 The Gods, jull fpringing into birth, 
 
 With tranfport roll on clover'd earth : 
 So, when thy flute emus its melting iound, 
 *Tis love, 'tis joy, 'tis rapture, all around. 
 From thee tke fair ftiall learn the fong to raife; 
 
 And every maiden's fong the Graces praife. 
 
 How gracefully the ranks advance, 
 
 When thou, dear virgm', lead'lt the dance. 
 
 Thou guid'ft the band of nymphs with copduft meek, 
 
 They fee thee fweetly fmile, and hear thee foftly fpeak. 
 
 As brooks the fides of mountains leave, 
 
 With currents fmooth aS clear; 
 A.S leaves of ivy gently wave, 
 
 Which deck the Bacchant's fpear : 
 E'en fo thofe Graces all beholders pleafe, 
 Who round thee fwira v^ith elegance and eafe. 
 
 r Iron*, 
 
66 
 
 C H A R M I D E S 
 
 Trom thcc the fair fhall learn in dance to move, 
 
 And every maid the Graces praifc and love* 
 
 Howr rapturous the blifs, 
 
 When maids and Graces kifs ! 
 
 Then the foul is gay and free : 
 
 Jill'd with fweeteft harmony. 
 
 As by harmony, dear maid, 
 
 Thou art to the dance convey'd ; 
 
 As the flute is pleafmg found j 
 
 Breathing forth a filver found ; 
 
 So fhe taftes harmonious joys. 
 
 Who devoutly life employs. 
 
 Hither, fweet pupil, thy companions cite ; 
 
 That they too by their lives may heav'n delight. 
 
 Thofe who were initiated into the 
 myfteries of the Graces, were Ihewn 
 things more fublime, yet impercep- 
 tibly, by familiar converfation on the 
 fimpleft fubjedls, and generally fuch as 
 create pleafure to maidens. Only then, 
 when they were admitted among the 
 prieftefles, Charmides gave them an 
 
 cxpla- 
 
ASTO THEONEw 67 
 
 explanation of his former infiruftions : 
 an account of the Tvhole, and taught 
 them to clafs their ideas and fenfations 
 of what is good and beautiful in pro- 
 per order, that they might better pre- 
 ferve them in their memory. 
 
 Chamiides's mafter-piece was a fta- 
 tue of the Graces, placed in a fmall 
 temple of marble. This temple, to* 
 gether with the Hatue, he kept fecret 
 from thofe, who had not as yet Ikcri- 
 ficed. It was a facfed my fiery, which 
 the prieflelTes were forbidden ho be- 
 tray to their younger companions. On 
 the day on which an initiated maiden 
 was for the firft time to adorn the ce- 
 ieftial Venus with garlands, Char- 
 mides conduifled her to the hidden 
 fpot. The temple was opened under 
 the chanting of hymns and the play- 
 ing of mufic ; and before the eyes of 
 F 2 the 
 
68 
 
 C H A R 'M IDES 
 
 the maiden appeared the three God- 
 deffes in the fame pleafing form as the 
 beauty, which the artift once had feen 
 in a dream. The elder of the Graces 
 leaned on an altar in a refting poftnre. 
 The other . took her by the hand, as 
 it were praying her to follow her. 
 The third, in a dancing attitude, en- 
 twined the left arm of the latter with 
 her right arm, and invited her two 
 filters to a dance. 
 
 When i the maiden was feen to be 
 moved by the charms of the ftatue, 
 and to feel the prefence of the God- 
 defies, Charmides faid to her : 
 
 Sweet maiden, I have truly taught 
 thee, as the Gods have done to me, what 
 is beautiful, and what is. not. Never 
 fufTer it to be erafed either from thy 
 thoughts or from thy heart ; and now 
 
 attend 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 69^ 
 
 a:ttend once more to my fpeech In the 
 temple of the moft beautiful Gods. 
 
 Beauty originates in almighty Jove ; 
 but to render beauty pleafing, is the 
 work of the Graces. The poets of 
 all times have fung, and the philofo- 
 phers of all times have bellowed their 
 praife on what is amiable ; but what 
 the amiable adlually confifts in, is be- 
 yond human expreflion. Meanwhile 
 examine the image before thee. I 
 have not invented it, but the immor- 
 tal Gods have revealed it to me. 
 
 I fee, fweet maiden, that thou art 
 fond of every one of thefe Goddefles. 
 With like pleafure thy looks dwell 
 on the ftillnefs of the one, on the 
 tranquil motion of the fecond, and 
 on the dance of the third. Would they* 
 afford thee the fame fatisfadlion, if 
 the dancing one imitated a Bacchant ; 
 
 F 3 if 
 
70 CHARMIDES 
 
 if the fecond dragged her lifter by 
 force along with her ; or if Ihe, who 
 is leaning on the altar, lay there like 
 an idle loiterer ? Or wouldft thou be 
 equally fatisfied, if thou hadft to fear, 
 that they on a fudden might leave their 
 prefent attitudes ; the firft change to 
 a companion of Bacchus ; the fecond 
 to a boifterous, rude friend ; the third 
 to an indolent woman ; and that each 
 minute might cancel all thou findft 
 amiable in them ? The leaft feature 
 in one of thefe faces ; one of thefe 
 eyes either opened too much, or fliut 
 too clofe ; the mofl imperceptible turn 
 of one of thefe hands or feet, that 
 could announce a fimilar alteration, 
 would certainly deftroy all thy fatis- 
 fadtion. For then theGoddefles would 
 be no longer what they appear to thee> 
 and what gives thee fo much pleafure. 
 
 But 
 
AND THEONE. 71 
 
 But why art thou pleafed with 
 them in their prefent pofture ? They 
 pleafe, becaufe thou giveft a foul to 
 the marble. In thy imagination 
 thefe ftatues have the faculty of 
 thinking and feeling like thyfelf. 
 The elder of thefe Graces leans on 
 the altar, as a companion of the other 
 Gods, and refts with the confcioufnefs, 
 that the adlions, which have fatigued 
 her, were good. The fecond ap- 
 proaches her lifter with a tender con- 
 cern, left fhe might interrupt her reft, 
 yet with a like tender defire to be in 
 her company, and perhaps to lhare 
 the pleafure of fome feaft with her. 
 The younger dances; but her eye, 
 her brow, and every motion announce 
 moderate joy. It is the joy of in- 
 nocence, which has nothing to fear. 
 This Grace looks back on the other 
 F 4 two, 
 
72 CHARMIDES 
 
 two, and is lefs pleafed with her own 
 dancing than with the hope to fee 
 her fifters follow her. The locks, 
 garments and girdle of all three are 
 graceful, like themfelves, yet not 
 negligent ; their ornament is the or- 
 nament of nature ; this is the veft- 
 ment of thofe, whp like thefe Graces, 
 dance, reft, and invite each other to a 
 feaft. 
 
 Believe me, good maiden, no 
 beauty of the body can pleafe, if the 
 foul is not beautiful at the fame time. 
 Should your looks be ever fo friendly, 
 your cheeks fmile, and your limbs 
 move with all poflible grace, truth 
 will be wanting every where, unlefs a 
 friendly, fmiling, and charming foul 
 animates thefe looks, thefe cheeks 
 and limbs. To force 3^our body 
 into the attitude of the refting Grace ; 
 
 to 
 
ANDTHEONE. 73 
 
 to give your countenance that meek 
 expreffion, or to your feet that nim^ 
 blenefs of this entreating, and of 
 that other dancing fifter, would be 
 a vain attempt ; more than all this 
 is required to form a Grace. Thou 
 oughtell: to think and feel like them. 
 — And then, good maiden, when 
 in this prefent inftant benevolence 
 dwells on thy lips, peace on thy 
 brow, tranquil rapture of the inha- 
 bitants of Olympus is expreffed in 
 thy dance; unlefs peace, benevolence, 
 and tranquil rapture reign inwardly, 
 thy brow may frown, thy lips exprefs 
 anger, and the dancer change to a 
 Bacchant. 
 
 Thus Charmldes fpoke to the ini- 
 tiated maidens, on the day on which 
 they were to adorn the celeflial Ve- 
 nus with garlands. 
 
 To 
 
74 CHARMIDES 
 
 To her, who had already been made 
 a prieftefs, Charmides faid, thou art a 
 holy maiden ; no profane man touch 
 thy hand or veil ; no immodeft look 
 dwell on thy charms. But think what 
 thou art, when thou turnil from fuch 
 a look. Even then no low expreffion 
 ought to iffue from thy lips. Pre- 
 ferve the dignity of a flying Grace. 
 
 Then he told the priefteffes a ftory 
 taken from venerable antiquity, whofc 
 argument was noble love. As a fpe- 
 cimen I ihall mention the hiftory of 
 Orpheus and Euridice, which he re- 
 corded in the following words : 
 
 Orpheus, ye maidens, was one of 
 the firft men, who played on the lyre, 
 and flrains like his, had never been 
 heard before. Whether it be true, 
 that he attracted mountains and fo- 
 refts, or that rivers changed their 
 
 courfe 
 
AMDTHBONE. 75 
 
 courfe to hear him, matters not, and 
 would have been of little confequcnce 
 to the finger. In thofe regions, where 
 he played, the forefts were fituated, 
 they ought to be, to beautify the 
 country ; each mountain flood in its 
 due place ; the propercft banks were 
 afiigned to each rivet; not the leaft 
 thing could be difplaced without pre- 
 judice to the whole. How could Or- 
 pheus have attempted any fuch thing ? 
 He was fond of fimple nature, and 
 was her favourite. The animation of 
 Ufelefs oaks and rocks Would certainly 
 have been a glorious proof of the ar* 
 tift's ch^rm ; but our artift longed for 
 a far nobler reward. His lyre pr6* 
 duced fweeter wonders. Wherever 
 it was heard, it was followed by the 
 heart, and it carried happinefs with it 
 among the iiiJiabitants of the moun- 
 tains, forefts and waters. The mai- 
 dens 
 
'JO CHARMIDES 
 
 dens learnt his drains, and facrificed 
 with greater devotion to the Gods 
 than before ; they became more du- 
 tiful to their parents; more hofpi- 
 table to the pilgrim ; were contented 
 with the moil ordinary cloathing ; 
 were modefl in their fports, and dou- 
 bly rejoiced when fpring came on. 
 Tell me, ye maidens, would not you 
 have been fond of this finger ? 
 
 He was beloved by the fairefl of 
 his contemporaries, byEuridice; for 
 fhe felt the power of his lyre more 
 forcibly than her companions. With 
 each tone a new celeftial idea was de- 
 veloped in her heart. But, oh ! Or- 
 pheus's happinefs did not laft a long 
 rime. 
 
 She once went with her young 
 friends, on a fultry fummer's day, 
 to feek her belbved. He was afleep 
 
 in 
 
A N D T H E 0 N E. 77 
 
 m a grove of olive-trees, and his in- 
 ftrument lay by his right fide. Let 
 us take the lyre from him, faid the 
 youngeft maiden, and hide ourfelves j 
 and when he wakes and looks for it^ 
 we will let him hear it, once from 
 this, once from another bulh, till at 
 laft he catches us, and finds thee, 
 Euridice, among us. No, faid Eu- 
 ridice, that we wdll not, by Juno ; 
 this lyre is facred. Pray, my dear, no 
 wanton tricks ! If even Apollo did 
 not punifh us, it would neverthelefs 
 be fmful to do fo. Doft thou recol- 
 lect, how, not long ago, he let us hear 
 his ilrains at a diftance during our or- 
 gias ? remember, that then we thought 
 we converfed with the Gods. This 
 lyre is facred — no my dear, we wdll 
 not do fo. And all the maidens faid, 
 we will not do fo. 
 
 Three 
 
7^ CHARMIDES 
 
 Three days ago, faid Euridlce, we 
 walked together, Orpheus and I. We 
 then found the ruins of a temple, in 
 which our fathers, as it is reported, 
 ufed to worfliip fidelity. A venerable 
 worfliip ! faid my beloved ; it is a 
 pity that nothing but the ruins of 
 this temple remain. Holy fidelity, 
 faid I, preffing his hand. We fat 
 down on the ruined columns, and he 
 prefled my hand. Good maiden, faid 
 he : firing thou the lyre for me ; for 
 in this moment the Deity, which thou 
 didfl name, is prelent here, or it is 
 falfe, that Ihe ever inhabited thefe 
 ruins. I will play her a hymn. Then 
 he reached me the lyre, and believe 
 me, ye maidens, I trembled when I 
 touched it. I was fcarcely able to 
 (Iring it J for it appeared to me, 
 
 that 
 
D T H B 0 M E. 79 
 
 that all the Gods of Olympus looked 
 at me. 
 
 The youngeft maiden, fhe who had 
 offered to hide the lyre, caft down 
 her looks, and covered her face with 
 her veil. Euridice kifled her. 
 
 Let us, faid Euridice, pick off the 
 bell olive leaves. Then we will fit 
 down in a circle round my Orpheus, 
 and fing a fong for him, and when 
 he wakes, I will make him a garland 
 to cool his brow. The maidens picked 
 the beft olive leaves, fat down, and 
 fung ; and Orpheus awoke. 
 
 Such a choir of young innocent 
 maidens, whofe ftrains proceeded 
 from the heart, in the open air, on 
 the green, half covered with the 
 branches of the trees, was pleafing 
 both to the eye and the ear. Or- 
 pheus rifing, beheld his beloved op- 
 
 pofitc 
 
So 
 
 CHARM1DE5 
 
 polite to him. Thefe maidens, he 
 thought, fing in praife of her beauty. 
 Meanwhile the looks of his beloved 
 faid, Orpheus ! and Orpheus's looks, 
 Euridice ! )^et thefe looks were fweeter 
 than kiffes. AH was filent. Euridice 
 was as fond of the youth, as Ihe had 
 ever been in her life ; llie would not 
 have turned her eyes from him till 
 fun-fet, and not even then. 
 
 But . dear maidens, there is a ftill 
 purer torch of love, which hot only 
 yields warmth, but alfo light. Its 
 light is tranquil, and illuminates the 
 moft fecret recelTes of the foul. In 
 this light every thing is feen, that is 
 beautiful, and not beautiful, as foon 
 as we have accuftomed ourfelves to 
 adorn our fouls, as wxll as our bodies, 
 to pleafe the lover. 
 
 Euridice 
 
ANDTMEONE. 8l 
 
 Eurldice therefore turned off her 
 eyes, and fmiled round on her com- 
 panions. A fecond look of her, en- 
 treated the youth ; faying, do not 
 affli<5t thefe maidens, who are come 
 to be cheerful with me. Orpheus 
 knew how to tem.per his defires like 
 the notes of his lyre ; and he likewife 
 fmiled round on the fweet maidens. 
 
 A{k a fong of me, faid he ; and 
 they unanimoufly afked the hymn, he 
 had fung on the ruined temple. Then 
 Euridice Ihewed him the olive leaves, 
 and began to make a garland for him, 
 and he began to fing. 
 
 Holy fidelity ! thefe were the firfl 
 words of the hymn. Every maiden 
 took the hand of her neareft compa- 
 nion. From every eye a candid 'look 
 proceeded through the vvdiole com- 
 pany, Euridice looked up to heaven. 
 
 G Could 
 
82 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 Could I, good children, repeat Or- 
 pheus's hymn to you, never in your 
 life would you offend fidelity. But it 
 is lofl^ for Orpheus never fung it but 
 once. 
 
 At the end of it he praifed fidelity 
 in love. BleiTed youth, were the laft 
 words, and with them Euridice added 
 the lafl leaf to the garland. 
 
 On a fudden the finger was deeply 
 affedted. The firings of the lyre con- 
 tinued to found, but their found was 
 melancholy. Not one of the maidens 
 ventured to look at another. The mu- 
 lic grew more and more affedling. Or- 
 pheus's hands trembled. Every eye 
 was wet with tears. Euridice remained 
 tranquil. She caft a comforting look 
 on Orpheus, and kilTed the garland. 
 
 Orpheus could now no longer with- 
 iland the feelings of his bofom ; and 
 
 he 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 8^ 
 
 he fung the myflerious fong, which 
 gave occafion to the report, that he 
 defcended to the abodes of Pluto to 
 feek his beloved. The melody of the 
 fong was flow, and its words were 
 often repeated it made a flrong im- 
 preflion on the fouls of all, and Eu- 
 ridice's companions have (ince com- 
 piled it from memory as well as they 
 could. 
 
 They compiled it under many a 
 tear ; it was as follows : 
 
 Youth, alas ! the virgin's bloom 
 
 Will decay and turn to mould ; 
 From that moment, 'tis thy doonx 
 
 No more fun-ftiine to behold. 
 The fenfe of her laft kifs is fcarcely o'er; 
 Thou wand'reil on dark cliffs on Styx's fhore. 
 Thou wand'reft in a gulf all black, all dread, 
 
 la which no breathing beings e'er appear; 
 Thou walk'it to find the maiden'3 lateft tread, 
 And for her gentle fliade drop'ft many a tear. 
 
 G 2 When 
 
84 C H A R M I D E 3 
 
 When the dear obje£l of her choice 
 
 In this dark way ftiall move, 
 The virgin's ear fliall hear his voice, 
 
 *Mid choirs of peace and love. 
 His voice her ear fliall kifs, 
 
 Wherever flie fhall ftray, 
 Amidft her greateft blifs, 
 
 Whene'er he treads that way. 
 Down to the fliades of night profound; 
 And hail the youth thofe fliadea furround, 
 On whom, from bleft elyfium, all the while, 
 The virtuous deeds of his beloved fmll«, 
 • Down to the fhades of night defcend; 
 The voice of fuch a faithful friend 
 
 Shall make the dead more blefs'd; 
 The hope in frefh embrace to join, 
 Of joys eternal and divine, 
 
 Of love by love carefs'd, 
 
 Thus ran the fong. It was ended, 
 and on a fudden Euridice's compa- 
 nions Ihrieked ; for where Euridice 
 iat, a ferpent ruflied forljb from be- 
 hind 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 S5 
 
 hind the bulhes; one of the moil 
 venomous of that country. Orpheus 
 arofe ; the maidens ran to her affift- 
 ance ; Euridice was wounded. Or- 
 pheus fell by her fide. He had fcarcely 
 recovered a little, when he haftened 
 to the neighbouring mountains for 
 healing fimples. All is in vain, my 
 dear, faid the wretched maiden, and 
 ftretched her hand towards him. In 
 her eyes fhone a mild brightnefs, 
 fimilar to that of a Goddefs, for 
 whom a golden cloud is waiting to 
 carry her back to Olympus. The 
 youth notwithftanding haftened away. 
 Dear maidens, put this garland on 
 Orpheus's lyre, faid Euridice; and 
 died. 
 
 The youth returned in an hour's 
 
 time. Do not proceed with thy 
 
 ftory, faid Charmides's pupils, weep- 
 G 3 ing. 
 
CHARMIDES 
 
 ing. Some of them embraced each 
 other. To-morrow I will give you 
 a feaft in the lhadow of our olive- 
 trees, faid Charmides. 
 
 Among the mod amiable of the 
 maidens on the rofe-hill was a prieft- 
 efs, one Charitoklea. Her voice was 
 fweet, and ihe was more than any other 
 of her companions pofleffed with a de- 
 licate ear for the drains of the Mufes. 
 This maiden had charmed the youth, 
 who played on the lyre, when his bro- 
 thers, in Charmides's prefence, fung 
 the alternate fong in praife of Theone 
 and the myrtle-tree. Charitoklea was 
 not lefs fond of the youth, yet flie 
 kept the fecret of her heart carefully 
 concealed from him. But now flie 
 had heard the hiftory of Orpheus and 
 Euridice, and now flie felt the full 
 power of love. Melon, this was the 
 
 name 
 
ANDTHEONE. 87 
 
 name of her charmer ; Melon was pre- 
 fent day and night to her eyes and 
 ears. He was her Orpheus^ and {he 
 longed to be his Euridice. 
 
 When on a fine day of fpring, on 
 which the heavens were covered with 
 a texture of filver clouds, the youth 
 fat in the fliade of the olive-trees play- 
 ing his bed tune, the maiden made a 
 garland of olive-leaves for him, and 
 faid to him : I love thee. Theone 
 knew this, and commended the priefl- 
 efs ; for Melon belonged to the favou- 
 rites of the celeflial Venus. 
 
 Towards the time of the vintage, 
 Charitoklea was invited by her pa- 
 rents to fpend a few days with them 
 at Paphos. The recollediion of the 
 ancient grove ; of the firit time, when 
 {he repaired to the fod altar in the 
 dulk of the evening; the remem- 
 G 4 brance 
 
88 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 brance of the flatues of the Graces 
 in the temple of marble, and of the 
 fpeech of Charmides, together with 
 her beloved, accompanied her thither. 
 She hated the youth of Paphos, with 
 their jefts and flatteries. She only 
 celebrated the autumnal feafls with 
 them in the neighbouring vineyards 
 by compulfion. 
 
 One of thefe youths, called Lig- 
 damon, the handfomeft of them all, 
 boafted that he would gain her affec- 
 tions in fpite of her holy appearance. 
 At firft his chief care was to obferve 
 the prieftefs, and to ftudy the tone, to 
 which her foul was tuned. Then he 
 thought of a fong, picked the young- 
 eft fprigs of the vine, and with thefe 
 and a few myrtle leaves he made a 
 garland, which he modeftly wound 
 
 round 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 8^ 
 
 round his loofely-curling hair. Then 
 he fat down in the vine-bower, in 
 which Charitoklea ufed to hide her- 
 felf from her companions to entertain 
 herfelf with thoughts on her beloved. 
 As foon as he faw the maiden approach 
 he began his fong. Charitoklea, fond 
 of fongs, foon heard the names of her 
 favourite Graces, and flood ftill. Lig- 
 damon fung : 
 
 Defcend, ye Graces, blefs our view, 
 
 Here be your beauties feen ; 
 For you thefe grapes ; thefe rails for you ; 
 Adorn'd with lafting green. 
 You waited on Bacchus, that hero divine ; 
 A fifterly band, 
 You danc'd hand In hand, 
 ' When he firft taught the world to improve the wild vine ; 
 You, charm'd with its ufe, 
 Exprefs'd the rich juice, 
 And fiU'd his large veffels with heart-cheering wine. 
 
90 GHARMIDES 
 
 You clafp'd the hero in your arms. 
 
 You led him from the vine-clad hill ; 
 And by your all-fubduing charms, 
 
 Subje6led hearts and nations to his will. 
 To you tam'd bealls of prey he ow'd. 
 
 The lion fell, the tyger wild ; 
 And, as the mighty conqu'ror rode. 
 
 You meekly on the warrior fmil'd. 
 By you prote£led, he the goblet gave, 
 
 When grove, altar, all. 
 
 Were ready to fall, 
 The matchlefs man arofe, your finking caufe to fave. 
 To him, who fcorns you, fhame and woe, 
 
 Ye fifl-crhood. divine ; 
 But joy and triumph may he know. 
 
 Who venerates your ihriue. 
 
 The maiden fliould have remarked, 
 that the Graces of this fong were not 
 thofe, which Ihe venerated ; but the 
 youth was handfome, and pleaiing his 
 fong. Charitoklea did not remark it ; 
 Ihe did not recoiled: that all the youths 
 
 and 
 
AND THEONE. 9I 
 
 and maidens of Paphos had the Graces 
 continually on their lips. 
 
 Ligdamon feigned only now to fee 
 the prieftefs^ and immediately arofe 
 from his feat. She fled, and the finger 
 itaid. A referve like this muil pleafe 
 the pupil of a Charmides. 
 
 A few days afterwards, the youth 
 prefentcd himfelf to her with a golden 
 goblet and an elegant ilaff,whofe golden 
 point half arofe above the winding of 
 a vine-branch and the fprig of a myr- 
 tle, faying: Thou art a charming 
 maiden ; but thou fhouldfh not on 
 that account defpife us. Doft thou 
 think, that we do not facrifice to the 
 Graces like thee, though our looks 
 are fomewhat freer, our tone of voice 
 louder, and our dances quicker than 
 thine ? Or meaneft thou, good mai- 
 den, that the worlhip of our God- 
 
 defies 
 
92 CHARMIDES 
 
 defles confifts in the plaiting of the 
 locks, and in the wearing of the gir- 
 dle in a certain peculiar manner, and 
 in no other way ? Behold this goblet, 
 it reprefents the Graces, celebrating 
 their feafts. On this flaff Love is fitting 
 and playing on his lyre. Accept this 
 prefent from a youth, who in thee 
 venerates the Graces, and is worthy 
 to worfhip them. Defpife me not, I 
 conjure thee by the Venus, whofe 
 new flatues Charmides has erected in 
 our temples. Love's attendants are 
 friendly. What have I done to thee ? 
 and why Ihouldft thou hate me ? 
 
 Charitoklea accepted of the prefent, 
 for it was handfome, like the giver and 
 his fong. Wretched maiden ; Ihe did 
 not perceive, that neither the Graces 
 on the goblet, nor the God of Love 
 on the fl'aff, were thofe, whom Ihe 
 
 vene- 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 93 
 
 venerated. She had them fcarcely in 
 her hands, when the foul of the ini- 
 tiated maiden was contaminated. 
 
 By degrees the celeflial Venus, the 
 grove, Charmides and Theone, and 
 even Melon, her lover, vaniflied from 
 before her. At lafl nothing remained 
 of them but a common wooden image, 
 a dull grove, a gloomy philofopher, 
 a fad tutor, and a tedious youth. It 
 was as if the madnefs of Bacchus had 
 feized her. Charitoklea loved Lig- 
 damon. 
 
 The prieftefs was forced to return 
 to her dwelling on the rofe-hill. She 
 carried the golden goblet and the 
 thyrfus with her, and hid them 
 deeply in the bufhes of the holy 
 grove. O ye Graces ! 
 
 Charitoklea grew fad. Dofl thou 
 love us no more? faid her compa- 
 nions 
 
94 C H A R M I D E S 
 
 nions and Theone. She wept. Yet 
 her tears were not like thofe, which 
 were Ihed on the rofe-hill. Melon 
 implored the Gods to let him die. 
 
 Towards the end of the vintage, 
 feme virgins of Paphos came to en- 
 treat the unhappy maiden to go with 
 them. Charitoklea confented : Me- 
 lon's two brothers followed her. 
 
 They found the prieilefs of the ce- 
 ledial Venus on one of the nearelt 
 vine-hills, with the goblet and the 
 thyrfus in her hand ; her flying hair 
 adorned with leaves of the vine, with- 
 out her veil, in the middle of the wild 
 dances of the maidens and youths. 
 Charmides's pupil cried, evan evoe ! 
 and kiffed her new lover. 
 
 Charitoklea could now be fuffered 
 no longer among the holy maidens ; 
 
 Ihe 
 
A N D T H E O N E. 95 
 
 flie was fent to Paphos to her pa- 
 rents. 
 
 Soon after this, Charmides and 
 Theone called the other prieftefles 
 together, looked at them with tears, 
 and ordered a facrifice of purification 
 on the fod-altar for their fallen friend. 
 The maidens filled their ofFering-baf- 
 ketswith honey and milk, and covered 
 them with flowers. They proceeded 
 in filence on the road to the ancient 
 grove of their Goddefs. When they 
 were near it, they flood ftill and fung 
 the following fong, compofed by Me- 
 lon's brothers. 
 
 O M N E S. 
 
 Celeftial Venus, blefs thy quire, 
 
 And purify each maid ; 
 Ye Graces, O ! reftrain your ire, 
 
 If one frail mind hath ftray'd. 
 
 Celeftial 
 
C H A R M I D E 5 
 
 Celeftial Venus, blefs thy quire; 
 
 With pureft hands we come to thee ; 
 We come to deprecate thy ire, 
 
 And look with eyes of chaftity. 
 Celeftial Venus, blefs thy quire, 
 
 And purify each maid; 
 Ye Graces, O ! reftrain your ire, 
 
 11 one frail mind hath ftray'd. 
 
 TWO VOICES. 
 
 THE FIRST VOICE, 
 
 Innocence the fair had nam'd, 
 Innocence the fair proclaim'd ; 
 Before the Gods proclaim'd her worth 
 In all that is admir'd on earth. 
 To crown her then the powers above 
 Refolv'd and gather'd from the grove, 
 A fprig, like that, which, long before, 
 To Pfyche little Cupid bore, 
 When here he fought the cooling fhade, 
 And her firfl. vow fair Pfyche made ! 
 While Nature fympathiz'd in pleafmg pains, 
 And felt the pow'r of love in all ber veins. 
 
 SECO N J> 
 
AND THEONE, 
 
 97 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Now a troop of mad Bacchants, the maid's temples round 
 A bold- woven garland of vine-leaves has wound. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Woe to thee, wretched maid, whene'er the fpring 
 To Pfyche's grove ftiall op'ning verdure brinj. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Woe to thee, wretched fair one, woe to thee, 
 When heav'n the dances of good maids fhall fee. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. I 
 
 Woe to thee, wretched maid ; the fair, 
 
 Whofe fports thou didft admire, 
 Shall ne'er with thee their pleafurcs ftxare. 
 
 But ia difguil retire. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Woe to thee, wretched maid, whene'er 
 
 The Gods the change fhall fee ; 
 Shall fee the Bacchant tofs her hair, 
 
 A frantic devotee. 
 
 H BOTH 
 
C 'sl A R M I 0 E 3* 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 Love's laft requcfts, on ev'ry tree, 
 Shall now, alas ! be feen ; 
 
 FIRST VOIC F. 
 
 Falfe maid, each footftep left by thee 
 Shall taint the cheerful green, 
 
 SECOND VOICE* 
 
 Beneath thy feet, degraded maid, 
 The field fhall fee its flowers fade. 
 
 ROTH VOICES. 
 
 Fair Innocence's laft requeft 
 
 Shall leave thee with her frown opprefs' 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 The ripen'd Iheaf fhall fee its gold 
 A gloomy ray of monrnin* hold, 
 
 SECOND V O I C i: . 
 
 The colours of the heavenly how 
 Shall gloomy rays of mourning fhcv,-. 
 
AND T H E O N E. 
 
 99 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 Tot where the virtues find their tombs, 
 "the mind's fweet fun-fliine never Comei. 
 
 TWO OTHER VOICES. 
 
 THE FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Among the quire replete with love, 
 The kind, all-bca-yteous pow 'rs above, 
 By founds of flutes, as mild as clear, 
 Caus'd chadefl tunes to flrike her ear; 
 And fill'd with tramquil joys her foul j 
 Th£ forotaile of the ncftar'd bowl. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 But, ala?! the cymbals found 
 
 Soon the flute's fofi breathings drov/n'd : 
 
 The maid fcorn'd the flrains, which to virtue belong, 
 
 jV^.d was charm'd with the notes of the wild fatyr'i fcng. 
 
 The God of the fo;-eft to th' unguarded fair 
 
 His oft-profan'd pitcher was eager to bear ; 
 
 The virginal brow (hook oft fnodef^y quite, 
 
 And her lab'ring bread panted with fsvagc delight : 
 
 K a Tor 
 
100 CHARMIDES 
 
 For his pitcher the temulent god fill'd in hade, 
 And the maid's rofy lips muft the beverage tafte, 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 When the days of fmiling May 
 Make the fober fhepherds gay ; 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 When the larks flirill-warbling rife 
 To the golden-clouded fkies ; 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 And when, within the grove*s religious bounds, 
 Low, heav'nly voices breathe melodious founds; 
 When fongs of Gods the carnal fenfe control, 
 And fwceteft innocence infpires the foul; 
 
 FIRSTVOICE. 
 
 , When the fruits of the vine 
 On the rail lovely fhinc ; 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 When vintagers, ere night be gone, 
 Huddle their morning-dreffes on ; 
 
 BOTH 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 101 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 When, in the blifsful, bright abodes, 
 The lovelieft form of all the Gods 
 Shall crown the cup with garlands gay, 
 To thofe, who virgin excellence difplay. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Woe to thee, maiden, woe to thee 
 When larks their loves fing merrily ; 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Woe to thee, maiden, when, expos'd to fcorn, 
 The vintagers thy virtue loft (hall mourn ; 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 Wherever thou thy eyes fhalt throw, 
 
 Thou fhalt difcover nought but woe. ■- 
 
 TWO OTHER VOICES. 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Of all our youths the beft, 
 
 Whom beauteous Nature fofter'd in her brcai^ ; 
 
 H 3 Whom 
 
102 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 Whom Wifdom's fifter, holy Modefty 
 To model for the Graces, left the (ky j 
 The beO; of youths this maid approv'd, 
 The befl; of youths this virgin lov'd r 
 Fafter and fafter clung to hers his heait ; 
 Such feelings rofe as Gods alone imp^irt : 
 Amidft mufic and plcafure, 
 Sighs and tears without mcafure, 
 A thoufand foft glances, 
 Ten thoufand fweet fancies, 
 
 Love was to rapture rais'd ; blefl love, which knew not art. 
 To honour this friend of the Gods and his fair, 
 Love's God came himfelf and united the pair. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Thy daughters, Venus, came, a lovely troop, 
 
 And in their glory wrapt him up : 
 
 But the laugh of the Fauns, a? they caper'd about, 
 
 And the dance of the Bacchants, a turbulent rout. 
 
 Now fill'd the maiden's mind ; 
 
 While, with the maid combin'd, 
 
 The mean defpifer of the Graces came, 
 
 And mock'd this favorite youth's rcfplendent flame.' 
 
 FIRST 
 
AND THEOJ^y. XO3 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Lament, fond youth, along the brook, 
 
 SECONP VOICE. 
 
 Weep, maiden, in the grove, 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Where by thy fide fwect flo"w'i s -flic took. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Where he fnit fpoke of love. 
 
 FIRST VOICE* 
 
 In tlie grotto, on the hill. 
 
 Where Ihe walk'd with fong attended ; 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 In the vale, where his foul flill 
 With her foul was clofely blended. 
 
 H 4 FIRST 
 
104 CHARMIDES 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 When Aurora fliines bright, 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 In the moon's gentle light, 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Mourn, O youth j 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 Maiden, cry! 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Fly, the brooks ; 
 
 SECOND VOICE, 
 
 The grove, O, fly. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 Thou fee'ft in the fun brightly ftiinlng, 
 
 SECOND VOICE, 
 Thou fcc'ft in the fun, when deciining, 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 105 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 Where'er thy footfteps move, 
 
 O N E V O I C E. 
 
 Thou fee'ft the death of love. 
 Fair maid, thou had'ft been far more bleft, 
 If, thy urn in our hand, 
 A fiftcrly band, 
 We had carried thy a flies to reft. 
 More bleft if in Orcus thou hover'd'ft in night, 
 And with her right hand a Grace beckon'd thy fpritc. 
 
 TWO VOICES. 
 
 O, Love will chaftife the falfe, infolent fair, 
 Who ventures the prieftefs's fillet to wear. 
 
 FIRST VOICE. 
 
 When her off'ring (he bears, to the deity due, 
 The rofe in her baflcet fhall alter its hue. 
 
 SECOND VOICE. 
 
 The honey and milk (he fhall thither convey. 
 
 Shall be fpoil'd, like her heart, and corrupt by the way. 
 
 BOTH 
 
CHARMIDES 
 
 BOTH VOICES. 
 
 A pale, brcathlcfs Iwjdy the maiden fhall lie; 
 
 Ere flie reaches the grove, the falfe creature fiiall file; 
 
 O M N E S. 
 
 Celeflial Vemis, blefs thy quire; 
 
 Thy prieftefTes with zeal infpire; 
 
 Nor let her fault thy anger move. 
 
 Who to thy flivine could faithlefs prove. 
 Celeflial Venus, blefs thy quire, 
 
 View our pure hands, thy wrath reprcfs; 
 We chaftely to thy fmlles afpire; 
 
 Thy quire, celeflial Venus, blefs. 
 
 The maidens facrlficed on the fod- 
 altar, and left the ancient grove of 
 their Goddefs with forrow, yet with 
 the greateft trufl in each other. 
 
 I fhall laftly record, what Char- 
 mides did to leffen the dread of death 
 ,in his pupils. 
 
 Eudora^ 
 
AND THE O NE. IO7 
 
 Eudora, Theone's young filler^ fell 
 ill, and her life was defpaired of. 
 When fhe felt her end approach, 
 Charmides caiifed the walls round 
 her to be hung with garlands of rofes 
 and myrtle. The prieflefTes attended 
 in their beft attire. One of them fat 
 down by the lide of Eudora's bed, 
 and the reft ftood arm in arm, like 
 the ftatues of the Graces. They firft 
 embraced each other at the diftant 
 found of low-tuned flutes, then flie, 
 who fat near the bed, began a ftrain, 
 which vvas anfwered by the reft. 
 
 ONE V O ICE. 
 
 No rofe-feafi. ever, raalden fweet, 
 ' Shall to my ear thy fongs repeat. 
 My eyes grow dim ; O, fmg the fonj of reft ; ■ 
 Then, from above, 
 A nod of love 
 ShaU fummon me to join the ever-bleft. 
 
 CHOIR, 
 
io8 
 
 CHARMIDES 
 
 CHOIR. 
 
 Thy life was like a day 
 
 Of fweetly-blooming May. 
 The rofes gather 'd by thy hand. 
 
 That hand to thy companions gave ; 
 Now interlac'd the rofe-trees ftand, 
 
 And fhed their fragrance round thy grave. 
 
 ONE VOICE. 
 
 Guardians of innocence, ye pow'rs 
 
 Ye lovely Graces, hear; 
 O, give me, in your myrtle bow'rs 
 To end my fhort career. 
 Here let me heave niy parting figh. 
 Devote my zone to you, and die. 
 
 CHOIR. 
 
 They hear thee, maid ; the gentle pow'rs 
 
 Shall thy career adorn with flow'rs ; 
 
 Eternal flow'rs ; and, for thy virtue's fake, 
 
 From thy cold hand the wreath of death Ihall take. 
 
 ONE 
 
AND THEONE. 
 
 ONE VOICE, 
 
 Soft-fmiling Cytherea, hear ; 
 Be tranquil the laft darting tear ; 
 Like fome fad ftiepherdcfs's figh, 
 When twilight fmears the cv'ning-fky, 
 Who counts her lambs, diflrefs'd to find 
 The fmalleft, fomewhcre, left behind. 
 
 CHOIR. 
 
 Heav'n fees the tear, and, fympathizing, 
 Becomes ftill melody the while ; 
 
 Till Venus from the ocean rifmg, 
 Converts it to a pleaTrag fmile. 
 
 ONE VOICE. 
 
 O, innocence, O, calm divine, 
 
 To thee my mortal life was giv'n ; 
 On yon black rivers ftill I'm thine, 
 You dark abodes (hall ftill be heav'n : 
 Thofe awful faces, and that judge's voice 
 Infpire frefti hope, and bid my foul rejoice* 
 
 CHOIR. 
 
no 
 
 C H A R M I D E S, &C, 
 
 CHOI R. 
 
 Virtue, Wifdom's child, 
 
 On Death's cup hath Imird : 
 
 Her enemies confas'd and mute were foun^!; 
 
 She fcatter'd rays of light tin o' night profound, 
 
 ONE VOICE. 
 
 Hark ! from the difmal (hores the quireS I he^r j 
 Forms, lovelier far than human life, appear. 
 Ye fifiers, w ith your blefTings bring 
 This gloriouf. garment of the fprin^. 
 
 CHOIR. 
 
 Now on her cheek a paleaefs lies ; 
 To fields of flow'rs her fpirit flies : 
 
 There will her foul, traufported, fingt 
 
 lu praife of everlafting fpring. 
 
 The maidens embraced each other 
 once more, and their tears of refigna- 
 tion, in this moment, proved then> 
 to be ihe pupils of Charmides. 
 
 ASE- 
 
ASE-NEITHA 
 
 A N 
 
 EGYPTIAN TALE. 
 
A S E - N E I T H A: 
 
 AN EGYPTIAN TALE* 
 
 JL E L L me, reaper, kiiowft thou 
 the way to Sais ? I might ft ray on 
 this footpath. 
 
 Thou art a flave, who haft efcaped 
 from thy mafter ; I fee it by thy gar- 
 ments. What is thy bufinefs at Sais ? 
 
 Reaper, 1 go on the errand of a 
 great man, and have not made my 
 efcape. 
 
 No ftaves are fent to the Temple 
 of Neitha. Stir not a ftep from this 
 place ; thou llialt be my flave. — 
 
 I I have 
 
il4 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 I have formerly been a Ihepherd, 
 and conquered wolves. Do not come 
 nearer, reaper, left thou fhouldft feel 
 the power of my flafF. 
 
 And on a fudden the uncivil reaper 
 lay levelled with the ground, and 
 llunned by the blow. Jofeph hailened 
 acrofs the field towards a thicket, 
 which was on his right hand. He 
 eame to- a hill; there he looked 
 around, and not far from him he 
 difcovered a great road, on which a 
 maiden proceeded with hafty fleps. 
 He ran and overtook her. 
 
 Tell me, maiden, where does this 
 road lead to ? 
 
 To Sais. — She walked fafter. 
 
 Do not haften fo, maiden. I am 
 not wanton, as other Haves are. I 
 can protect thee with my ftafF. 
 
 The 
 
ASE-NEITHA. ll^ 
 
 The maiden looked at him, fmiled, 
 2nd faid : Then I thank Athor, for 
 I was frightened. But carifl thou not 
 walk as fall as I, friendly youth ? 
 
 I have already walked a great way^ 
 and am fatigued ; — but how far are 
 we yet from Sais ? 
 
 When the fun lhall have fhone 
 again, as long as he already has done 
 this morning, we fhall be there. Seeft 
 thou yon diftant fpire ? 
 
 I do, between yon little wood and 
 the large field. 
 
 It is an obelifk near the Temple of 
 Neitha; 
 
 Then we are not far off. Art thou' 
 from Sais ? 
 
 No — I come from yonder houfe 
 among the trees, which thou feell 
 there behind thee, and am going to 
 Sais to the high pried. 
 
 I 2 Is 
 
ii6 
 
 ase-neitha. 
 
 Is not that P-hont-phre ? 
 
 The very fame ; I have a mefTage 
 from my parents to him. 
 
 And fo have L I am glad, maiderr, 
 to have found thee. Thou maveft 
 introduce me. 
 
 That I will with all my heart ; but 
 doft thou not come from a great dif- 
 tance ? Thou fpeakefl a foreign lan- 
 guage. 
 
 Yes, I come from a very diilant 
 place ; I live at Memphis. 
 
 Thou art no Memphite neither ; 
 thy ideom betrays thee. 
 
 Be not forward, maiden. I dare 
 not tell thee every thing. 
 
 But I told thee all, thou didft aflc me. 
 
 Thy bufinefs is no fecret. Thou 
 may ft tell. 
 
 Jofeph and the njaiden converfed 
 on different fubjedls ; and came to a 
 
 wood. 
 
A6E-NEITHA. 
 
 117 
 
 wood, in which the fittim-wood and 
 myrtles afforded a fvveet and cool 
 lhade. They were then not far from 
 Sais. Let us fit down here a little, 
 faid Jofeph. I have not time, dear 
 youth, anfwered the maiden, blufh- 
 inp-. There is time enouo-h for a 
 little reft, replied Jofeph ; fit down 
 either here or there ; I will fit down 
 here in the fhade of this m3"rtle, then 
 thou canfl fee me, and I can not fee 
 thee. Jofeph fat down and looked 
 flraight before him ; fideways oppo- 
 fi'te to him fat the maiden ; they both 
 were filent, yet not for a long while. 
 
 Maiden, tell me, hail thou ever 
 worfhipped Athor ? hafl thou ever 
 addrefTed thy prayers to her ? 
 
 I have, lovely youth ; my mother 
 has been with me to Chufas ; the Nile 
 has fince overflowed three times. 
 
 I 3 What 
 
Il8 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 What did you go there for ? 
 
 My parents longed to have a fon ; 
 they have no other child befides my- 
 felf. They wanted to offer up fome 
 gifts to Athor, and to entreat her to 
 give them a fon. 
 
 Didft thou pray too, maiden ? 
 
 Yes ; but not to have a brother. 
 Hear me, youth, I think I muft tell 
 thee all ; I prayed for fomething elfe. 
 When we came into the beautiful 
 temple, I was fo charmed with it, 
 that I began to wilh to remain there 
 among the priefts and the priefleffes. I 
 afked, where Athor was ; for I wifhed 
 to fee and to adore her. Then an old 
 prieft told me. Child, the Godhead, 
 though invifible to thee, hears thy 
 prayers in this temple, and wherever 
 thou mayefl be. I went out of the 
 temple, fat down under the trees, 
 
 and 
 
ASE-NEiTHA. 1 19 
 
 and faid : Athor, I know thou feed 
 me, though I fee thee not : thou 
 makeft thefe fine flowers, thefe lofty 
 trees, this fragrance round me ; thou 
 haft alfo made me. I have now at- 
 tained my fixteenth year, I am in full 
 health ; now make me contented and 
 happy too. Thus I fat and fell aileep^ 
 I dreamt, and behold, I faw a dark 
 cloud : it was in the twilight of the 
 morn ; and the dew defcended on me 
 from the cloud. I was all wet ; but 
 I felt myfelf as well as if I had tafted 
 balfam. The cloud approached me 
 nearer and nearer, and from it pro- 
 ceeded a virgin in a fhining white ha- 
 bit ; her face was veiled. On a fuddea 
 a glorious youth, juft like thee in his 
 countenance, came out from the cloud. 
 The virgin condudred him to me. He 
 took me by the hand and led me into 
 the cloud ; I then awoke. 1 had never 
 I 4 beea 
 
120 
 
 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 been fo happy before. The follow- 
 ing day I returned home with my 
 mother; but I flill think of that 
 youth. I feel that my heart is fond 
 of thee, becaufe thou refembleft him ; 
 however he was not dreffed like a flave, 
 but his garments were fplendid, like i 
 thofe of a king. 
 
 Who is thy father, maiden ? 
 
 My father is one of the oldeft 
 priefts of Neitha. He has lands and 
 a hut there, whence I come ; and he 
 now refides there. But let us go. — 
 Hear me, youth, I have no brother; 
 may I call thee fo ? 
 
 I am a Have, thou the daughter of 
 a great man. But if thou callft me 
 brother, my heart will call thee fifter. 
 My foul is filled with tranquility, when 
 I look at thee ; with tranquility, and 
 with fomething, which I never felt 
 
 before, 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 121 
 
 before, except when I happened to 
 fee an Angel. 
 
 An Angel ! — What is an Angel ? 
 
 Angels are creatures, fuperior to 
 men, and whom God often fends to 
 them. 
 
 Then that was probably an Angely 
 whom Athor condud:ed to me from 
 the dark cloud, and who then took 
 me into the cloud. 
 
 Jofeph coloured, and looked down; 
 the maiden fmiled, and they walked 
 on by each other^s fide. Their hands 
 met as by chance; as they proceeded, 
 they on a fudden grew as it were to- 
 gether, and neither of them thought 
 of withdrawing the hand ; they made 
 fhift with one, when they wanted the 
 other, and in this manner they arrived 
 at Sais. Then both withdrew their 
 hands : but they kept each other 
 
 company 
 
122 
 
 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 company till they came to P-hont- 
 phre's houfe. Shall I ever fee thee 
 
 again ? faid Jofeph. Athor has 
 
 conducted thee to me this day, flie 
 will take care of the reft. I keep thy 
 image in my heart, db thou the fame, 
 if thou canft. This was the maiden's 
 anfwer, and fhe difappeared through 
 a door to the left, which led into the 
 high prieft's houfe. Jofeph looked 
 at this door for a long while ; the 
 maiden was gone, and with her the 
 peace of his mind. 
 
 He now entered the houfe of the 
 P-hont-phre. Every thing in it be- 
 fpoke magnificence in the patriarchal 
 llile — obfcure and tranquil. He pro- 
 ceeded by a long gallery. On one 
 lide of this there was a court, with a 
 fountain, and various animals ; on the 
 other fide he faw different rooms. 
 
 Towards 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 12^ 
 
 I'.owards the end of the gallery he 
 was met by a man with a long grey 
 
 beard, venerable in his afped:. 
 
 Whence dod thou come, youth ? he 
 afked. — From Memphis, anfwered 
 Jofeph. — What is thy bufinefs, youth ? 
 — I have a meiTage to the P-hont- 
 phre. — Come, I will intrpduce thee 
 to him. They went, and came to 
 a fpacious hall. In this fat a man 
 a hundred and fifty years old, with a 
 cheerful countenance ; but his eyes 
 were dim, fo that he could not plainly 
 diflinguifh. The man, w^ho had in- 
 troduced Jofeph, faid : This is the 
 P-hont-phre. My lord, faid the youth, 
 I have a mefTage to deliver to thee 
 from the King's treafurer ; I come 
 from Memphis. — Come nearer, youth, 
 faid the P-hont-phre ; I hear not wello 
 
 — Jofeph drew nearer. Speak, 
 
 youth ^ what is thy meflage ? 
 
 Jofeph 
 
124 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 Jofcph anfwered : My lord^ the 
 pric{?ts of Phthas dlffent from each 
 other. Some of them fay, that Phthas 
 is fuperior to Kneph ; and fome pre- 
 tend, that Kneph is fuperior to Phthas. 
 They have deviated from the ancient 
 cuftoms and laws of the true God, 
 and have ftrayed in then* tenets. 
 Now thy fervant, the treafurer, is 
 become fad, for he fears God, and 
 knows not which opinion to fol- 
 low. This is the reafon, why he 
 fcnt me to thee ; for he knows thee 
 to be learned, and famous all over 
 Egypt for the knowledge of the true 
 God. 
 
 Art thou inftru6led in the myfteries 
 of our worlhip ? 
 
 I am not, my lord ; I am a Hebrew 
 youth from Canaan; my father's name 
 is Jacob. 
 
 Art 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 12^ 
 
 Art thou then of the tribe of that 
 ^ great Abraham, who formerly lived 
 at Mehiphis ? 
 
 He was my great grandfather. 
 
 Then come near, that I may em- 
 brace thee. — At that time my father 
 was one of the principal priefts of 
 Phthas. He became acquainted with 
 Abraham, and through him obtained 
 the knowledge of God. He heard of 
 the Noahites, who had cultivated our 
 country, and introduced the true 
 worfliip. The priefts at Memphis 
 were then a fuperflitious people. 
 They hated Abraham, and perfecuted 
 my father ; who afterwards came to 
 Sais, and was made P-hont-phre of 
 Neitha. In memory of Abraham he 
 caufed the grand obelifk near the 
 temple to be eredted, and the doc- 
 trine of the true worihip to be en- 
 graved 
 
126 
 
 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 graved on it. Sit down near me, 
 
 youth ; what is thy name ? 
 
 My name is Jofeph, and I have 
 been fold for a flave to Pharaoh's 
 treafurer. 
 
 Thoti mult acquaint me to-day 
 with the particulars of this bufinefs. 
 
 Jofeph told him every thing. The 
 P-hont-phre lillened with attention 
 to his account, was overjoyed, and 
 faid : Thou lhalt be happy, youth ; 
 for God recompences evil w^ith good. 
 I will fend to Memphis, and delire 
 thy lord to let thee flay fome time 
 with me. Do as thou pleafeft, my 
 father, anfwered Jdfeph. I will go 
 and look out for fome companions, 
 for I perceive thou wanted reft. Do, 
 faid P-hont-phre; thou lhalt eat at 
 my table ; be free, as if in thy fa- 
 ther's 
 
ASE-NEITHA. ll'J 
 
 ther's houfe; I will fend for thee, 
 when I want to converfe with thee. 
 
 Jofeph went out, rejoiced, and 
 thanked God. Shall I never fee the 
 niaiden again ? he faid to himfelf. 
 He looked out for her every where, 
 but fhe was no more at Sais. As he 
 was thus walking, he faw the man 
 who had introduced him to the 
 ?-hont-phre, and went up to him. 
 The old man was friendly, afked him 
 many queftions, and found that Jo- 
 feph was intelligent. — Wouldfl thou 
 not wifh to become a prieft of Nei- 
 tha? — No, faid Jofeph, I am a Have. 
 I know that, faid the old man ; come, 
 we will dine wdth the P-hont-phre. 
 They went together to the hall, but 
 the P-hont-phre was not there. He 
 was in the temple ; his young man had 
 led him thither to pray, Jofeph and 
 
 his 
 
128 
 
 A S E - N E 1 T H A. 
 
 his condudor followed him. He had 
 feated himfelf under the holy trees 
 of Neitha, under the olive-trees, 
 which are found no where elfe in 
 Egypt. A gentle breeze came from 
 the Red Sea, played in his long fnow- 
 white beard, and whifpered between 
 the leaves of the olive-trees. Here the 
 youths ferved dhmer on the green ; 
 and they reclined themfelves around. 
 Is Jofeph here? alked P-hont-phre. 
 Yes, faid Jofeph, thy youth is here, 
 and feeds on thy hofpitality. Eat and 
 drink, faid the old man, and then 
 flay with me, for I will fpeak to thee. 
 After the meal, Jofeph fat down by 
 his fide, and they converfed on feve- 
 ral fubjedts. In the days of my youth, 
 faid the high prieft, I was in the 
 Temple of Athor at Chufas. I was 
 educated there and inflrudtcd in wif- 
 
 dom. 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 12^ 
 
 dom. Athor is the Goddefs of eter- 
 nal original night, from which all has 
 fprung forth. Kneph, the infinite 
 Spirit, dwelt in this night. He formed 
 a huge cloud ; from this cloud Kneph 
 and Athor produced a male called 
 Phthas, and a female called Neitha ; 
 this is the dodtrine of the Egyptians. 
 Phthas and Neitha created the world ; 
 the former governs and fuftains it ; 
 the latter models the new forms, 
 which mufl: be brought forth* But 
 Athor is the Goddefs of love ; fhe 
 governs and promotes the propaga- 
 tion of every being ; Ihe is the God- 
 defs of pure delight and joy. Boys 
 and youths were in the Temple of 
 Athor, in which we were inilrud:ed 
 and educated to virtue. One evening 
 in the moonfhine I went behind the 
 temple into a foreft, which was very 
 K large. 
 
13^ ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 large, and extended to the Red Sea, 
 Plunged into depth of thought, I 
 went far on, and came at laft to a 
 plain, circumfcribed by the foreft, 
 on which no Ihrubs grew, but grafs, 
 flowers and a few balfam-plants ; in 
 the middle ftood a lofty tree, which 
 fpread its fhade far over the meadow. 
 Here I felt inexplicable peace of 
 mind; the moon enlightened the 
 darknefs. I went up to the tree and 
 fat down by its root. O Athor, I 
 exclaimed, how kind, how holy art 
 thou ! In this inftant I faw towards 
 the fea a croud of people rulh out 
 from the foreft into the plain. A 
 young flender maiden ran a few paces 
 before them, and two youths followed 
 her. She ran towards the tree, and 
 irear it dropt down, her ftrength being 
 exhaufted^ and in amoment the youths 
 
 came 
 
.A3E-NEITHA. t^t 
 
 Came up with her. I felt a fomethhig 
 pierchig my whole foul ; I grew pow- 
 .erful, and ftept from behind the tree 
 in my long white robe. In the name 
 of eternal Athor, 1 exclaimed, let 
 neither of you lay a hand on this 
 maiden. The youths were llruck 
 with terror, and dropt as it were 
 dead on the earth. I raifed the mai- 
 den and fled with her to the foreft ; 
 then I fav/ the youths rife again, and 
 haften towards the fpot, whence they 
 had come. I was now left alone with 
 her. She was much frightened, and 
 believed me to be an Angel, till I 
 'fpoke to her, and told her, that I 
 was a youth, a native of Egypt. She 
 told me, that ihe was an Ifhmaelite, and 
 had been purfued by two Canaanites 
 to the place where I had faved her. 
 She has given me fince a more cir- 
 K 2' cumftantial 
 
132 ASE^NEITHA* 
 
 cumflantial account. She was hand- 
 fome. The peace of heaven dwelt 
 on her brow, and the Spirit of Nei- 
 tha was fully expreffed on it. Wilt 
 thou go with me to the Temple of 
 Athor ? I afked her. She anfwered : 
 I will, lead me wherever thou wilt. 
 We arrived, and behold^ the temple 
 Was Ihut. I knocked, the porter 
 opened ; the young virgins all flept 
 together in a fpacious hall. I charged 
 the door-keeper with the maiden, and 
 bid him take care of her till the next 
 morning. She was put among the 
 virgins, and I faw her daily, but 
 could not much converfe with her. 
 She was in a conftant melancholy. 
 In the evening twilight Ihe often ufed 
 to repair to the foreft ; and I once de- 
 termined to follow her at a diftance. 
 'She proceeded far into it, and flood 
 
 ftill 
 
ASE-NEITHA» I33 
 
 Hill on a fpot, where rofe and m^^tle 
 Ihrubs were interwoven. I was un- 
 certain whether I fhould go nearer or 
 not. While I was confulting with 
 niyfelf I again perceived the Ca- 
 naanite youths walking in the foreft ; 
 they did not fee me nor the rnaiden. 
 She lifted up her eyes, while I ap- 
 proached, and was much frightened. 
 Make hafte, faid I, hide thyfelf, thy 
 purfuers are near. We hid ourfelves 
 both in the fhrubbery. TheCanaanites 
 fearched for us every where, and when 
 they did not find us, they faid : let us 
 go, fKe will return to-rporrovv ; and 
 they went off. When they were at 
 a great diftance, I recollecfted myfelf, 
 for I kept the maiden \n niy arms, 
 and preffed her to my bofom. — Come 
 away, flie faid, I am frightened here. 
 — Wc went away, fhe took me by the 
 K 3 hand. 
 
134 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 hand,' and fo we came out of the 
 wood. We had obferved, that the 
 Canaanltes kept continually walking 
 in the forefl ; Ihe therefore refolved 
 not to go into it an)' more. And 1 
 heard wonderful wdfdom from the 
 maiden ; and I faid to her : in what 
 manner haft thou arrived at fuch 
 iublime intelligence ? She told me, 
 that in her father's houfe fhe had been 
 inftrucled in the knowledge of the 
 true God ; and that, while fhe took 
 care of the flocks, fhe had often been 
 taught by a beautiful youth, who 
 perhaps, as fhe thought, might have 
 been fome Angel. Thofe times are 
 gone, noble youth, fhe faid, with tears 
 in her eyes, and this makes me fad. 
 At thefe words my eyes were like^ 
 wife filled with tears, and I did not 
 know why. Thofe times may return, 
 
 I faid 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 I faid to her; thou feefl, that our 
 ways are the ways of virtue, and we 
 have befides plenty of joy. Do thou 
 teach me from the month of thy ce- 
 leflial friend, what is the Deity ; Wif- 
 <lom and Virtue, I will liften to thee. 
 Our priefls tell me : that there is but 
 one true God, whom they call Kneph, 
 and that the other deities are mere 
 properties of this one God. But that, 
 notwiihflanding, each of them is par- 
 ticularly worfhipped, to make the 
 people comprehend the true Deity, — 
 God can not be comprehended, faid 
 the maiden, but by the defigns of 
 men may be falfely reprefented. In- 
 ftead of praying to Athor, pray to 
 the true God of heaven and earth, 
 and thou art fure not to ftray, Thou 
 wilt then by degrees experience a 
 tranquility of mind, which hitherto 
 K 4 has 
 
13^ ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 has been foreign to thee. In every 
 tree, in every flower of the field, 
 thou wilt find the true God, and he 
 will appear to thee in every creature, 
 O maiden, I exclaimed, thou art the 
 work of his hands ! he is, what thou 
 fay ft he is. She fmiled on me, and 
 Vv^as rnuch fatisfied. Doft thou love 
 me, youth ? fhe alked me. Yes, I 
 faid, my foul is fond of thee,- — Then 
 kifs me, youth — I kiffed her in that 
 very inftant— and we returned home. 
 The next day I told the P-hont- 
 phre of my affedtions for the Arabian 
 maiden ; fhe is a prophetefs, faid I, 
 give me leave to marry her. He 
 fent fpr her, converfed much with 
 her, and found that I had fpoken the 
 truth. Then I conduced her to my 
 father's houfe. We have lived a hun- 
 dred and tliree years in peace and 
 
 con- 
 
ASE-NEITHA, I37 
 
 eententment together, and have feen 
 children and grandchildren to the 
 fourth degree. Doll thou fee yon 
 pyramid of Theban marble ? there 
 fhe refts by herfelf till I join her. 
 Jofeph wiped his eyes. — Yes, my 
 father, I fee it, and juft now two 
 white doves fit on the top very clofe 
 together. Thus he faid, and thought 
 on his maiden. 
 
 They both were filent for a while. 
 Then P-hont-phre faid; dofl thou 
 fee yet the two doves on the top of 
 the pyramid > 
 
 I do father, Jofeph anfwered; they 
 fit motionlefs by each other's fide, 
 bearing their heads as if aHeep, or 
 watching the flight of the falcon. 
 
 My dove fears the falcon no more ; 
 the fky, in which fhe foars, is too fub- 
 tle for him ; it will not fupport him. 
 
 Thus 
 
138 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 Thus the old man phrophetized ; for 
 his end was drawing near, and his 
 Spirit already converiing with the 
 Spirits of his fathers. He now called 
 the youth to lead him off. 
 
 Give me leave to kifs thee, my fa- 
 ther ; for thou art like Jacob and 
 Abraham, the fervants of God. 
 
 He kilTed him, and the youth led 
 him home, where he died. All the 
 Sa'ites mourned for the man, and all 
 Egypt was affefted by his death. He 
 was the laft, who was fond of the 
 dodlrine of the Noahites. 
 
 The priefls and phyficians began 
 to embalm P-hont-phre's corpfe ; and 
 the youths and maidens went out to 
 make garlands for him of flowers and 
 aromatic herbs. Among thefe Jofeph 
 met with Afe-Neitha ; this was the 
 maiden, with whom he had come to 
 
 Sais* 
 
ASE-NEITHA. I39 
 
 Sais. She fat in the morning-dew, and 
 made a crown for the head of the 
 priefl. Come youth of Athor, affift 
 me to make this crown, that it may- 
 remain green round his white locks. 
 
 Jofeph fat down by her on the 
 flowery field, and helped her in pick- 
 ing flowers and herbs. 
 
 I love thee, faid Afe-Neitha, more 
 than a brother^ I wdfli I could live 
 with thee. 
 
 I have been told, that thy father is 
 going to be made P-hont-phre of 
 Neitha. Thou wilt be grand, like 
 the daughter of a prince, and I am 
 but a foreigner and a flave. 
 
 If thou wert a prince, and I a flave, 
 wouldfl: thou love me ? 
 
 I would, charming maiden. 
 
 Seefl: thou the canopy of the hea- 
 vens over us ? like thefe heavens my 
 
 love 
 
140 ASE-N£ITHA. 
 
 love is to thee; immenfe, without 
 bounds. 
 
 Then fuffer me to embrace thee. 
 
 No, youth, don*t embrace me, 
 though my foul may be fond of 
 thee. 
 
 Our fouls met in mutual embraces 
 on the road, when we came to Sais. 
 
 But before thou leavell me, youth, 
 teach me to know thy God. He lhall 
 be my God, and I will worlhip him. 
 
 It is the God, who has made thefe 
 flowers. They grow and blolfom like 
 thee. In every thing there is a living 
 fpirit, and this is the Spirit of God. 
 Thou wilt meet with him every where, 
 and he will kindly fpeak to thee. 
 
 Oh tell me, what I muft anfwer 
 him. I often fled into the wood near 
 opr hpufe, dropt on my knees and 
 
 exclaimed^ 
 
ASE-NEITHA. I4I 
 
 exclaimed, O Athor ! how kind art 
 thou ! come, that I may fee thee as 
 in my dream at Chufas. Come, take 
 off thy veil, that I may loVe thee, 
 Tell me, youth, when I am thus 
 proftrate, when thus I feel an ardent 
 love in my heart, will that fatisfy 
 thy God ? Will he be fatisfied, when 
 I rejoice at the fight of thefe flowers, 
 when I am happy in my exiftence, 
 in my deftiny in making thefe gar- 
 lands, and above all in thy company 
 in the midft of thefe flowers ? 
 
 That is fufEcient, charming mai- 
 den. When God fliall releafe me 
 from my humble fituation, and exalt 
 me above the duft, then I will take 
 thee to me, and thou flialt live with 
 me. 
 
 Take thy oath upon this, faid Afe- 
 Neitha; and Jofeph took his oath, 
 
 and 
 
142 A S E - N E I T H A- 
 
 and they both made a vow of con- 
 Hancy. Behold yon obeliU?:, faid Jo- 
 feph, on which is written the wifdom 
 of my father Abraham ; this lhall be 
 the token of our mutual love, and of 
 the contract which we have entered 
 into on this day. 
 
 They now went on in their em- 
 ployment, and made the crown. 
 
 But Jofeph was fad, and faid : To- 
 rnorrow 1 muft return to my llavery, 
 and thou wilt remain here. Many 
 youths will court thee, and I fliall be 
 uneafy for thy fake. Tell me, what 
 canft thou do, that I may fee thy 
 face again, and condudt thee to my 
 houfe ? 
 
 Fear not, youth of Athor, but 
 hear, what I will do. When my 
 father fhall be made P-hont-phre, I 
 will entreat him to make me a prieft- 
 
 efs 
 
ASE-NEITHA. I43 
 
 efs of Athor. I will then colledt the 
 maidens round me, tell them how 
 kind Athor is, and teach them, who 
 is the God of Gods. But when youths 
 come to afk me for their wife, I will 
 give them a riddle, and he who guefles 
 it, lhall have me for his wife. None 
 but thyfelf lhall be able to folve it. 
 
 Then tell me the riddle. 
 
 No, I will not tell thee ; yet thou 
 wilt guefs it, when the time lhall 
 come. 
 
 Now the crown was made. It was 
 beautiful, and w^orthy to be fet on 
 the head of fuch a man. It was in- 
 terwoven with love, like the love of 
 paradife, before God's pleafure-gar- 
 den was contaminated ; love which 
 fprung forth from every field in the 
 creation, afcended to the heavens, 
 whence it came, mounted to God, 
 
 and 
 
144 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 and was an agreeable fragrance td 
 him. 
 
 Afe-Neitha carried away the crown ^ 
 and Jofeph faw her no more. The 
 next day he departed fram Sais, and 
 returned to his lord at Memphis. 
 He acquainted him with the P-hont- 
 phre's death, and with all he had 
 heard, and in{lru<fted him ; and Jo- 
 feph found grace before the Lord. 
 
 Thoph, Afe-Neitha's father, was 
 made P-hont-phre, and confecrated 
 his daughter a prieftefs of Athor ; yet 
 Ihe was not to ferve in the temple for 
 life, for fhe was his only child, and 
 he willied to give her a hufband, who 
 loved her. 
 
 Then Afe-Neitha looked out for 
 fome maidens to be her companions, 
 and' inftrudled them in the mylleries 
 of the Goddefs. She fpoke at the 
 
 fame 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 1^$ 
 
 fame time of Jofeph's God to them ; 
 for her heart worlhipped Athor as the 
 fpirit of love, which in every place 
 and to every thing imparts animation. 
 For this reafon flie conducted the mai- 
 dens through the woods^ the fields 
 and the meadows, and taught them, 
 how they ought to unite themfelves 
 with Athor. Wherever two birds 
 were building their neft, Ihe ufed to 
 fay to her pupils : Thus the birds 
 celebrate the feaft of Athor; where 
 they met a vine entwined round a 
 tree, llie told them ; thus the plants 
 and trees celebrate Athor's feaft. 
 When in the heat of the fun they 
 were cooled by a gentle breeze, Ihe 
 faid : Athor is prefent in this fweet 
 air to refrelh us. When they faw a 
 boy of fixteen cling to his great- 
 grandfather, and ftroke hisgrqy beard^ 
 L Ihe 
 
146 A 5 E - N 1 I T H A. 
 
 ihe faid : Praife the works of Athor ; 
 for Athor is good and kind to all 
 creatures. Praife Athor ye maidens, 
 and ye creatures all. 
 
 In this employment the prieflefs 
 Afe-Neitha grew up, and became 
 beautiful and wife, and her fame 
 went all over Egypt. And all the 
 great of the people courted her ; but 
 the virgin had made a vow, that none 
 fhould fpeak of love to her, till he 
 had folved her riddle ; and the riddle 
 was this : 
 
 Which is the fign of true love > 
 Phnutis, a relation of Pharaoh, 
 Ikilled in all kind of Egyptian fcience, 
 fummoned all his friends together, 
 and advifed with them on the manner 
 of explaining the riddle. But they 
 were all uncertain in their anfwers ; 
 the one faid this ; the other that. At 
 
 laft 
 
ASE-N£ITHA. I47 
 
 lafi a wife man arofe, and faid ; Is 
 there any fign of love fnpcrior to 
 death, when a man delivers himfelf up 
 to it to fave his wife ? Phnutis faid i 
 Thou haft fpoken well ; and departed 
 for Sais with great prefents. The 
 next day he w^nt to the houfe of the 
 prieftefs. In the area under the trees 
 fat ten virgins employed in making 
 garments for men and women, boys 
 and girls. They were civil and faluted 
 Phnutis. 
 
 For whom do you make thefe gar- 
 ments ? aiked Phnutis. We make 
 them, they anfwered, for thofe^ who 
 can neither make nor procure them 
 for themfelves* 
 
 But what are your wages, maidens ? 
 
 Our wages are peace of mind, and 
 contentment : thus we have been taught 
 by Afe-Neitha. 
 
 L 2 Shew^ 
 
148 ASE-ITEITHA. 
 
 Shew me to the high prieftefs. 
 
 One of the maidens went before 
 hun, ufhered him into a fpacious 
 hall, and defired him to wait there. 
 
 Then another virgin entered, and 
 afked him what his bufinefs was* He 
 anfwered, he was come to folve the 
 riddle. Then the virgin afked him : 
 
 Which is the fign of true love ? 
 
 Death for the beloved. 
 
 Then the virgin went to Afe-Nei- 
 tha and brought her this anfwer. 
 
 Introduce him to me, fhe faid. 
 
 Phnutis entered. She was civil to 
 him, and bid him lit down. But he 
 was awed in the maiden's prefence, 
 for Ihe was like an Angel of God. 
 
 Hear me, Phnutis, Ihe faid : Thou 
 haft anfwered, that death is the fign 
 of true love. I will tell thee a tale. 
 
 The 
 
ASE-NEITHA. I49 
 
 The mountains of Lybia are in- 
 habited by a people, who feed fheep, 
 goats, and cows. When the fun has 
 rifen to the middle of the heavens, 
 the youths and maidens fit down in 
 the lhade of the trees. When the 
 fun is about hiding his face, they 
 fold their cattle, milk them, and 
 drink the milk. They feed upon 
 th€ fruit of the trees and are peace- 
 able. They never cat the flefli and 
 blood of any animal, for all, that 
 has received life, is facred to them. 
 Forfa was the handfomefl maiden 
 among them. Her foul was as pure 
 as if made of the azure fky. She 
 wound garlands of flowers round the 
 necks of her fined lambs, which were 
 a'5 white as the choiceft cotton, and 
 flie fed them with the richefl grafs. 
 Thefe lambs lay on her lap and licked 
 L 3 fait 
 
150 ASE-NEITHA.- 
 
 fait from her hands. The maiden 
 was fond of Sorath, a young Lybian 
 jfhepherd. For him Ihe faved the 
 choiceft fruit, and poured the thickeft 
 milk into his cup. Thp fhepherd 
 was not iefs fond of her ; they often 
 walked in company, and fwore that 
 they would die together.- 
 
 Far up in the mountains there 
 lives a tribe of hunters, a cruel 
 people, who fcorn tranquility and 
 peace. Hence the Lybian Ihepherds 
 fear them and fly before them. Thefe 
 hunters ufed to Ileal their Iheep an4 
 cattle, killed them, and eat their flelh. 
 This provoked the Ihepherds, and 
 once fome mifchievous youths caught 
 the daughter of one of thefe hunters, 
 dragged her along with them, and 
 ufed her very ill. 
 
 A fliort 
 
AS1-NEITHA# J5I 
 
 A fhort time after this, Sorath and 
 Forfa attended their cattle deep in 
 the defart, that they might be alone 
 and talk of their mutual paffion. 
 They comfortably fat in the lhade 
 of a tree, when on a fudden two of 
 the cruel hunters rufhed upon them. 
 They laid hold of the maiden and 
 carried her off. Forfa cried out loud 
 Sorath, Sorath ! He ran after the 
 ruffians, wept and cried out : give 
 me my Forfa back ; that the moun- 
 tains refouaded. At laft they flood 
 ftill at a brook, and the fhepherd 
 came up with them. We muft have 
 your blood, faid the robbers, for you 
 have ravilhed one of our virgins. 
 Wilt thou die for this adiion here, 
 then file lhall live, and we will carry 
 her back to her flock ; if not, thou 
 L 4 may ft 
 
|53i ASE-NEITHAt 
 
 mayft return to thy herd, and leave 
 her here. 
 
 You muft have the bipod of a 
 virgin, faid Fprfa. Live Sorath, and 
 take care of my flock. All my Iheep 
 be thine ; and Sorath fled, and fuffered 
 the maiden to die. 
 
 There was an other maiden among 
 the Lybians ; flie was handfome, but 
 flie bluflied not in the prpfence of 
 men, but would beckon tp them, when 
 they were at a diflance. When on 
 an evening Sorath beheld Forfa's 
 flock, apd rolled on the fand with 
 grief, the fliamelefs creature went up 
 to him, laughed at him, and made a 
 jeft of him. The youth was afliamed 
 and followed her. He could not leave 
 her, for her words were like honey, 
 fweet were her blandilliments, and 
 
 her 
 
A S E - N E I T H A» J $3 
 
 her kifs was intoxicating. On the 
 fecond day they agreed to hide them- 
 felves from the other Ihepherds in a 
 dark ihrubbery. They had already 
 arrived at its entrance, and were fepa- 
 rating before them the interwoven 
 tranches, when a lion, which had 
 been lying in the fhade, rulhed upon 
 the maiden, and put his claws in her 
 yeftments. She difengaged herfelf 
 from him, and fled, but the lion 
 followed her, and threw her on the 
 ground. Sorath did not hefitate, but 
 beat the lion with his crook, but in 
 vain. Then he threw himfelf over 
 the maiden before the lion's jaw, who 
 left her and tore him to pieces. Here 
 Afe-Neitha ftopt. 
 
 Then Phnutis faid : Prieftefs tell 
 me, is this a true ftory, or a fable ? 
 
 Be 
 
154 ASE-NEITHA^ 
 
 Be it true or not, Ihe anfwered, thd 
 youth died for the maiden ; and thou 
 feeft, that thou haft not as yet folved 
 my riddle. 
 
 Phnutis returned to Memphis, and 
 commended Afe-Neitha's wifdom. 
 
 The beautiful Temple of Athor, 
 that is the whole country of Sais, was 
 now covered with verdure, and her 
 prieftelTes walked about. They were 
 met by a man in the habit of a com- 
 mon Egyptian ; but his look befpoke 
 a lofty mind, and his deportment a 
 w^ell- ordered foul. Afe-Neitha faw 
 him as he was coming up to her ; 
 the other virgins retired and left their 
 leader alone with him. Then Afe* 
 Neitha faid. 
 
 My Lord ; I am awed by thy 
 countenance^ it has fomething of the 
 brightnefs of heaven. 
 
 Wouldft 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 155 
 
 Wouldft thou be frightened, if a 
 huge and powerful lion came to thee 
 meekly to lick thy feet ? 
 
 I would not. 
 
 Thou walkefl before the Deity, 
 and converfeft with her, and Ihe has 
 put a token on thee, which mull be 
 refped:ed by every creature. Thou 
 wouldll fafely pafs by the den of a 
 ravenous animal. 
 
 So it is, I fafely walk with my vir- 
 gins ; we have feen crocodiles, and 
 they have palTed by us without doing 
 TLis any harm. 
 
 I am come to folve thy riddle. 
 
 I , am afraid thou wilt be angry if 
 thou dofl not guefs it. 
 
 I have no wife, prieftefs. I fhould 
 be happy, if I could folve it ; but I 
 would not be angry with thee, if I 
 did not. 
 
 Then 
 
156 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 Then tell me, what is the fign of 
 true love ? 
 
 When the prieftefs Afe-Neithapro-t 
 mifes a youth to love him. 
 
 She fmiled, and remained (ilent for 
 a long while ; the ftranger looked 
 calmly at her. 
 
 Thou wantedft to catch me, flie 
 faid at lart. But I muft tell thee, 
 thou haft not gueffed my riddle. 
 Haft thou known Anubis, the ancient 
 Queen of Egypt ? 
 
 I knew her. 
 
 She likewife was a prieftefs of Athor 
 at Chufas, a votary of pure love. She 
 was great, noble, and famous all over 
 Egypt. She once was met by a youth 
 of the fame age with herfelf; he 
 found her tying a hundred rofes to a 
 ftring, to wind them round tKe horns 
 of a cow as white as wool. Wind 
 
 thefe 
 
ASE-NEITHA. I57 
 
 thefe rofes round itiy neck, faid he 
 to her. She looked at him. Yes, 
 fhe faid, I will wind them round thy 
 neck. The youth's name was Sethon. 
 I fee a token on thy face, faid Anu- 
 bis ; I cannot refufe thee the rofe- 
 flring. And then they loved each 
 other; and Anubis told the youth, 
 that fhe loved him. 
 
 At that time the Egyptians were at 
 war with the Philiftines, Sethon con- 
 duced his people. Once more he 
 faw the maiden, on whom his foul 
 doated, and they kifled each other 
 over a Ihrub of Nardus. Mark me, 
 faid Anubis, this Nardus ihall be a 
 token of our love* I will take care 
 of it; I will water it, if the Nile 
 fhould negledt the plant. It lhall 
 grow and blolTom, and fo lhall our 
 
 love. 
 
ASE-NEITftA. 
 
 love. When thou returned, wc will 
 repair to this Nardus, and by it thou 
 wilt judge of my conftancy. But 
 fhouldft thou be killed, I will here 
 mourn. Sethon went, and returned. 
 He haftened to the Nardus* He 
 found two dry branches on the fpot, 
 where it grew, and round them a 
 number of luxuriant fungufes. — 
 Anubis had been made Queen of 
 Egypt. 
 
 And her fon, Pharaoh Pfammis, is 
 punilhed inflead of her, for not hav- 
 ing folved Afe-Neitha's riddle, faid 
 the ftranger. 
 
 The prieftefs was frightened, dropt 
 down at his feet, and faid : My Lord, 
 the King, be not angry with thy fer- 
 vant, becaufe Ihe has fpoken impru- 
 dently. 
 
 I am 
 
A5E-NEIT«A. I59 
 
 1 am not angry, prieftefs, but I 
 am fad. Wilt thou not be Queen of 
 
 Egypt ? 
 
 No, my Lord, the inconftancy of 
 thy mother, and my own, would 
 render thy fon unhappy in a double 
 meafure. 
 
 Then thou haft a Sethon, to wham 
 thou canft prove inconftant. 
 
 Thou hail not folved my rid- 
 dle, Pharaoh; I fhould prove un- 
 faithful to him, who Ihould guefs 
 it. 
 
 But if no man Ihould guefs it > 
 Then I know, that I am fingle in 
 this world ; for I am certain, that 
 the heart, which agrees with mine^ 
 muft folve my riddle. 
 
 1 have acquainted Thoph, thy fa- 
 ther, that I fhall eat bread with him 
 * ^ to-day; 
 
i66 
 
 A S E - N E I T H A, 
 
 to-day; thou and thy virgins ftall 
 eat and drink with me. 
 
 They walked together. Thopk 
 knew Pharaoh, but he knew not that 
 the King had attempted to folve his 
 daughter's riddle. 
 
 But when they reclined at table, 
 they became cheerful. Afe-Neitha 
 was likewife cheerful ; fhe leaned the 
 neareft to the King; he converfed 
 much with her, and tried her wif- 
 dom. 
 
 Then a virgin entered, faying: 
 There is a man without, magnifi- 
 cently drefied ; his afped: is like 
 that of a Prince of God. He wants 
 to folve the riddle. Go, faid Afe- 
 Neitha, and afk him. When the 
 virgin was gone out, the King faid : 
 O Athor, put the anfwer into the 
 
 man's 
 
ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 man's mouth. The pricftefs won- 
 dered at the King's fpeech, and all 
 was filent. 
 
 The virgin returned, and laughed. 
 
 What did the Granger fay } afked 
 Afe-Neitha. 
 
 The virgin replied, I afked the 
 man : Which is the fign of true 
 love ? 
 
 He ahfwercd frankly, as if with 
 certainty : Abraham's Obelifk, which 
 Hands near Ncitha's Temple. 
 
 Afe-Neitha arofe, proftrated her- 
 felf, and exclaimed : O Youth of 
 Athor ! — She fainted away.— -The fa- 
 ther of the Egyptians, the divine 
 explainer of dreams, Pharaoh's privy- 
 counfellor entered ; fell down by Afe- 
 Neitha's fide, and lifted her up. She 
 recovered* Jofeph afked, with his 
 M heart 
 
l62 ASE-NEITHA. 
 
 heart on his lips : Dare I now kifs 
 thee ? — Yes, fne faid ; and they ex- 
 changed kiffes, ^s Angels do, when 
 they meet with pure love among 
 men. 
 
 But Pharaoh made Thoph P-hont- 
 phre of Ofiris, or, as the Egyptians 
 fay, of Phre, in the temple at Ou ; 
 and he gave Jofeph Afe-Neitha for 
 a wife. 
 
 ELYSIUM : 
 
ELYSIUM: 
 
 A 
 
 PRELUDE, 
 
 AS ACTED ON 
 
 HER MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY, 
 
 B Y 
 
 HIS majesty's royal company of 
 
 COMEDIANS AT HANOVER. 
 
 M2 
 
PROLOGUE 
 
 SPOKEN BY 
 A SHADE OF ELYSIUM. 
 
 Wh E X Monarchs, only by their conquells great, 
 
 Yet by their Haves exalted into gods, 
 
 Stand in their temples, infolently vain ; 
 
 Oft, from the fliades of Erebus profound, 
 
 A fury rufhes, to difturb their feafts. 
 
 And hear the fubjefl's curfes ; which the noife 
 
 Of courts ftill drowns ; but an avenging hand 
 
 Fails not to enter in the book of death : 
 
 J^oud their chain rattles, while the man of pow'r 
 
 M 3 Dies 
 
l66 PROLOGUE. 
 
 Dies' In his purple bed; by all fovfaken, 
 He fees nought but an empty throne, and vault 
 Where e'en St, Denys cannot mitigate 
 The dread, the horror of a long, long night. 
 Behold, he comes : him hell's black ftreams await 
 To him the name of his opprefs'd dominions, 
 The darknefs of Avernus has proclaim'd ; 
 And heroes curfe him whom he thither fent, 
 
 Eut when a King earth's happinefs has vow'd, 
 And never broke this folemn vow ; the vow, 
 From which a throne no monarch can abfolve; 
 When, loft in joy, his people call him father, 
 And thy voice. Nature, hails him ; fhouts of love 
 Are echo'd by the quires of bleffed ftiades : 
 Then by the band invifible are fung, 
 
 To this good prince, Elyfian hymns : he dies ; 
 
 And blefTmgs wait him to the fable gates. 
 
 His virtue fnoots a ray, to light his path, 
 
 And gently guide him to the gloomy fliore. 
 
 There unrcpented mercy follows him ; 
 
 The difmal acheron is void of horror ; 
 
 Ejich monfler flies, and even tyrants feel. 
 
 Thus, 
 
PROLOGUE, 
 
 167 
 
 Thus, here the virtuous fov'reign finds reward, 
 And punifhment awaits the tyrant King, 
 Againfl the hoft of faithlefs fubjefls too 
 Hell arms Itfelf; and beams of blifsful glory 
 Shine on the people who revere their prince. 
 
 You love him, people; and you feel yourfelves, 
 By bonds, which are not the difgrace of freedom, 
 By bonds, an honour to humanity, 
 Tied to the regal throne. You love him, people, 
 A man defcended from th' immortal gods, 
 Becaufe no mournful trophies fhame your fields, 
 Becaufe his palace fhines not with the wealth 
 Of thoufands plunder'd; and becaufe the poor 
 View not its golden ornaments with tears : 
 Becaufe each altar, in the land he rules, 
 Sacred to deity, is fo to him. 
 You love, becaufe ecclefiaflic fury 
 Durft never in the fanftuary rage. 
 You love, becaufe the fatire of your neighbours 
 Could never, in your tribes, a Callas name. 
 
 M 4 You 
 
i68 
 
 PROLOGUE. 
 
 You love him, people, and his confort too : 
 When, in a tranquil vale, the fun of fprlng 
 Emits its gentle beam, and the mild heat 
 The tender, new-fprung violet enjoys. 
 While fome young zephyr frolics in its leaves; 
 As then the Goddefs of the flow'ry tribe 
 Smiles from her golden cloud ; e'en fo fmiles fhc. 
 So on her people fmiles the befl; of Queens, 
 Of innocence proteflrefs ; Innocence, 
 So oft compell'd to fhelter in the cot. 
 And fit deje6led o'er her fcanty meal. 
 Ye nations, fee how virtues undifguis'd 
 Approach her in the fhepherdefs's garb. 
 Behold how, in the face of all the world, 
 She that mofl facred of all titles fcorns 
 Vulgar to deem, or infignificant. 
 How faithfully her confort fhe embraces; 
 And, tho' a Queen, a mother flill : ye nations, 
 Hail her ; O, hail, and afk a bleffing from her, 
 
 A charming day, a moment of delight ! 
 3ut fweet Elyfium calls me to its fields ; 
 
PROLOGUE. 169 
 
 There we this favour'd people's happinefs, 
 And yours*, exalted brothers, celebrate. 
 
 As beauteous as our ftrains, and tranquil, like 
 A folitary grove, which noble Shades 
 Perambulate, reviewing their paft deeds, 
 Ye mod illuftrious Princes, be your days. 
 
 * The Queen's brothers, Princes Charles and Erneft, 
 of Mecklenburg Strelitz, who were prefent at the 
 performance. 
 
 DRAMATIS 
 
DRAMATIS PERSONiE. 
 
 Eliza. 
 
 Themlra. 
 Eraft. 
 Lindor. 
 A namelefs Shade. 
 Four dancing Shades. 
 A Quire of Shades . behind the 
 Scenes. 
 
 The Theatre reprefents the Elyfian 
 Fields. 
 
 Shades of Elyfium. 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 SCENE I. 
 
 The River Styx is feen in the Back Ground, 
 
 ELIZA 
 
 Arrives in Charon's Boat, Four Shades, 
 with Garlands round their Heads, re^ 
 ceive her, and in a Dance, crown 
 her with a Garland of Myrtle, The 
 Shades vanijlo. She looks around with 
 Afionijhment and Rapture, 
 
 What fine fields, and what fine dances! 
 What fv/eet garlands, what fweet fancies ! 
 
 What a gentle purple light ! 
 Gentler not the fmile of morning. 
 With foft rays the woods adorning, 
 
 When the fpring enchants my fight. 
 
 Art 
 
172 ELYSIUM. 
 
 Art thou then, Eliza, dreaming? 
 
 Groves and meadows round thee, fceming 
 
 Fill'd with mufic, llrike thy ear : 
 Strains like thefe could never tire thee; 
 Strains like thefe with peace infpire thee ; 
 
 Sure, Elyfium mud be here. 
 
 Yes, thefe are the fields, to which 
 repair the mortal inhabitants of a 
 world, filled with fo much anxiet3\ . 
 A ftiort, an eafy ftep ; and is it fol- 
 lowed with fuch innumerable joys ? 
 Not quite unknown are thofe joys to 
 me. Part of them I felt on that day, 
 when I carried a little flock of fruit 
 to market, and refi;ed under a lime- 
 tree. How hungry was the poor old 
 man, who begged an alms of me, 
 and to whom I could give nothing 
 but fome fruit out of my bafket, and 
 half of my dinner. How contented 
 
 he 
 
ELYSIUM, 173 
 
 he fat down by my fide; and how 
 relifhing the bread appeared to me, 
 which I had lhared with him. Then 
 a fuperb equipage came rolling by. 
 
 the poor people ! I exclaimed, 
 while I was looking at my little 
 bafket. No hungry ftomach dares 
 appear at the tables of the great and 
 eat out of their filver dilhes. When 
 they fend a trifling relief to the 
 wretched by their fervants, and even 
 fcorn to hear their thanks, what caa 
 be their fatisfadiion ? — But I have 
 not yet feen the judges of hell ! No 
 matter ; my heart tells me that this 
 place is not profaned by my pre- 
 fence. This Shade perhaps will lead 
 me to my Judge. 
 
 SCENE 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 SCENE II. 
 
 Eliza, A Shade, with a black Cup in 
 his Hand. 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 Welcome Eliza. Thy ftrains have 
 acquainted me with thy name. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Friend, art thou fent to me by my 
 Judges ? 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 Thou art judged already. Thy 
 lirfl thought in Elyfium was thy 
 judgement* 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Bleffed be the man, who fat by me 
 under the lime-tree. — But what means 
 this cup ? doft thou bring it to me, 
 my friend ? 
 
 THE 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 Yes^ my friend. Every new-comer 
 inElyfium mufl drink of the river of 
 oblivion. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 When I died, I left a mother be- 
 hind me, in the greateft diftrefs. 
 With my hands I gained a little oil 
 for our lamp, and a little fuel for our 
 hearth. Now my death may have 
 caufed the lamp to go out for want 
 of oil, and I remember, my poor 
 mother warmed my lafl draught over 
 the remains of our wood. I fee her 
 yet kneeling by my bed and hiding 
 her face. She wept aloud when I 
 breathed my parting figh. Sad re- 
 membrance ; but I Ihould not chufe 
 to forget my mother. The deity, who 
 for me created this Elylium, will take 
 
 care 
 
176 ELYSIUM. 
 
 care of her ; and I Ihall foon embrace 
 her again. 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 How many Virtues have with thee 
 defcended to thefe fields ! they en- 
 creafe our happinefs. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 I had a lover. He was poor, and 
 I could not have fupported both him 
 and my mother ; for this reafon I did 
 not give him my hand. He died, 
 and I fliall certainly meet him here, 
 for he was virtuous. Muft I forget 
 the hours, in which he endeavoured 
 to leffen my diftrefs ? Muft I forget 
 thefe ? 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 No, amiable fliade; thou fhalt forget 
 neither thy mother nor thy lover. But 
 thou lhalt with more compofure re- 
 member thy pafl fufferings. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 177 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 One fingle circumftance of my life 
 I fhould vvifh to forget. We had a 
 law-fuit, which deprived us of all the 
 little property, which we poffelTed. 
 One day I faw my mother wrapping 
 up in a paper her laft piece of money ; 
 Hie turned it round in her hands fe- 
 veral times^ alternately looking up to 
 •heaven and at me ; I wept. She car- 
 ried it to thofe, on whofe verdid: our 
 whole fortune depended ; they re- 
 ceived it ; notwithftanding which, we 
 loft our caufe by their negledt. We 
 have pardoned them ; but heaven has 
 feen my mother's diftreffed look. 
 Woe on our judges ! — Oh ! that 1 
 could banifh from my foul the re* 
 colledtion of the infenfibility of man- 
 kind. 
 
 N 
 
 THE 
 
178 ELYSIUM. 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 Thefe, Eliza, are the abodes of 
 tender love ; among the happy fpirits, 
 which inhabit them, thou wilt foon 
 forget that infenfibility. Only then, 
 when our friends wantonly lofe the 
 happinefs of Elyfium, ought we to 
 forget, that they exifted. A fecond 
 cup, like this, deltroys all remem- 
 brance of them. Would not their 
 names alone be fufficient to diflurb 
 our peace in thefe fields, and the 
 peace of thofe, who witnelTed our af- 
 fliaion ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Reach me the cup. But I fear I 
 fhall be forced to empty a fecond. 
 I was cherilhed, not long cherilhed, 
 by a friend. — But Ihe has caufed me 
 many a tear. Heavens, if I fhould 
 not find her again ! 
 
 THE 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 179 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 Thou haft emptied the cup. Now, 
 Eliza, take this garland, and prefent 
 it to the firft Shade thou lhalt meet. 
 
 SCENE III. 
 
 Eliza alone. 
 
 To the firft Shade ? That will cer- 
 tainly be my lover. He promifed me 
 to be on this Ihore, when I ftiould 
 arrive. — How fond lhall I be of him, 
 now I am in Elyfium ! I feel that I 
 was born for the pureft felicity. Since 
 I have drunk of this river, all that a 
 Ihort life affords of melancholy, has 
 vaniftied from my eyes. Still farther 
 and farther all mifery recedes from 
 me. Still lower and lower feems the 
 voice of anguilh, which my ear was 
 ufed to hear ; it is but a feeble 
 N 2 found. 
 
l80 ELYSIUM. 
 
 found, which has no more the power 
 of caufing anxiety. 
 
 So foftly with its pinion flutters 
 
 The nightingale : 
 So fofteft founds fweet echo utters, 
 
 Acrofs the vale. 
 Now ev'ry image of vexation 
 
 Is in a pleafing twilight drefs'd : 
 Here blifs divine hath fix'd its ftation ; 
 
 Here, here heav'n dwells within my breaft. 
 
 Behold the Shade. But it is not 
 my lover. Whoever it may be; it 
 is fweet to diftribute garlands in 
 Elyfium. 
 
 SCENE IV. 
 Eliza, Themira. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 [Jt a dijiance without obfervlng Eliza* 
 A long night ! — but now a new 
 creation !— O nature, to thee I return. 
 
 In 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 l8l 
 
 In our world I fcorned to fee the fun 
 rife and fet ; a long night has taught 
 me better. Oh ! what raptures would 
 not the lead beam of the fun have 
 given me there ! This light^^s Hill 
 fvveeter than that of the fun, How 
 beautiful is every obje(ft around me ; 
 every little leaf is beautiful. In the 
 long night no little green leaf grew 
 for me, becaufe in our world I never 
 would fee the green mead. You fweet 
 little flowers, you were only deftined 
 to ferve my pride — but forfaken ? am 
 I forfaken ftill ? [_Sbe difcovers Eliza 
 coming up to her,'] Bounteous heaven ! 
 Kind friendly creature ! I do not 
 know thee ; but how fweet is it to 
 behold a human form ! Pray, fpeak 
 to me, that once more I may hear a 
 voice. 
 
 N 3 ELIZA. 
 
l82 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Thou fhalt hear my voice ; I will 
 cherlfh thee. Unfortunate woman, 
 haft thou lived in a defart ? 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 Oh, that I had lived in a defart 
 with thee. I was born in too great a 
 world, and it caufed my misfortune. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 I have lived far enough from the 
 great world, and yet it caufed part of 
 my misfortune, 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 It is but too true alas, that thofe, 
 who at courts caufe love, friendfhip 
 and humanity to be forgotten, often 
 repair to the cottage to rob innocence 
 of its pure feelings, when at court 
 nothing is left for them to deftroy. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 183 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 This was not my fate. — But I will 
 not entertain thee with any thing 
 melancholy. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 Noble Shade! — thou fhalt know 
 every thing concerning me, till then 
 I cannot reft. Thou lhalt know every 
 thing, and yet not love me lefs, 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 We are in Elylium, my friend. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 Yes, we are in Elyfium. What I 
 and my heart were, thou mayeft judge 
 fiom the fear, which this thought 
 formerly ufed to raife in me. In 
 Elyfium ? In a place, where there 
 are neither fopha, card-table nor ad- 
 mirers, and what was then ft ill worfe 
 N 4 for 
 
184 ELYSIUM. 
 
 for me, where no pedigree is deemed 
 of any confequence ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 I had a different idea of Elylium; 
 i: was to me an abode, from which 
 hunger is excluded, and where want 
 is no objeft of contempt. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 I had a friend ; 1 don't know, 
 whether fhe is already arrived in Ely- 
 lium ; but I will feek her. She was 
 the daughter of one of our farmers, 
 and the companion of my youth. 
 Oh ! a good natured tender creature. 
 Cruel wretch that I was ; we built 
 little bowers together, pickt flowers, 
 and kilTed each other. At that time 
 I was true to nature. How fond fhe 
 ufed to be of me ! a friend, like her, 
 I never met again. But fcarcely had 
 I begun to grow up 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Poor little girl ! 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 We had not feen each other for a 
 conliderable while, when full of joy 
 fhe came up to me, and prefented me 
 with a nofe-ga}^, and I 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Oh, 1 muft embrace her. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 And I thanked her with a look of 
 protedtion. She looked at me •, tears 
 were in her eyes, Ihe could not fpeak 
 a word, when Ihe left me ; and when 
 my fervants met her, Ihe wept. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 And what was the girl's name ? 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
i86 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 I had flill fome feelings left in my 
 heart ; and I likewife dropt a few 
 tears ; but my mother alked me the 
 caufe of them, and I was afhamed to 
 tell her. With this I bid innocence 
 farewell at once. \_Eliza takes her by 
 the hand, looking at her with the greatejl 
 affection, Themira proceeds after a jhort 
 paufe.~\ But no; my friend came to 
 diftrefs, and I once fent her part of 
 the little treafure, I had faved, with- 
 out my mother's knowledge. But 
 why did I not fend for her to comfort 
 her myfelf ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 [Aftde. 
 
 'Tis Ihe. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 In the midft of my diflipations I at 
 firft ftill thought on her ; but at laft 
 I forgot her entirely, and I now began 
 
 to 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 187 
 
 to defpife my fellow creatures, and to 
 look down with contempt upon thofe, 
 who were my betters — My end was 
 near. In my heart thofe feelings 
 awoke, which had been fupprefled, 
 and I came into the fields of night, 
 which divide hell from Elyfium, that 
 the complaints of the wretched may 
 not reach the ear of the blefled. Oh, 
 how little appeared here to me every 
 thing, which had feemed grand ! I 
 begged for the comfort of a little 
 light in this horrid darknefs. When I 
 heard no more the found of a human 
 voice, I thought of the friend, whom 
 I had defpifed. Ah ! it is only in 
 defarts that we learn to value the 
 comforts, which one creature affords 
 to an other, 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 And dofl: thou now love the girl 
 again ? 
 
 THEMIR A. 
 
i88 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 T H E M I R A, 
 
 Do I love her ? Thofe kifles only, 
 which fhe gave me in her childhood, 
 w&TQ fincere. What are the embraces 
 of the great world ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 [Looking at her with Jlill greater affeofion ; 
 and putting her hand into Themira' 
 
 And what was the girl's name ? 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 [RecolleSfing her gradually. 
 
 Eliza ! 
 
 [Overwhelmed with tendernefs^ Jhc drops 
 into her arms \ and Eliza winds the 
 garland round her head, while Jhe fings 
 the following air. 
 
 Since thou forgiv'ft my inattention, 
 
 *Sure nought, Eliza, on this fhore, 
 Among the bleft can raife diffention ; 
 Since thou forgiv'ft my inattention : 
 
 O, could our Shades but view once more 
 
 Thofe 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 Thofe palaces -which ftand fo proudly, 
 And there man's worth promulgate loudly, 
 The firft kifs need not be taught thus, 
 In glooms of Erebus, 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 How lucky, my Themlra. Hea- 
 ven hsLS deflined thee to be my firft 
 confident in Elyfium— but Themlra 
 haft thou a lover here ? 
 
 *r H E M I R A. 
 
 I had plenty of admirers in our 
 world; but no beloved. I u fed to 
 call them lovers in my former lan- 
 guage ; but in thefe fields we fpeak 
 the language of truth and nature. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Thou deferveft to fliare Elyfiuni 
 with mc : therefore come, and affift 
 
 me 
 
IQO ELYSIUM. 
 
 me to feek my beloved. He dwelt, 
 like me, in a cottage. Help me to 
 find him. He has often witneffed 
 the tears, which my tendernefs for 
 thee drew from my eyes — But what 
 Shade is this ? what fweet charm re- 
 tains me ? I muft fpeak to it. 
 
 SCENE V. 
 Eliza, Them.ira, Erafl. 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 [Without obfer'uing them. 
 
 None of all the Shades has known 
 him ? and how could he be known ? 
 who would vifit his folitary maniion 
 near the fmall valley ? his neighbours 
 are but few O, Lindor ! 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 [Much affe6ied* 
 
 Lindor \ 
 
 ER AST. 
 
E L Y S I U M» 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 What voice ? who art thou, friendly- 
 Shade, who repeateft a name fo dear 
 to me ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Thou certainly didfl not name it 
 oftener, nor with more tendernefs, 
 than I did. 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 Who art thou ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 A girl, unknown in the world ; un- 
 known like Lindor ; poor and honeft, 
 like him, 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 Poor and honeft ? we lhall meet 
 again, my fon. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Thy fon ! 
 
 [She mhraces Eraji^ 
 
 ERAST, 
 
.ELYSIUM. 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 And Thou ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Had the wealthy lhared their riches 
 with us, as we did our indigence with 
 the poor, I fhould have been his wife. 
 But I may call thee my father ? how 
 often have we bleffed thee ! 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 My daughter ! my beloved daughter 1 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Haften, lead me to thy fon ; I will 
 for the firft time embrace him in thy 
 prefence ; I will 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 Bounteous heaven ! is he here ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 And thou haft not yet feen him ? 
 he has preceded me a long while. 
 
ELYSIUM, 
 
 ^93 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 \^TVith a fad tone of voice* 
 
 Ohy my fon ! 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 If the fouls of the virtuous perifli 
 not ; he muft be here. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 He certainly is here ; for I am in 
 Elyfium. Come, my friend; per- 
 haps he is feeking his father. Oh, 
 in a better world I would have made 
 thy lover happy. He mull alfo fee 
 and pardon me. 
 
 SCENE VI. 
 Eraft, then a Shade. 
 It is all in vain. They will not find 
 him. — There are foibles, to which the 
 bed fouls defcend ; and many are ab- 
 folved here, who were condemned by 
 the world. But Ihould he by feigned 
 O virtue 
 
194 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 virtue have ruined an innocent girl 
 Oh, my fon ! 
 
 THE SHADE. 
 
 IfFith meeknefs^ but with dignity » 
 . Eraft ; the fields of Elyfium are 
 holy ; thefe complaints profane them. 
 Perhaps thy fon is in the fields of 
 night, in which many fouls are pre- 
 pared for thefe abodes. Our judges 
 have already difpatched the herald, 
 who calls the fouls back; he lhall 
 feek him. If he is not in the fields 
 of night; thou muii forget thy fon. 
 Then I fetch thee a fecond cup 
 from Lethe. 
 
 [Exit. 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 In the fields of night ? — then he 
 was not fo honeft as he appeared to 
 Eliza. Then he has Ihewn her fuch 
 virtues as were not in his foul. He, 
 who impofes upon men, will attempt 
 
 to 
 
ELYSIUM. 195 
 
 to impofe upon the judges of hell ? 
 No ; as he is not in thefe fields, fo 
 neither is he in the fields of night. — 
 Unfortunate fon, in what hour didft 
 thou lofe thy claim to Elyfium ? 
 
 Of bleflings then the laft foft found 
 
 To thy dull ear a pafTage found ; 
 
 I warn'd thee with the voice of love, 
 
 While darknefs fpread o'er ev'ry grove : 
 'Twas fable night thro' all the vale, 
 Where then my ghoft, deje6led pale, 
 Thou fliook'ft with dire difmay to fee, 
 And all the virtues wept for thee. 
 
 SCENE VII. 
 Erafl, Eliza, Themira, 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 We have not feen him, and the 
 blefled do not know his name. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Do they not know the name of my 
 beloved ? 
 
 O2 THEMIRA. 
 
196 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 But a herald is fent to the fields of 
 night 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 [Jfter a paufe^ 
 
 In vain. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 The Shade will return, 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 [Jfter a paufe^ 
 And the black cup with him. 
 
 SCENE VIII. 
 Eraft, Eliza, Themira, a Shade. 
 Jt the Beginning of the following Air the 
 Shade comes^ and with pitying look prefents 
 him the Cup, Eraji takes it, 
 
 ELIZA, 
 
 O, my beloved ! 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 Oh, my fon! 
 Muft I for ever him forget ? 
 
 His 
 
ELYSIUM. 197 
 
 His mother's foft parental tone ; 
 
 When thou— how (hall I call thee ? Son ? 
 Upon her lap wert fondly fct; 
 Muft I for ever thee forget ? 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Oh, my beloved i 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 Oh, my fon ! 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Mull then the vale, where young we play'd, 
 (How fweet was then thy infant tone) 
 From mem'ry be for ever gone ; 
 
 The vale, where oft we fondly ftray'd, 
 
 The vale, where oft we fondly play'd ? 
 
 O, my beloved ! 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 Oh, my fon ! 
 
 I gave him the firft kifs, when he 
 was born, and the laft when I died. 
 Thefe kifles are lofl ; all thefe rap- 
 tures are loft, I have no more a fon. 
 
 THEM IRA. 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 Juft heaven ! perhaps diftrefs has 
 led him to vice ; I could have made 
 his circuiiiflances eafy and faved his 
 virtue. 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 I will empty it. — An innumerable 
 hoU of Tons are born in the inftant, in 
 which I empty this cup — ye fathers ! 
 
 [While he carries the cup to his mouthy he 
 is interrupted by the mujic of the follow ~ 
 ing air^ and looks round. 
 
 S C E N E IX. 
 Eraft^ Eliza, Themira, a Shade, 
 Lindor. 
 
 L I N D o R. 
 
 [At a dijiance. 
 
 Ye happy fields, receive my fliade ; 
 Here, where no wretch alks charity, 
 Where bleffed fpirits love to be, > 
 Here I my tender fire fliall fee, J 
 
 And 
 
ELYSIUM, 
 
 And thee, my dear, in light array'd : 
 Ye happy fields, receive my (hade. 
 
 No tears fliall fadden this retreat ; 
 
 Here I with joy my friends fhall greet. 
 
 Give to my fire a kifs more fweet, 
 More fweet to thee, my gentle maid : 
 Yc happy fields, receive my fhade. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 [Going up to him and embracing him. 
 Llndor ! 
 
 L I N D O R. 
 
 [Going to Erajl and embracing him. 
 My father ! 
 
 THE M I R A. 
 
 . Thou hafl wept for me with Eliza, 
 I forgot you, when you w^ere forfaken 
 by man. Embrace me : I am The- 
 mira. 
 
 L I N D o R. 
 
 I might have embraced you already 
 for fome time in thefe fields, my 
 
 friends ; 
 
200 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 friends ; but I died with a little ha- 
 tred for a world, in which Eliza could 
 not enjoy any happinefs, and where 
 the tendered love could not even find 
 a cottage. Before I could enter the 
 abodes of peace, I was forced to re- 
 concile myfelf to mankind ; therefore 
 I wandered on the oppofite bank of 
 the river, and purified my heart. 
 Now, my friends, now my foul is 
 filled with peace, like thefe Ihrub- 
 beries ; now we may love each othet 
 for ever. 
 
 E R A s T. 
 
 Ye Shades of Elyfium; ye kind 
 Shades ! celebrate this feftival with 
 us, and unite your flrains with ours. 
 
 Children fitting at your feet, 
 
 Future ilTue you behold ; 
 O ye fires, midft kifTes fwect, 
 
 Be the rights of virtue told : 
 
 To 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 To thofe objefts of your loves 
 Shew what bleffings here we reap 
 Let your leflbns be a peep 
 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 C^tr I R E. 
 
 To thofe obje£ls of your loves 
 Shew what bleffuigs here we reap 
 Let your leffons be a peep 
 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 ELIZA. 
 
 Sweeteft virtues here we join 
 
 To the charming fports of love ; 
 Then we fee the foul refine, 
 
 Then we fee the heart improve. 
 O ye lovers, in your loves 
 
 View what bleffings here we reap ; 
 
 All your raptures are a peep 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
202 
 
 ELYSIUM. 
 
 qjj IRE. 
 
 O ye lovers, in your loves 
 View what blefTings here we reap ; 
 All your raptures arc a peep 
 
 At Elyfium's happy groves, 
 
 L I N D O R. 
 
 Tho' in vain your want you plead, 
 
 And man's fcorn augment your grief, 
 Yet defpond not, you in need, 
 
 God-like patience bring's relief. 
 Ye forfaken, in our loves 
 
 View what blefTmgs you may reap ; 
 
 Know your tears afford a peep 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 dJJ IRE. 
 
 Ye forfaken, in our loves 
 
 View what bleflings you may reap ; 
 Know your tears afford a peep 
 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 THEMIRA. 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 T H E M I R A. 
 
 Lodg'd in domes of fp'endid fhew, 
 
 You, -who gods of earth appear, 
 On your feafti or.c thought bellow, 
 
 Feafts, which cauie the wretch's tear. 
 O, ye great ones, in our loves 
 
 View what blelTings you may reap ; 
 
 Each G':>n3Lion is a peep 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 Q^U IRE. 
 
 O, ye great ones, in our loves 
 
 View what bleflings you may reap ; 
 Each donation is a peep 
 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 E R A S T. 
 
 Lo, tombs beckon; virtue's foes 
 To defpair at length are driv'n; 
 
 Hell's decree hell's juflice fhews, 
 And there dwells a God in heav'n. 
 
ELYSIUM. 
 
 O, ye mortals, in our loves 
 
 View what bleflings you may reap 
 Innocence affords a peep 
 
 At Wyfium's happy groves. 
 
 Q^U IRE. 
 
 O, ye mortals, in our loves 
 View what bleflings you may reap; 
 Innocence affords a peep 
 At Elyfium's happy groves. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
A