THE ORIGIN OF THE SAIL. Amelia Opie (née Alderson) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Opie, Amelia Alderson, 1769-1853. The Warrior's Return, and Other Poems. By Mrs. Opie. 2d. ed. London Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, Paternoster-row 1808 pp. [93]-98.

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THE ORIGIN OF THE SAIL . " SWEET maid ! on whom my wishes rest , My morning thought , my midnight dream , O grant Lysander's fond request , And let those eyes with mercy beam ! " Thy coy delays at length give o'er , And let me claim thy nuptial vow ! Bid that cold bosom , cold no more , With mutual passion's ardour glow . " To yonder isle amidst the sea , Which sportive laves those mountains' feet , Beloved Euphrasia , haste with me , And there the priest of Hymen meet . " There , spicy groves thick foliage spread The timid virgin's blush to hide ; There , gales which tender languors shed Diffuse the richest perfumes wide . " O ! blest retreat for happy love ! And see the sun's descending beams Now richly gild each distant grove , And shed around soft roseate gleams . " Then let this bark for thee designed , For thee by anxious fondness drest , Yon beauteous island strive to find , And bear us o'er the ocean's breast . " Here paused the youth , and round her waist His arm with timid boldness threw ; While from his grasp , with blushing haste , The pleased yet frowning fair withdrew . " And wilt thou scorn my suit ? " he said , While in despair his hands he wrung .... " Behold ! " replied the yielding maid , And to the bark she , sighing , sprung . There , fondly seated by her side , The youth her fluttered spirits cheered , And o'er the eve-empurpled tide To find the priest of Hymen steered . But too , too slow for lovers' haste The sluggish bark appeared to move ; Still lengthening seemed the watry waste , To thy fond glances , eager love ! At length with fruitless wishes tired , The fretful youth to Cupid prayed ; Who , pitying power ! a thought inspired The ardent suppliant's will to aid . To hide her face from Love's keen gaze , O'er which Consent's soft languor spread , Within her veil's luxuriant maze Euphrasia wrapt her beauteous head . But now that veil the youth unbinds , Then to the bark with ardour ties .... See ! its folds catch the passing winds , And lo , to land the vessel flies ! But not alone , youth loved of heaven ! Thy glowing bosom blessed that hour ; The thought , to crown thy wishes given , Still charms with never-ending power : And grateful ages yet unborn Shall bless Euphrasia's floating veil ; Thence dawned on Art a brighter morn , For thence she framed the swelling sail .