[Page [101]]

TO LAURA.

1 CEASE, Laura, cease, suspect no more
2 This careless heart has learnt to love,
3 Because on yonder lonely shore
4 I still at pensive evening rove;
5 Because of Henry's worth I speak
6 With eager warmth and sparkling eye;
7 Because his favourite haunts I seek,
8 And still o'erjoyed to meet him fly: ....
[Page 102]
9 But, Laura, should my faltering tongue
10 Refuse to speak in Henry's praise,
11 My trembling voice deny the song
12 When Henry claims his favourite lays;
13 When Henry comes, should I neglect
14 With smiles the welcome youth to seek,
15 But meet him full of cold respect,
16 While conscious blushes paint my cheek;
17 Should I, when Ella shares his praise,
18 Heave deeply-drawn but smothered sighs,
19 And, when on me he deigns to gaze,
20 Fix on the earth my conscious eyes; ....
[Page 103]
21 Then, I'll no more thy charge deny,
22 No more thy tender fears reprove:
23 Then, Laura, heave compassion's sigh,
24 For mine will be the sigh of love.

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Title (in Source Edition): TO LAURA.
Themes:
Genres: ballad metre; address

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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. [101]-103.  (Page images digitized by Library of Congress Research Institute.)

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