LOVE
ELEGY
,
TO
LAURA
.
TOO
heedless
friend
,
why
thus
augment
the
flame
That
glows
resistless
in
my
beating
breast
?
Why
with
thy
praises
grace
his
fatal
name
,
Who
robs
thy
Emma's
hapless
heart
of
rest
?
Why
needest
thou
dwell
on
Henry's
graceful
ease
;
Why
praise
the
timid
worth
his
glance
reveals
;
Why
speak
enraptured
of
his
power
to
please
,
Whose
power
to
wound
my
aching
bosom
feels
?
Say
not
,
"
That
gentle
voice
was
formed
for
love
,
"
Nor
in
his
eyes
such
sweet
expression
see
;
Say
not
,
that
tenderness
those
glances
prove
,
Which
never
fix
with
tenderness
on
me
.
Too
well
my
Henry's
charms
I've
numbered
o'er
,
And
thus
to
end
the
fond
survey
is
mine
:
His
heart
will
own
some
brighter
fair
one's
power
;
Think
not
,
lost
Emma
,
he
can
e'er
be
thine
.
Yet
why
despair
?
Though
Beauty's
boasted
rose
On
others'
cheeks
in
livelier
colours
shine
,
The
tender
heart
that
in
my
bosom
glows
The
palm
of
fondness
will
to
none
resign
.
Though
brighter
radiance
beams
in
others'
eyes
,
By
shape
,
by
colour
formed
the
soul
to
steal
;
If
Love's
expression
Henry's
heart
can
prize
,
Then
,
Henry's
heart
the
power
of
mine
must
feel
.
Yet
vain
the
hope
:
"
Fond
maid
,
thy
love
suppress
,
"
Calm
Reason
cries
;
"
go
,
learn
to
check
the
sigh
:
But
,
if
resolved
to
love
in
rash
excess
,
Seek
out
some
lonely
shade
,
despair
,
and
die
!
"
Then
,
Laura
,
bid
to
Henry's
praise
farewel
!
Forget
his
merit
,
and
my
hopeless
flame
;
On
the
dear
theme
no
more
ill-judging
dwell
,
And
from
thy
memory
blot
his
fatal
name
.
But
if
I
urge
this
plaintive
prayer
in
vain
,
Bid
execrations
on
that
name
attend
;
And
him
,
my
Laura
,
view
with
cold
disdain
,
Who
sees
unmoved
the
sorrows
of
thy
friend
.
Say
,
such
the
scorn
,
the
pride
of
Henry's
breast
,
It
cannot
Love's
endearing
softness
share
,
Say
,
vice
degrades
....
Hold
!
slight
my
wild
request
,
Nor
by
such
calumny
my
fury
dare
.
No
....
from
my
frantic
wishes
still
appeal
,
Declare
that
Henry
is
from
error
free
;
Or
the
keen
hate
for
him
I
bade
thee
feel
,
My
wayward
heart
will
learn
to
feel
for
thee
.