THE
FAIRY'S
ANSWER
TO
MRS.
GREVILLE
.
BY
THE
COUNTESS
OF
C—
.
WITHOUT
preamble
,
to
my
friend
,
These
hasty
lines
I'm
bid
to
send
,
Or
give
,
if
I
am
able
;
I
dare
not
hesitate
to
say
,
Tho'
I
have
trembled
all
the
day
—
It
looks
so
like
a
fable
.
Last
night's
adventure
is
my
theme
,
And
should
it
strike
you
as
a
dream
,
Yet
soon
its
high
import
Must
make
you
own
the
matter
such
,
So
delicate
,
it
were
too
much
,
To
be
compos'd
in
sport
.
The
moon
did
shine
serenely
bright
,
And
every
star
did
deck
the
night
,
While
Zephyr
fann'd
the
trees
,
No
more
assail'd
my
mind's
repose
,
Save
,
that
yon
stream
,
which
murmuring
flows
,
Did
echo
to
the
breeze
.
Enwrapt
in
solemn
thoughts
,
I
sate
,
Revolving
o'er
the
turns
of
fate
,
Yet
void
of
hope
,
or
fear
;
When
lo
!
behold
an
aëry
throng
,
With
lightest
steps
,
and
jocund
song
,
Surpriz'd
my
eye
and
ear
.
A
form
,
superior
to
the
rest
,
His
little
voice
to
me
addrest
,
And
gently
thus
began
,
"
I've
heard
strange
things
from
one
of
you
,
"
Pray
tell
me
if
you
think
'tis
true
,
"
Explain
it
if
you
can
.
"
Such
incense
has
perfum'd
my
throne
!
"
Such
eloquence
my
heart
has
won
!
"
I
think
I
guess
the
hand
;
"
I
know
her
wit
and
beauty
too
,
"
But
why
she
sends
a
prayer
so
new
,
"
I
cannot
understand
.
"
To
light
some
flames
,
and
some
revive
,
"
To
keep
some
others
just
alive
,
"
Full
oft
I
am
implor'd
;
"
But
,
with
peculiar
power
to
please
,
"
To
supplicate
for
nought
but
ease
—
"
'Tis
odd
,
upon
my
word
!
"
Tell
her
,
with
fruitless
care
I've
sought
,
"
And
tho'
my
realms
,
with
wonders
fraught
,
"
In
remedies
abound
,
"
No
grain
of
cold
Indifference
"
Was
ever
yet
ally'd
to
Sense
,
"
In
all
my
fairy
round
.
"
The
regions
of
the
sky
I'd
trace
,
"
I'd
ransack
every
earthly
place
,
"
Each
leaf
,
each
herb
,
each
flower
,
"
To
mitigate
the
pangs
of
Fear
,
"
Dispel
the
clouds
of
black
Despair
,
"
Or
lull
the
restless
hour
.
"
I
would
be
generous
,
as
I'm
just
,
"
But
I
obey
,
as
others
must
,
"
Those
laws
which
Fate
has
made
.
"
My
tiny
kingdom
how
defend
,
"
And
what
might
be
the
horrid
end
"
Should
Man
my
state
invade
?
"
'Twould
put
your
mind
into
a
rage
,
"
And
such
unequal
war
to
wage
"
Suits
not
my
regal
duty
!
"
I
dare
not
change
a
first
decree
,
"
She's
doom'd
to
please
,
nor
can
be
free
,
"
Such
is
the
lot
of
Beauty
!
"
This
said
,
he
darted
o'er
the
plain
,
And
after
follow'd
all
his
train
;
No
glimpse
of
him
I
find
;
But
sure
I
am
,
the
little
spright
These
words
,
before
he
took
his
flight
,
Imprinted
on
my
mind
.