INSCRIPTION
UNDER
THE
SHADE
OF
A
LADY
,
GIVEN
BY
HER
TO
THE
AUTHOR
.
BY
THE
SAME
.
INVENTIVE
Love
,
parent
of
every
art
,
That
courts
the
fancy
,
or
that
wins
the
heart
,
By
thee
inspir'd
,
a
Grecian
dame
of
yore
,
With
tenderest
arrow
from
thy
sacred
store
,
Each
pain
to
sooth
,
and
joys
o'erpast
renew
,
Her
parting
lover's
shadowy
semblance
drew
:
Hence
sprung
Design
;
and
Paint
its
aid
combin'd
,
To
inform
the
outline
with
the
speaking
mind
.
But
thou
,
blest
maid
,
canst
baffle
all
their
boast
,
Their
powers
would
all
,
tho'
REYNOLDS
strove
,
be
lost
:
What
stroke
could
make
thy
comely
tresses
flow
With
native
grace
?
What
hue
could
teach
to
glow
Thy
mild
sweet
blushes
?
or
,
attemper'd
,
break
,
With
purest
white
,
their
softenings
on
thy
cheek
?
Aught
less
than
power
divine
might
hope
in
vain
,
The
dewy
lustrings
of
thine
eye
to
feign
;
Or
fix
the
timid
swellings
of
that
breast
,
Which
may
,
kind
heaven
,
no
care
but
Love's
molest
!
Each
charm
shall
Memory
in
this
shade
supply
,
Braid
the
soft
hair
,
and
languish
in
the
eye
,
Bid
the
fair
cheek
bloom
in
its
native
hue
,
The
dove-like
bosom's
gentlest
swell
renew
;
Sweet
Fancy
every
attitude
restore
,
And
give
each
varying
grace
to
inchant
the
more
.