ELEGY I. James Hammond 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. T116245 1137 K093079.004 Pearch, G. A collection of poems in four volumes. By several hands. Vol. IV. [The second edition]. London printed for G. Pearch 1770 pp. 106-107. 4v. ; 8⁰.

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ELEGY I. WHILE calm you sit beneath your secret shade , And lose in pleasing thought the summer-day , Or tempt the wish of some unpractis'd maid , Whose heart at once inclines and fears to stray : The sprightly vigour of my youth is fled , Lonely and sick on Death is all my thought , O spare , Persephone The Goddess of Death . , this guiltless head , Love , too much Love , is all thy suppliant's fault . No virgin's easy faith I e'er betray'd , My tongue ne'er boasted of a feign'd embrace , No poisons in the cup have I convey'd , Nor veil'd destruction with a friendly face : No secret horrors gnaw this quiet breast , This pious hand ne'er robb'd the sacred fane , I ne'er disturb'd the Gods eternal rest With curses loud , — but oft have pray'd in vain . No stealth of Time has thinn'd my flowing hair , Nor Age yet bent me with his iron hand ; Ah ! why so soon the tender blossom tear ? E'er Autumn yet the ripen'd fruit demand . Ye Gods , whoe'er , in gloomy shades below , Now slowly tread your melancholy round , Now wandering view the paleful rivers flow , And musing hearken to their solemn sound : O let me still enjoy the chearful day , Till many years unheeded o'er me roll'd , Pleas'd in my age I trifle life away , And tell how much we lov'd , e'er I grew old . But you , who now with festive garlands crown'd In chace of Pleasure the gay moments spend , By quick enjoyment heal Love's pleasing wound , And grieve for nothing but your absent Friend .