Driginal Poetry.

VOL. VII.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE HAMPSHIRE COTTAGERS,

A TALE,

BY MISS MITFORD,

How lovely o'er thy vallies gay,

Sweet Hampshire spreads the verdure mild! How brightly shines the morning ray That quivers on thy woodlands wild!

Eden of England! thou art fair!

Thine is each soft and awful grace! A Claude might catch his beauty there, Or wild Salvator's grandeur trace, And there beneath "Ytene's oaks,”

Where darkly spreads the forest gloom That echoes to the woodman's strokes, The blushing rose delights to bloom. Fair are thy villas, fairer still

The cots that skirt the green wood side; Where some lone, shallow, babbling rill Pours through the vale its silver tide.

And fairest of the cottage train

That decks fair Hampshire's vallies gay, Of clustering vine and jasmine vain, Rose the sweet home of Gerard Grey. All smil'd without the lovely cot, And all within of comfort spoke;" The happy peasants blest their lot, And doubly blest the nuptial yoke. Those walls had witness'd Gerard's birth; And witness'd thirty years of bliss, Since she whom best he loved on earth, Blush'd whilst he gave the bridal kiss. One only daughter blest the pair ;On the lone shrub one rose bud beam'd,Needs it to say how sweet, how fair, How pure, this living blossom seem'd?

But not the parent's eye alone

Dwelt on that flower without a stain;
For through the village world was known
The beauty and the worth of Jane.

To win her heart, with rustic wile
Full many a simple peasant-strove,
She gave to all a grateful smile,

But William gain'd the blush of love.
A friendless orphan was the youth;
But industry, and strength, and health,
Unblemished virtue, spotless truth,

And faithful love, were William's wealth. shall wed," Joyous, the happy father cried,

They both were young; but " ye

"Together will we seek our bread,

"And work for Jane our mutual pride!

"How blest will be the day, to see
"Your lovely babes around you cling,
"Hang fondly on their mother's knee,
"Or infant carols gaily sing!

"Yes ye shall wed! soon June will come
"Blest witness of our nuptial vows!
"Then shall my cot be William's home;
66 My blooming Jane be William's spouse."

Oh! gaily past fair April's day,

'Mid wat'ry suns, and balmy showers! Now in the pride of early May

Each meadow beams with dewy flowers, And Jane more fair, more sweet than they, Trips lightly through the verdant bowers.

To meet her William flies the maid,

William, for three long days unseen! A truant from his native shade,

To Milbrook fair the youth had been.
He comes, but, oh! how changed his air!
How gloomy his o'erclouded brow!
To his sad breast he clasps the fair,
Then faltering tells his tale of woe.

Too sad, too common is the tale!
By heat, fatigue and mirth o'ercome;
Whilst quaffing the inspiring ale,

He hears the spirit-stirring drum.

The sergeant's artful tale he hears;

The fatal oaths, are quickly ta'en;"And soon,-ah! cease those fruitless tears! "Must William leave thee, gentle Jane."