With joyful Servitude I'll still attend
On you, my nuptial Lord, and dearest Friend.
Soon as Aurora spreads her purple Ray,
When you awake to chace the nimble Prey,
I'll alfo rife; and, with an equal Art,
Display the Net, or speed the pointed Dart;
Or fearch the Plains, and tafteful Herbs pro-

vide;

Or ftrip the Vines, and press their juicy Pride:
Each Ev'ning will I fondly deck your Bed
With sweetest Flow'rets gather'd from the
Mead;

And when, diffolv'd in downy Sleep, you lie,
I'll wake, and watch if Foes approach too nigh.
To guard your Life, all Hazards will I run;
And, for your Safety, facrifice my own.
To whom the Youth: No Hazards fhall
you run;

Nor, for my Safety, facrifice your own:
Nor yet at Ev'ning fondly deck my Bed
With sweetest Flow'rets, gather'd from the
Mead:

Nor fhall Amanda tafteful Herbs explore;
Nor fhall Avaro chafe the favage Boar.
A fofter Bed, than Flow'rs, fhall give you Reft;
A choicer Meat, than Fruits, indulge your
Tafte.

Ten thousand Things my grateful Soul shalk

find,

To charm your Fancy, and delight your Mind:

I'll vary Love a hundred diff'rent Ways,
And institute new Arts to make it please.
So fhall our future Race of Children fee
A conftant Proverb made of you and me :
When British Youths fhall court the doubting
Dame,

And want Expreffions equal to their Flame;
Then, ftrongly to atteft it, fhall be faid,
"True as Avaro to the Indian Maid."

To whom Amanda (pausing at the Name).
What meant Avaro by the doubting Dame?
Has any of your British Damfels made
A Doubt of what fuch godlike Being faid?
Or is it customary to your Clime?
Has ever Youth committed fuch a Crime,
As bafe Ingratitude? Has any there
Deluded firft, and then forfook the Fair?
I cannot think your Love will e'er decline,
Nor can my radiant Angel question mine.
By yon bright Beams, which paint the rifing
Day;

By thy bright Charms, as beautiful as they :
By all our pleafing Hours of Love, I vow
To fhare your Fate thro' ev'ry Scene of Woe;
Content, with you, to yield my vital Breath;
For Life, without you, would but lengthen
Death.

With fuch sweet Talk their Moments they

beguile;

Both feem impatient for the deftin'd Ifle:

He

He daily vows, and daily is believ'd;
She daily hears, and daily is deceiv'd.
Farewel, bright Goddefs of th' Idalian Grove!
Farewel, ye fportive Deities of Love!
No longer I your pleafing Joys rehearse;
A rougher Theme demands my pensive Verse ;
A Scene of Woes remains to be display'd,
Indulgent Love with Slavery repaid :
Ingratitude, and broken Vows, and Lies,
The mighty Ills that spring from Avarice,
Provoke my Lays: Your Aid, ye Muses, bring;
Affift my Tragic Numbers, while I fing.
Say, what enfu'd, when, on the briny Deep,
The watchful Dame beheld a floating Ship?
She call'd, and beckon'd to it from the Shore,
Then to the Youth the grateful Tidings bore;
And faid, I fomething fee like winged Trees,
(Strange to behold!) fly fwiftly o'er the Seas:
Their bulky Roots upon the Billows float;
Say, is not this the Ship, you long have
fought?

'

Or I mistake; or, by the Gods Command, This comes to bear us to your native Land: Then haften, fee the Partner of your Heart, With you, her Guide, is ready to depart; My Father, Mother, Triends, I bid Adieu, Friends, Father, Mother, not fo dear as you. To whom the Youth, with fmiling Brow, reply'd:

O thou true Patiern of a faithful Bride!

Who

Who dar'st thy Father, Mother, Friends refign;
And risk thy own dear Life, to rescue mine !—
If I forget the Debt I owe to Thee,

May all the Gods forget their Care of Me.
In more wild Defarts let me rove again;
Nor find a Friend, like Thee, to ease my Pain!
There let the Vultures, Wolves, and Tigers

tear

This Body, thou hast kindly nourish'd here!

So faying, to the Beach he straight descends; And, by the Flag, difcerns the Crew his Friends: And now his Heart exults within his Breast, His loving Mate an equal Joy confest ; She, with him, gladly ventures on the Main, Unthinking of her future Toil and Pain.

So, to the Plough, the Heifer, yet unbroke, Walks chearful on, nor dreads th' impending Yoke;

Till, in the Fields, urg'd with the piercing Goad,

She groans, and writhes, reluctant with her Load.

;

The British Bark was to Barbadoes bound; Th' expected Shore the Sailors quickly found Where, safe from Danger, now the perjur'd Youth,

Falfe to his former Vows of facred Truth, Reflecting, counts the Int'reft he had loft, While Fate detain'd him on the Indian Coaft:

The

The frugal Thoughts fupprefs his am'rous
Flame,

And prompt him to betray the faithful Dame.
Yet fcarce he can the curfed Fact pursue;
But hefitates at what he fain wou'd do:
For, tho' his Avʼrice moves him to the Ill,
His Gratitude within him ftruggles ftill;
And, 'twixt two Paffions, neither guides
his Will.

As when two Scales, which equal Loads fufpend,

Sway to and fro, alternate both descend;
Till, undeclining, each aloft abides ;

Nor this, nor that, the doubtful Weight decides.

So ftood the doubtful Youth a-while; nor wou'd

Forfake the Evil, nor purfue the Good;
Till, as the Sailors in the Haven stay,

To purchase Slaves, the Planters croud the
Key:

One afks, for what the Negro may be fold; Then bids a Price, and fhews the tempting Gold:

Which, when Avaro views with greedy Eyes, He foon refolves to gain th' alluring Prize; Nor Oaths, nor Gratitude, can longer bind; Her Fate he thus determines in his Mind :

"Suppose I should conduct this Indian o'ers "And thus, inftead of Gold, import a Moor " Would