Digital Grainger

An Online Edition of The Sugar-Cane (1764)

83

  • Receiv’d him: at his sight, the antient slaves
  • Affrighted shriek, and to the chamber point:—
  • Confounded, yet unknowing what they meant, [530]
  • He entered hasty——

  • AH! what a sight for one who lov’d so well!
  • All pale and cold, in every feature death,
  • Theana lay; and yet a glimpse of joy
  • Played on her face, while with faint, faultering voice, [535]
  • She thus addrest the youth, whom yet she knew.

  • “WELCOME, my Junio, to thy native shore!
  • “Thy sight repays this summons of my fate:
  • “Live, and live happy; sometimes think of me:
  • “By night, by day, you still engag’d my care; [540]
  • “And next to God, you now my thoughts employ:
  • “Accept of this——My little all I give;
  • “Would it were larger”——Nature could no more;
  • She look’d, embrac’d him, with a groan expir’d.

  • BUT say, what strains, what language can express
  • The thousand pangs, which tore the lover’s breast?
  • Upon her breathless corse himself he threw,
  • And to her clay-cold lips, with trembling haste,