"Nor yet the nuptial sanction ends, Like NILE, it opens and descends, Which, by apparent windings led, We trace to its celestial head. The sire, first springing from above, Becomes the source of life and love, And gives his filial heir to flow, In fondness down on sons below; Thus roll'd in one continu'd tide, To TIME'S extremest verge they glide; While kindred streams, on either hand, Branch forth in blessings o'er the land. Thee, wretch! no lisping babe shall name, No late-returning brother claim; No kinsman on thy road rejoice, No sister greet thy ent'ring voice; With partial eyes no parent see, And bless their years restor'd in thee.
"In age rejected, or declin'd, An ALIEN ev'n among thy kind, The partner of thy scorn'd embrace Shall play the wanton in thy face; Each spark unplume thy little pride, All friendship fly thy faithless side; Thy name shall, like thy carcase, rot, In sickness spurn'd, in death forgot.
"All-giving POW'R! great source of life! O hear the parent! hear the wife! That life thou lendest from above, Though little, make it large in love; O bid my feeling heart expand To ev'ry claim, on ev'ry hand; To those, from whom my days I drew, To these in whom those days renew; To all my kin, however wide, In cordial warmth, as blood ally'd, To friends with steely fetters twin'd, And to the cruel, not unkind! But chief, the lord of my desire, My life, myself, my soul, my sire; Friends, children, all that wish can claim, Chaste passion clasp, and rapture name! O spare him, spare him, GRACIOUS POW'R! O give him to my latest hour! Let me my length of life employ, To give my sole enjoyment joy; His love, let mutual love excite, Turn all my cares to his delight, And ev'ry needless blessing spare, Wherein my darling wants a share. When he with graceful action woos, And sweetly bills and fondly coos, Ah! deck me to his eyes alone, With charms attractive as his own, And in my circling wings caress'd, Give all the lover to my breast. Then in our chaste, connubial bed, My bosom pillow'd for his head, His eyes with blissful slumbers close, And watch, with me, my lord's repose; Your peace around his temples twine, And love him with a love like mine.
"And, for I know his gen'rous flame, Beyond whate'er my sex can claim, Me, too, to your protection take, And spare me for my husband's sake; Let one unruffled calm delight The loving and belov'd unite; One pure desire our bosoms warm, One will direct, one wish inform; Through life one mutual aid sustain, In death one peaceful grave contain."