The Poetical Works of the Right Hon. George Granville, Lord Lansdowne/68

by George Granville

TO MIRA.

I.

When wilt thou break, my ſtubborn heart!
O Death! how ſlow to take my part!
Whatever I purſue denies;
Death, Death itſelf, like Mira, flies.

II.

Love and Deſpair, like twins, poſſeſt5
At the ſame fatal birth my breaſt:
No hope could be; her ſcorn was all
That to my deſtin’d lot could fall.

III.

I thought, alas! that Love could dwell
But in warm climes, where no ſnow fell;10
Like plants that kindly heat require
To be maintain’d by conſtant fire.

IV.

That without hope ’t would die as ſoon,
A little hope—but I have none.
On air the poor chamelions thrive;15
Deny’d ev’n that, my love can live.

V.

As tougheſt trees in ſtorms are bred,
And grow in ſpite of winds, and ſpread,
The more the tempeſt tears and ſhakes
My love, the deeper root it takes.20

VI.

Deſpair, that aconite does prove,
And certain death, to others’ love;
That poiſon, never yet withſtood,
Does nouriſh mine, and turns to food.

VII.

O! for what crime is my torn heart25
Condemn’d to ſuffer deathleſs ſmart?
Like ſad Prometheus, thus to lie
In endleſs pain, and never die.28