OF TEMPER.
39
Thus the departing fury left behind
Her venom, latent in Sir Gilbert's mind.
The hidden mischief tho' no eye observes,
He feels it fretting on his alter'd nerves;
But the kind habit of his healthy soul
Still struggled hard against its base control.
Now Spleen's dark vapours, in his bosom hid,
Prompt him the promis'd pleasure to forbid;
Now Love's soft pleadings that dire thought destroy,
And save the blossom of his daughter's joy;
Her envious aunt now serves him for a jest,
And gay good-humour reassumes his breast,
While Spleen's dark power now sinks, and now revives,
At length the day, th' important day arrives,
Which in his breast must end the close debate,
And fix the colour of Serena's fate.
Now comes the hour, when the convivial knight
Waits to begin the dinner's cheerful rite:
His fond heart ever with a father's pride,
Joys to behold his darling at his side;
Her venom, latent in Sir Gilbert's mind.
The hidden mischief tho' no eye observes,
He feels it fretting on his alter'd nerves;
But the kind habit of his healthy soul
Still struggled hard against its base control.
Now Spleen's dark vapours, in his bosom hid,
Prompt him the promis'd pleasure to forbid;
Now Love's soft pleadings that dire thought destroy,
And save the blossom of his daughter's joy;
Her envious aunt now serves him for a jest,
And gay good-humour reassumes his breast,
While Spleen's dark power now sinks, and now revives,
At length the day, th' important day arrives,
Which in his breast must end the close debate,
And fix the colour of Serena's fate.
Now comes the hour, when the convivial knight
Waits to begin the dinner's cheerful rite:
His fond heart ever with a father's pride,
Joys to behold his darling at his side;
