第25章

Some lines, more moving than the rest, Struck to the point that pierced her breast;And, borne directly to the heart, With pains unknown, increased her smart.

Vanessa, not in years a score, Dreams of a gown of forty-four;Imaginary charms can find, In eyes with reading almost blind;Cadenus now no more appears Declined in health, advanced in years.

She fancies music in his tongue, Nor farther looks, but thinks him young.

What mariner is not afraid To venture in a ship decayed?

What planter will attempt to yoke A sapling with a falling oak?

As years increase, she brighter shines, Cadenus with each day declines, And he must fall a prey to Time, While she continues in her prime.

Cadenus, common forms apart, In every scene had kept his heart;Had sighed and languished, vowed and writ, For pastime, or to show his wit;But time, and books, and State affairs, Had spoiled his fashionable airs, He now could praise, esteem, approve, But understood not what was love.

His conduct might have made him styled A father, and the nymph his child.

That innocent delight he took To see the virgin mind her book, Was but the master's secret joy In school to hear the finest boy.

Her knowledge with her fancy grew, She hourly pressed for something new;Ideas came into her mind So fact, his lessons lagged behind;She reasoned, without plodding long, Nor ever gave her judgment wrong.

But now a sudden change was wrought, She minds no longer what he taught.

Cadenus was amazed to find Such marks of a distracted mind;For though she seemed to listen more To all he spoke, than e'er before.

He found her thoughts would absent range, Yet guessed not whence could spring the change.

And first he modestly conjectures, His pupil might be tired with lectures, Which helped to mortify his pride, Yet gave him not the heart to chide;But in a mild dejected strain, At last he ventured to complain:

Said, she should be no longer teased, Might have her freedom when she pleased;Was now convinced he acted wrong, To hide her from the world so long, And in dull studies to engage One of her tender sex and age.

That every nymph with envy owned, How she might shine in the GRANDE-MONDE, And every shepherd was undone, To see her cloistered like a nun.

This was a visionary scheme, He waked, and found it but a dream;A project far above his skill, For Nature must be Nature still.

If she was bolder than became A scholar to a courtly dame, She might excuse a man of letters;Thus tutors often treat their betters, And since his talk offensive grew, He came to take his last adieu.

Vanessa, filled with just disdain, Would still her dignity maintain, Instructed from her early years To scorn the art of female tears.

Had he employed his time so long, To teach her what was right or wrong, Yet could such notions entertain, That all his lectures were in vain?

She owned the wand'ring of her thoughts, But he must answer for her faults.

She well remembered, to her cost, That all his lessons were not lost.

Two maxims she could still produce, And sad experience taught her use;That virtue, pleased by being shown, Knows nothing which it dare not own;Can make us without fear disclose Our inmost secrets to our foes;That common forms were not designed Directors to a noble mind.

Now, said the nymph, I'll let you see My actions with your rules agree, That I can vulgar forms despise, And have no secrets to disguise.

I knew by what you said and writ, How dangerous things were men of wit;You cautioned me against their charms, But never gave me equal arms;Your lessons found the weakest part, Aimed at the head, but reached the heart.

Cadenus felt within him rise Shame, disappointment, guilt, surprise.

He know not how to reconcile Such language, with her usual style:

And yet her words were so expressed, He could not hope she spoke in jest.

His thoughts had wholly been confined To form and cultivate her mind.

He hardly knew, till he was told, Whether the nymph were young or old;Had met her in a public place, Without distinguishing her face, Much less could his declining age Vanessa's earliest thoughts engage.

And if her youth indifference met, His person must contempt beget, Or grant her passion be sincere, How shall his innocence be clear?

Appearances were all so strong, The world must think him in the wrong;Would say he made a treach'rous use.

Of wit, to flatter and seduce;

The town would swear he had betrayed, By magic spells, the harmless maid;And every beau would have his jokes, That scholars were like other folks;That when Platonic flights were over, The tutor turned a mortal lover.

So tender of the young and fair;

It showed a true paternal care -

Five thousand guineas in her purse;

The doctor might have fancied worst, -

Hardly at length he silence broke, And faltered every word he spoke;Interpreting her complaisance, Just as a man sans consequence.

She rallied well, he always knew;

Her manner now was something new;

And what she spoke was in an air, As serious as a tragic player.

But those who aim at ridicule, Should fix upon some certain rule, Which fairly hints they are in jest, Else he must enter his protest;For let a man be ne'er so wise, He may be caught with sober lies;A science which he never taught, And, to be free, was dearly bought;For, take it in its proper light, 'Tis just what coxcombs call a bite.

But not to dwell on things minute, Vanessa finished the dispute, Brought weighty arguments to prove, That reason was her guide in love.

She thought he had himself described, His doctrines when she fist imbibed;What he had planted now was grown, His virtues she might call her own;As he approves, as he dislikes, Love or contempt her fancy strikes.

Self-love in nature rooted fast, Attends us first, and leaves us last:

Why she likes him, admire not at her, She loves herself, and that's the matter.

How was her tutor wont to praise The geniuses of ancient days!

(Those authors he so oft had named For learning, wit, and wisdom famed).

Was struck with love, esteem, and awe, For persons whom he never saw.