might consent. 
   And here, might pitying hope o’er truth prevail,
Or love o’er fortune, we would end our tale;
For who more bless’d than youthful pair removed
From fear of want—­by mutual friends approved —
Short time to wait, and in that time to live
With all the pleasures hope and fancy give;
Their equal passion raised on just esteem,
When reason sanctions all that love can dream? 
   Yes! reason sanctions what stern fate denies: 
The early prospect in the glory dies,
As the soft smiles on dying infants play
In their mild features, and then pass away. 
   The Beauty died ere she could yield her hand
In the high marriage by the Mother plann’d;
Who grieved indeed, but found a vast relief
In a cold heart, that ever warr’d with grief. 
   Lucy was present when her sister died,
Heiress to duties that she ill supplied: 
There were no mutual feelings, sister arts,
No kindred taste, nor intercourse of hearts: 
When in the mirror play’d the matron’s smile,
The maiden’s thoughts were traveling all the while;
And when desired to speak, she sigh’d to find
Her pause offended; “Envy made her blind: 
Tasteless she was, nor had a claim in life
Above the station of a rector’s wife;
Yet as an heiress, she must shun disgrace,
Although no heiress to her mother’s face: 
It is your duty,” said th’ imperious dame,
“(Advanced your fortune,) to advance your name,
And with superior rank, superior offers claim: 
Your sister’s lover, when his sorrows die,
May look upon you, and for favour sigh;
Nor can you offer a reluctant hand;
His birth is noble, and his seat is grand.” 
   Alarm’d was Lucy, was in tears—­“A fool! 
Was she a child in love?—­a miss at school? 
Doubts any mortal, if a change of state
Dissolves all claims and ties of earlier date?”
   The Rector doubted, for he came to mourn
A sister dead, and with a wife return: 
Lucy with heart unchanged received the youth,
True in herself, confiding in his truth;
But own’d her mother’s change; the haughty dame
Pour’d strong contempt upon the youthful flame;
She firmly vow’d her purpose to pursue,
Judged her own cause, and bade the youth adieu! 
The lover begg’d, insisted, urged his pain,
His brother wrote to threaten and complain;
Her sister reasoning proved the promise made,
Lucy appealing to a parent pray’d;
But all opposed the event that she design’d,
And all in vain—­she never changed her mind;
But coldly answer’d in her wonted way,
That she “would rule, and Lucy must obey.” 
   With peevish fear, she saw her health decline,
And cried, “Oh! monstrous, for a man to pine! 
But if your foolish heart must yield to love,
Let him possess it whom I now approve;
This is my pleasure.”—­Still the Rector came
With larger offers and with bolder claim;
But the stern lady would attend no more —