Felicia Hemans in The New Monthly Magazine Volume 42 1834/Reading "Paul and Virginia" in Childhood
The New Monthly Magazine, Volume 42, Page 17
XIII.
Reading "Paul and Virginia" in Childhood.
O gentle story of the Indian Isle!
I loved thee in my lonely childhood well,
On the sea-shore, when day's last purple smile
Slept on the waters, and their hollow swell
And dying cadence lent a deeper spell
Unto thine ocean-pictures. 'Midst thy palms,
And strange bright birds, my fancy joyed to dwell,
And watch the Southern Cross through midnight calms,
And track the spicy woods. Yet more I blessed
Thy vision of sweet love, kind, trustful, true,
Lighting the citron groves—a heavenly guest—
With such pure smiles as Paradise once knew.
Even then my young heart wept o'er this world's power
To reach and blight that holiest Eden flower.