This very moral lay being ended, Mrs. Slopperton declared it was excellent; though she confessed she thought the sentiments rather loose. Perhaps the gentleman might be induced to favour them with a song of a more refined and modern turn—something sentimental, in short. Glancing towards Lucy, the stranger answered, that he only knew one song of the kind Mrs. Slopperton specified, and it was so short, that he should scarcely weary her patience by granting her request.
At this moment, the river, which was easily descried from the windows of the room, glimmered in the starlight, and directing his looks towards the water, as if the scene had suggested to him the verses he sung, he gave the following stanzas in a very low sweet tone, and with a far purer taste than, perhaps, would have suited the preceding and ruder song.
The Wish.
As sleeps the dreaming Eve below,
Its holiest star keeps ward above,
And yonder wave begins to glow,
Like Friendship bright'ning into Love!
