Poetical Remains of the Late Mrs Hemans/On reading Paul and Virginia in Childhood
For other versions of this work, see Records of Passing Thought. XIII. Reading "Paul and Virginia" in Childhood.
XIII.
ON 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 thro' 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 the world’s power,
To reach and blight that holiest Eden-flower.