3539 Langhome Origin of the veil THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND •^ THE ORIGIN O F THE VEIL. [PRICE ONE SHILLING.! THE ORIGIN O F THE VEIL. A POEM, By Dr. LANGHORNE. LONDON: Printed for T. B e c k e t, in the Strand. MDGGLXXIII. THE 33' 3^ ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. "IT 7ARM from this Heart while flows the faithful Line, The' meaneft Friend of Beauty fliall be mine. What Love, or Fame, or Fortune could beftowj The Charm of Praife, the Eafe of Life I owe To Beauty prefent, or to Beauty fled, To Hertford living, or Caernarvon dead. To Tweeda4.e's Tafle, to Edgecombe's Senfe ferene,-. And, Envy fpare this Boaft, to Britain's Queen. B Kind 865319 2 THE ORIGIiNT OF THE VEIL, Kind to the Lay that all unlaboured flowed, What Fancy caught, where Nature's Pencil glowed *, She faw the Path to new, though humble Fame,. Gave me her Praife, and left me Fools to blame. Strong in their Weaknefs are each Woman's Charms, Dread that endears, and Softnefs that difarms. The timorous Eye retiring from Applaufe, And the mild Air that fearfully withdraws, Marks of our Power thefe humble Graces prove, And, dafli'd with Pride, we deeper drink of Love. Chief of thofe Charms that hold the Heart in Thrall, At thy fair Shrine, O Modesty, we fall. Not Cynthia riling o'er the watry Way, When on the dim Wave falls her friendly Ray ; * The Fables of Flora. Not THE ORIGIN' OF THE VEIt. Not the pure JEiher of Eolian Skies, That drinks the Day's firft Glories as they rife, Not all the Tints from Evening-Clouds that break, Burn in the Beauties of the Virgin's Cheek ; When o'er that Cheek, undifciplined by Art, The fweet SufFuiion ruflies from the Heart. Yet the foft Blufh, untutored to controuT, The Glow that fpeaks the fufceptible Soul, Led by nice Honour and by decent Pride, The Voice of ancient Virtue taught to hide ; Taught Beauty's Bloom the fearching Eye to fliuu, As early Flowers blow fearful of the Sun. Far as the long Records of Time we trace *, Still flowed the Veil o'er Modefty's fair Face : The * Plato mentions two Provinces in PerJJa, one of which was called the Queen's Girdle, the other the Queen's Veil, the Revenues of which, no doubt. 4 THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. The Guard of Beauty, in whofc friendly Shade,, Safe from each Eye the featured Soul is laid,-— The penfive Thought that paler Looks betray. The tender Grief that fteals in Tears away. The hopelefs Wifli that prompts the frequent Sigh, Bleeds in the Blufh, or melts upon the Eye. The Man of Faith thro' Gerar doom'd to ftray, A Nation waiting his eventful Way, His Fortune's fair Companion at his Side, The World his Promife, Provddence his Guide, Once, more than Virtue dared to value Life, And called a Sifter whom he owned a Wife. doubt, were employed m purchafing thofe Parts of Her Mjyefty's Drefs^ It was about the Middk- of the Tliird Century that the Eaftern Women, on taking the Vow of Virginity, affumed that Veil which had before been worn by the Pagan Prieflcffes, and which is ufcd by the Religious among the Ronianiils now.. 2 Miflaken THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. 5 Miftaken Father of the faithful Race, Thy Fears alone could purchafe thy Difgrace. " Go," to the Fair, when confcious of the Tale, Said Gerars Prince, " thy Husband is thy Veil*." O ancient Faith ! O Virtue mourned in vain ! When Hymen's Altar never held a Stain ; When his pure Torch fhed undiminifhed Rays, And Fires unholy died beneath the Blaze I For Faith like this fair Greece was early known. And claimed the Veil's firft Honours as her own. Ere half her Sons, o'er Asia's trembling Coaft, Armed to revenge one Woman's Virtue loft ; * rpe is tl)c Oailc of tbins (ZEpcs to all t()at are toitlj tfjcc, ann to all ot&ers. Gen. xx. 16. Vet. Trans. C Ere 6 THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. Ere He, whom Circe fought to charm in vain, Followed wild Fortune' o'er the various Main, In Youth's gay Bloom He plied th' exulting Oar, From Ithaca's white Rocks to Sparta's Shore : Free to Nerician * Gales the VefTel glides. And wild Eurotas -f fmoothes his Warrior-Tides; For amorous Greece, when Love conducts the Way, Beholds her Waters, and her Winds obey. No Objedt her's but Love's Impreflion knows. No Wave that wanders, and no Breeze that blows ; Her Groves J, her Mountains have his Power confcfl:. And Zephyr fio:hed not but for Flora's Breaft. 'Twas when his Sighs in fweeteft Whifpers ftrayed. Far o'er Laconia's Plains from Eva's § Shade ; * From the Mountain Nerkos in Ithaca, now called Nericia. ■f The Spartan River. J E mentre d'Alb.rghe Amore. Tasso. § A Mountain in Peloponncfus. Wh en THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. 7 When foft-eyed Spring refumed his Mantle ga)', And leaned luxurious on the Breaft of May, Love's genial Banners young Ulysses bore From Ithaca^s white Rocks to Sparta's Shore. ' With all that foothes the Heart, that wins, or warms, All princely Virtues, and all manly Charms, All Love can urge, or Eloquence perfuade, The future Heroe wooed his Spartan Maid. Yet long He wooed — In Sparta, flow to yield, Beauty, like Valour, long maintained the Field. " No Bloom fo fair Messene's Banks difclofe ; " No Breath fo pure o'er Tempe's Bofom blows ; " No Smile fo radiant throws the Q-enial Ray *' Thro' the fair Eye-lids of the opening Day ; " But deaf to Vows with fondeft Pafilon prcft, Cold as the Wave of Hebrus' wintry Brcafl, 2 "-Penelope <( 8 THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. " Penelope regards no Lover's Pain, " And owns Ulysses eloquent in vain. ** To Vows that vainly wafte their Warmth in Air, ** Infidious Hopes that lead but to Defpair, '* Affections loft, Deftres the Heart muft rue, '' And Love, and Spartans joylefs Plains adieu ! " Yet ft ill this Bofoni ftiall one Paftion fharc, " Still ftiall my Country find a Father there. *' Ev'n now the Children of my little Reign " Demand that Father of the faithlefs Main, *' Ev'n now, their Prince folicitous to fave, " Climb the tall Cliff, and watch the changeful Wave. *' But not for Him their Hopes, or Fears alone ! " They feek the promifed Partner of his Throne ; " For Her their Incenfe breathes, their Altars blaze, " For Her to Heaven the fuppliant Eye they raile. " Ahl THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. 9 " Ah! fliall They know their Prince implored in vain? " Can my Heart live beneath a Nation's Pain ?" There fpoke the Virtue that her Soul admired, The Spartan Soul, with Patriot Ardour fired. *' Enough I" fhe cried — " Be mine to boafl a Part *' In Him, who holds his Country to his Heart. " Worth, Honour, Faith that fair Affedion gives, " And with that Virtue, every Virtue lives *." Pleafed that the nobler Principles could move His Daughter's Heart, and foften it to Love, Icarius owned the Aufpices divine, Wove the fair Crown -f , and blefled the holy Shrine. But * Omnes omnium Caritates, &c. Cic. ■f The Women of ancient Greece at the Marriage Ceremony wore D Garlands lo THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. But ah ! the dreaded parting Hour to brave ! Then flrong Affedlion griev'd for what it gave. Should Pie the Comfort of liis Life's Decline, His Life's lad Charm to Ithaca refign ? Or, wandering with Her to a diftant Shore, Behold Eiu-otas' long-loved Banks no more ? Expofe his grey Hairs to an alien Sky, Nor on his Country's Parent Bofom die"*? Garlands of Flower?, probably as Emblems of Purity, Fertility and Beauty. Thus Euripides, So/ y«ra^£-i/ti(T' iyu v/v v'ycv, fcf yajj-oviJievviv Iph. in Aul. The modern Greek Ladies wear thefe Garlands in various Forms, when- ever they appear drefied -, and frequently adorn themfelves thus for their own Amufement, and when they do not expect to be feen by any but their Domeflics. A'oyage Literaire de la Grece. * The Ancients eftcemed this one of the greatcft Misfortunes that could befall them. The Trojans thought it the moft lamentable Circum- ftance attending the Lofs of their Pilot Palinurus, that his Body fhould lie in a foreign Country. Ipiota Palinure jacelis Arena. Virg. " No, THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. ii " No, Prince, He cried ; for Sparta's happier Plain, *' Leave the loved Honours of thy little Reign. *' The grateful Change fliall equal Honours bring ; " — Lord of Himfeif, a Spartan is a King." When thus the Prince, with obvious Grief oppreft, *' Canfl: Thou not force the Father from thy Brcaft? *' Not without Pain behold one Child depart, " Yet bid M^ tear a Nation from my Heart ? " — Not for all Sparta's, all Euboea's Plains" — He faid, and to his Courfcrs gave the Reins. Still the fond Sire purfues with fuppliant Voice, 'Till, moved, the Monarch yields her to her Choice. *' Tho' mine by Vows, by fair Afieclion mine, *' And holy Truth, and Aufpices divine, " This Suit let fair Penelope decide, " Remain the Daughter, or proceed the Bride." O'er 12 THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. O'er the quick Blulli her friendly Mantle fell. And told him all that Modefty could tell. No longer now the Father's Fondnefs ftrove With Patriot Virtue or acknowledged Love, But on the Scene that parting Sighs endeared, Fair Modesty's * firfl honoured Fane He reared. The Daughter's Form the pictured Goddefs wore. The Daughter's Veil f before her Bluilies bore. * Paufanias, who has recorded the Story on which this little Poem is foun- ded, tells us that this was the firfl: Temple erefted to Modefty in Greece.. -f- See the Veil of |M delly in the Alufaum CapitoUnum^ Vol. 3. and for further Proofs of its high Antiquity, fee Horn. OdyfT. L. 6. Claud.. Epithal. Honor, where he fays, Et Crines feftina ligat V eplv mqve fluentem Allcvat ■ Iphig. in Taur. Aft. 4. and Colut, Rapt. Helen. L. i. V. 381. where- Hermione tears her Gold embroidered Veil on the Difappearance of Helen : Aiireum qiioquc I'tipit Capitis Tegmen^ And THE ORIGIN OF THE VEIL. 13 And taiight the Maids of Greece this Sovereign Law — — She mofl fhall conquer, who fKall moft withdraw. THE END. E BOOKS written by Dr. LANGHORNE. THE Fables of Flora, 5th Edition. Letters between Theodoiius and Conftantia. 2 Vols^ 5th Edition. ' ' To and from Seledl Friends. 2 Vols. 2d EditL. Between St. Evremond and Waller. 2 Vols.. On the Eloquence of the Palpit. On Religious Retirement. 2d Edition. Life and Writings of Collins. 2d Edition. Sermons, before the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn. 2 Vols. 3d Edition. Poems. 2 Vols. Solyman and Almena, 2d Editions. The Origin of the Veil. Frederick and Pharamond. Precepts of Conjugal Happincfs. 2d Edition.. Verfes in Memory of a Lady. Plu- BOOKS written by Dr. LANGHORNE. Plutarch's Lives, from the Greek. 6 Vols. .N. B. The laft by John Langhorne^ D. D. and William Langhorne, M. A.. Speedily will be piiblijhed by Dr. Langhorne, A Difiertation Hiftorical and Political on the- Ancient Republicks of Italy. a1 •A. tjr.li. University of CalHornIa ^ SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACU..TY^ Torn yrtilcMtwas^orrowe^ '"™S&"- , N. Y. , Colif. Univ S(