A L O N Z O; 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 YOUTHFUL SOLITAIRE. 
 
 A TALE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Robson, bookseller, at the 
 Feathers, in New Bond-street." 
 MDCCLXXH.
 
 PR, 
 N 2Scl^ 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 T^HE Author of the following little Poem begs 
 leave to offer it to the Public as an object of 
 their candour. The fubjedt is taken from a ftory in 
 Gil Bias, with fome variations. Should it be lucky 
 enough to meet with their approbation, he will 
 be happy in having published it. Should it, on the 
 contrary, be found trifling, and difinterefting, he hopes 
 its brevity will, in fome meafure, apologize for tref- 
 pafllng on the time and patience of the reader. , 
 
 87051G
 
 THE 
 
 YOUTHFUL SOLITAIRE. 
 
 A TALE. 
 
 I. 
 
 FROM fires illuilrious, and renown'd, 
 Alonzo's lineage came; 
 Nor in Hispania's realm was found 
 A youth of higher fame : 
 
 II. 
 
 His manly fenfe ; his gen'rous mind; 
 
 His all-fuperior worth; 
 And knowledge lib'ral, unconiin'd 
 Adored his noble birth : 
 B
 
 ( ) 
 
 III. 
 
 He for Marcella, matchlefs fair! 
 
 Long time a paflion bores 
 A nymph efteem'd for beauties rare, 
 
 But ftill for virtues more : 
 
 I 
 
 Tho' many a youthful, love-flruck fwain 
 
 Her graceful form admir'd; 
 Him chief of all th'enamour'd train 
 
 Marcella's beauty nYd : 
 
 V, 
 
 Nor did his flame neglected prove,. 
 
 For much he charm'd the maid fc 
 She knew his merit, and his love 
 
 With mutual love repaid*
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 Thrice happy youth ! that could obtain 
 
 The heart of one fo fair, 
 Of whom ev'n Nature's felf was vain, 
 
 Her own peculiar care- 
 
 VIL 
 
 Healths -choiceft bloom, the lilly's hue, 
 Were in her cheek combin'd; 
 
 Her face fymmetrically true 
 Was fpotlefs as her mind 3 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Her mind allied to Virtue feem'd 
 
 By ev'ry fecial, tie $ 
 Good-fenfe and native jRveetnets beam'd 
 
 Expreflive in jber eye;
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 IX. 
 
 On all her accents foft, and clear 
 Eerfuafive magick hung j 
 
 A feraph's felf might raptur'd hear 
 The mufick of her tongue ; 
 
 X. 
 
 The human heart fhe could controul, 
 
 Alike fevere, and mild, 
 Her frowns were torture to the foul, 
 
 'Twas Heav'n whene'er fhe fmil'd. 
 
 XI. 
 
 Could then the young Alonzo view 
 Such charms as hers unmov'd ? 
 
 And when her boundlefs worth he knew, 
 What wonder that he lov'd f
 
 ( 5 ) - 
 
 XII. 
 
 With fond concern, his hopes and fears 
 Marcella made her own; 
 
 Each tender feeling that endears 
 She felt for him alone : 
 
 XIIL 
 
 No joys e'er fwell'd her gentle breaft, 
 Nor ought her blifs impair'd, 
 
 No griefs e'er robb'd her foul of reft, 
 But what Alonzo fliar'd. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 And now th' appointed time drew near. 
 When Hymen mould have crown'd 
 
 A paflion prov'd fo long fincere, 
 That Love had mutual found. 
 C
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 XV. 
 
 But ah ! how ihort-liv'd is the date 
 
 Of ev'ry mortal joy, 
 For foon the ftroke of adverfe Fate 
 
 Their pleafure mall deftroy : 
 
 XVI. 
 
 With promis'd plenty thus the Spring 
 Will oft-times gay appear; 
 
 Till fickly blights Deftruction bring, 
 And blaft th' inclement year. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 The youth whom Honour's voice alarms, 
 (The Spaniards' deareft claim) 
 
 Now feeks-to vindicate by arms 
 His much infulted fame.
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Fernando foon with vengeful fpeed 
 
 To hoitile fight he calls 5 
 Beneath his fword, now doom'd to bleed, 
 
 The guilty mifcreant falls : 
 
 XIX. 
 
 " O ! grant, ere yet my fpirit flies, 
 
 " Forgivenefs of the paft, 
 t Mine was the crime" (Fernando cries) 
 
 He gafps, and breathes his laft. 
 
 XX. 
 
 Repenting of the frantick deed, 
 The fcene Alonzo views ; 
 
 Remorfe and pity, rage fucceed, 
 And grief his eye bedewi :
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 (i 
 
 XXI. 
 
 What fatal fury urg'd my fword 
 " To fnatch his vital breath ? 
 u What clime will fhelter now afford 
 a From vengeance, and from death? 
 
 XXII. 
 
 " Nor muft I to my love return, 
 " Left Juftice mould purfue, 
 
 " My fuff 'rings o'er her lipt to mourn, 
 u And breathe a laft adieu : 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 " Diftra&ing thought! remote to dwell 
 " From all my foul holds dear; 
 
 " Nor bid her, ere I go, farewell, 
 " Nor drop one parting tear :
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 " Yet flop thy flight, (Love fcems to fay) 
 " Nor leave thy weeping fair 
 
 " Still then obedient here I'll flay, 
 " Still draw my native air." 
 
 XXV. 
 
 He faid- and wildly wand'ring ftray'd, 
 
 But yet unknowing where; 
 Each moment of purfuit afraid, 
 
 The victim of Defpair. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 So flies thro' woods the wounded hind, 
 T'elude her rankling pains ; 
 
 And, flying, thinks to leave behind 
 The dart fhe ftill retains. 
 D
 
 ( xo ) 
 
 XXVIL 
 
 With wearied fteps, and fault'ring knees, 
 At length it chanc'd he fled, 
 
 Where at a mountain's foot fome trees 
 Their mantling foliage fpread : 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 Embofom'd in the thick-wove made, 
 
 A fylvan grot he fpied, 
 That Nature's hand alone had made 
 
 Within the mountain's fide; 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 A flow'ry turf perfum'd the air$ 
 And from a eleft above 
 
 A fpring diftill'd its waters fair, 
 That murmur'd thro' the grove.
 
 ( ) 
 
 XXX. 
 
 Ent'ring the cave, he went t'approach 
 
 A fight of dire difmay; 
 For lo ! expiring on his couch, 
 
 An aged hermit Jay : 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 u Young ftranger, whofoe'er thou art, 
 (The holy anch'rite cried) 
 
 u Imprint this fcene upon thy heart," 
 Then clos'd his eyes, and died : 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 And happy was his parting end ; 
 
 Refign'd to th' heav'nly Pow'r, 
 He faw Life's fetting fun defcend, 
 
 And gild his lateft hour :
 
 ( I* ) 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 Sequefter'd from the world, he trod 
 Retirement's peaceful ways; 
 
 And here, devoted to his God, 
 He fpent his pious days. 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 Surpris'd, appall'd Alonzo faw 
 And on his youthful bread 
 
 A fecret dread, and fenfe of awe, 
 Death's ghaftly look imprefs'd : 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 As o'er the clay-cold corfe he hung, 
 Reflections throng'd his foul; 
 
 But to his penfive mind, ere long, 
 The thought of fafety ftole :
 
 a 
 
 ( *5 ) 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 At fome fmall diftance from the cave, 
 " Before the rifing day, 
 " Far in the bofom of a grave, 
 u Thefe fad remains I'll lay; 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 " And Heav'n, that blefs'd his humble lot, 
 a While here on earth he ftaid, 
 
 V Shall furely blefs the facred fpot 
 " Where fleeps the father's made : 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 " I'll then put on his ruftick drefs, 
 " In which I'll live conceal'd; 
 
 " And to Marcella my diftrefs 
 " By Time may be reveal'd." 
 E
 
 ( i4 ) 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 He fpoke and foon the fad remain* 
 
 Beneath the turf were laid -, 
 
 And in the garb, that Pride difdains, 
 The youth was foon array'd : 
 
 XL. 
 
 The woollen cap ; the dark-brown ftole, 
 
 That hung around his feeti 
 And a large rofary, make the whole 
 
 A Solitaire compleat: 
 
 XLI. 
 
 Within the rural cell he liv'd 
 A while in this difguife, 
 
 By Charity oft-times reliev'd 
 With liberal fupplies.
 
 ( ft ) 
 
 XLII. 
 
 The fun thro' ev'ry fign had mov'd, 
 And meafur'd out the year $ 
 
 No tidings yet of him fhe lov'd 
 Could fond Marcell a hear: 
 
 XLin. 
 
 Who, wailing her unhappy fate, 
 
 Determin'd to repair 
 To fome lone cloifter's drear retreat, 
 
 And end her forrows there: 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 " For what can life afford, (fhe faid) 
 
 " How gay foe'er it be ? 
 u Since haply now Alonzo's dead, 
 
 u Or, living, dead to me :
 
 ( rf ) 
 
 XLV. 
 
 " In vain fhall Fortune o'er my days 
 " With kind indulgence fmile ; 
 
 t In vain attempt my grief t'appeafe, 
 '* And Mifery beguile : 
 
 XL VI. 
 
 " Tho' Grandeur, Titles, Birth be found 
 
 " Among my fuitor train; 
 *' The hopes of none mall e'er be crown'dj 
 
 t With what they wifh to gain : 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 " To thee, Religion, then I fly, 
 
 " Beft folace of my woe ! 
 u Tis thine, if Peace her fweets deny, 
 
 " Some comfort to beftow,"
 
 ( *7 ) 
 
 XLVIII. 
 
 Now to a convent far remov'd, 
 Her forrowing courfe fhe bends ; 
 
 That courfe a father much belov'd 
 With fondefl care attends. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 Our youthful hermit's wild abode 
 In tufted verdure flood, 
 
 Clofe bord'ring on that very road 
 The travellers purfu'd ; 
 
 L. 
 
 Who fought in hafle, as paffing by, 
 
 The fhelter of this grove ; 
 
 Forc'd from th* impending florm to fly, 
 
 That lower'd from above. 
 F
 
 ( I ) 
 
 tr. 
 
 What ftrange emotions of furpritfe! 
 
 Alonzo's foril invade, 
 To fee Ma-'rceila's image rife 
 
 Within his rural tfhade : 
 
 Yet would he not 3iimfe declare, 
 Till by fome means he knew 
 
 If time, and^abfence, could impair 
 A paffion long fo true : 
 
 LIII. 
 
 From yfln black, threat'ning Iky, fecure, 
 u Thrice welcome to this place- 
 " But ah ! no mortal beauty fure 
 *' My manfion deigns to grace : 
 
 tc
 
 ( >l ) 
 
 LIV. 
 
 " Tell, tell me, lovely fair, (he cries) 
 " For much thou feem'ft opprefs'd, 
 
 " What griefs thus prompt thy lab'ring fighs ? 
 " And rankle in thy breaft ? 
 
 m 
 
 " Does Love its pois'nous influence fhed ? 
 
 " And on thy peace intrude ? 
 u I once, by hopes delufive led, 
 
 u That fleeting blifs purfu'd. 
 
 LVI. 
 
 " Come then, difclofe each fecret woe, 
 
 " That in thy mind is found -, 
 " Some balm, experienc'd Age may know, 
 To heal Affliction's wound." 
 
 u
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
 LVII. 
 
 Her moving tale, in which he bore 
 
 By far the tend'reft part, 
 Mar cell a tells; whofc words reftore 
 
 Loft comfort to his heart. 
 
 LVIII. 
 
 " Let patient Hope a while relieve* 
 " And lull thy pangs to reft j 
 
 u Thy dear Alonzo ye^ may live* 
 u And thou, fond maid, be bleft 1 
 
 LIX. 
 
 * Shall then thofe eyes with cheering ray 
 
 " No longer glad his heart? 
 " But gild fome cloyfter's gloom with day,, 
 
 " That vainly they'll impart?
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 LX. 
 
 ** And mall thole lips, whofe balm divine 
 " Could foothe his am'rous pain, 
 
 " Now pour before fome lifelefs (hrine 
 " Their orifons in vain ? 
 
 LXI. 
 
 " Shall all thefe beauties ferve but die 
 
 " Reflections thus unjuft - 
 " To feed a PrienVs lafcivious eye, 
 , " Nay, more, perhaps his luft ? 
 
 LXII. 
 
 u Let Love forbid thy ram intent ; 
 
 " And mould not Love fucceed, 
 U Thy own Alonzo mail prevent 
 
 " The fatal, timelefs deed." 
 G
 
 ( 22 ) 
 
 LXIII. 
 
 He fpoke -no more the hermit's drefs 
 
 His native form conceals, 
 Thrown by, his features, voice confefs 
 
 The truth his tongue reveals : 
 
 LXIV. 
 
 The well-known youth Marcella views- 
 Then flies to his embrace 
 
 O'erpow'ring Joy each fenfe fubdues, 
 And Palenefs fpreads her face : 
 
 LXV. 
 Thus for a time (he lay entranced 
 
 Within her lover's arms, 
 Whofe wand'ring eyes with rapture glanc'd 
 
 O'er all her much lov'd charms -,
 
 ( *3 ) 
 
 LXVI. 
 
 The crimfon, that a while forfook 
 Her check, now warmer glows- 
 New life (he feels, and ev'ry look 
 The tender tranfport mows. 
 
 LXVII. 
 
 Alonzo ftraight his tale unfolds*- 
 
 Amaz'd the father hears ; 
 His daughter, and the youth, beholds 
 
 By turns ; then melts in tears : 
 
 LXVIII. 
 
 " Fly hence, (he cries) my children, fly," 
 And ftrains them to his heart; 
 
 ' Danger unfeen may foon be nigh, 
 " Far hence with fpeed depart."
 
 ( H ) 
 
 Ere long, tmbark'd with fccrotx;arc, 
 They to Aus oni A ftcerj 
 
 To tafte the joys of wedlock there, 
 Which Fate denies them here. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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