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STANZAS WRITTEN BY MOONLIGHT by ROYALL TYLER

First Line: THE FULL ORBED MOON OVER THE BLUE ARCH OF HEAVEN
Last Line: THE DISTANT SCENES, AND ABSENT FRIENDS I LOVE.

THE full orb'd moon o'er the blue arch of heaven
Serenely sails;
Breathes through the whispering groves the breath of even,
In cooling gales.
As on the planetary worlds I gaze,
Which gild the pole,
Scenes of past times, and deeds of other days
Steal o'er my soul.
England's white cliffs in fancy's visions shine,
Beetling the main,
Where my young muse, at Nature's lovely shrine,
Pour'd her first strain.
Ah! scenes belov'd, which from my pensive breast
Force the warm sigh.
When shall I from my weary wanderings rest
Beneath your sky?
Oh! when shall I retrace my native plain
And favourite grove?
When shall my throbbing bosom greet again
The friends I love?
Fair is Columbia's land, where Nature pours
Her richest stores;
Fair as the laughing vales and genial bowers
On Albion's shores;
Yet Fancy ever loves the spot to trace,
With fond delight.
When wing'd with rapture, life's young moments flew,
Unstain'd and bright.
Where many a warm affection round the heart
Entwin'd its chain.
Kind friendship, candid pity's generous part,
And love's sweet pain....
Shine, then, thou full orb'd moon, and breathe, soft gale
Among the grove;
And as I wander o'er the silvery vale,
In pensive musings oft shall memory hail
The distant scenes, and absent friends I love.



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