For my part, who had not with the calmest patience stood
in the water all this time, to view this warm action, I lean'd
tenderly on my gallant, and at the close of it, seemed'd to
ask him with my eyes what he thought of it; but he, more eager
to satisfy me by his actions than by words or looks, as we
shoal'd the water towards the shore, shewed me the staff of
love so intensely set up, that had not even charity beginning
at home in this case, urged me to our mutual relief, it would
have been cruel indeed to have suffered the youth to burst
with straining, when the remedy was so obvious and so near at
hand.
Accordingly we took to a bench, whilst Emily and her
spark, who belonged it seems to the sea, stood at the side-
board, drinking to our good voyage: for, as the last observ'd,
we were well under weigh, with a fair wind up channel, and
full-freighted; nor indeed were we long before we finished our
trip to Cythera, and unloaded in the old haven; but, as the
circumstances did not admit of much variation, I shall spare
you the description.
At the same time, allow me to place you here an excuse
I am conscious of owing you, for having, perhaps, too much
affected the figurative style; though surely, it can pass no-
where more allowably than in a subject which is so properly
the province of poetry, nay, is poetry itself, pregnant with
every flower of imagination and loving metaphors, even were
not the natural expressions, for respects of fashion and
sound, necessarily forbid it.
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