L'Amitié est L'Amour sans Ailes

1. 1Why should my anxious breast repine,
2. 2Because my youth is fled?
3. 3Days of delight may still be mine;
4. 4Affection is not dead.
5. 5In tracing back the years of youth,
6. 6One firm record, one lasting truth
7. 7Celestial consolation brings;
8. 8Bear it, ye breezes, to the seat,
9. 9Where first my heart responsive beat,--
10. 10"Friendship is Love without his wings!"

1. 11Through few, but deeply chequer'd years,
2. 12What moments have been mine!
3. 13Now half obscured by clouds of tears,
4. 14Now bright in rays divine;
5. 15Howe'er my future doom be cast,
6. 16My soul, enraptured with the past,
7. 17To one idea fondly clings;
8. 18Friendship! that thought is all thine own,
9. 19Worth worlds of bliss, that thought alone--
10. 20"Friendship is Love without his wings!"

1. 21Where yonder yew-trees lightly wave
2. 22Their branches on the gale,
3. 23Unheeded heaves a simple grave,
4. 24Which tells the common tale;
5. 25Round this unconscious schoolboys stray,
6. 26Till the dull knell of childish play
7. 27From yonder studious mansion rings;
8. 28But here, whene'er my footsteps move,
9. 29My silent tears too plainly prove,
10. 30"Friendship is Love without his wings!"

1. 31Oh, Love! before thy glowing shrine,
2. 32My early vows were paid;
3. 33My hopes, my dreams, my heart was thine,
4. 34But these are now decay'd;
5. 35For thine are pinions like the wind,
6. 36No trace of thee remains behind,
7. 37Except, alas! thy jealous stings.
8. 38Away, away! delusive power,
9. 39Thou shall not haunt my coming hour;
10. 40Unless, indeed, without thy wings.

1. 41Seat of my youth! thy distant spire
2. 42Recalls each scene of joy;
3. 43My bosom glows with former fire,--
4. 44In mind again a boy.
5. 45Thy grove of elms, thy verdant hill,
6. 46Thy every path delights me still,
7. 47Each flower a double fragrance flings;
8. 48Again, as once, in converse gay,
9. 49Each dear associate seems to say,
10. 50"Friendship is Love without his wings!'

1. 51My Lycus! wherefore dost thou weep?
2. 52Thy falling tears restrain;
3. 53Affection for a time may sleep,
4. 54But, oh, 'twill wake again.
5. 55Think, think, my friend, when next we meet,
6. 56Our long-wished interview, how sweet!
7. 57From this my hope of rapture springs;
8. 58While youthful hearts thus fondly swell,
9. 59Absence my friend, can only tell,
10. 60"Friendship is Love without his wings!"

1. 61In one, and one alone deceiv'd,
2. 62Did I my error mourn?
3. 63No--from oppressive bonds reliev'd,
4. 64I left the wretch to scorn.
5. 65I turn'd to those my childhood knew,
6. 66With feelings warm, with bosoms true,
7. 67Twin'd with my heart's according strings;
8. 68And till those vital chords shall break,
9. 69For none but these my breast shall wake
10. 70Friendship, the power deprived of wings!

1. 71Ye few! my soul, my life is yours,
2. 72My memory and my hope;
3. 73Your worth a lasting love insures,
4. 74Unfetter'd in its scope;
5. 75From smooth deceit and terror sprung,
6. 76With aspect fair and honey'd tongue,
7. 77Let Adulation wait on kings;
8. 78With joy elate, by snares beset,
9. 79We, we, my friends, can ne'er forget,
10. 80"Friendship is Love without his wings!"

1. 81Fictions and dreams inspire the bard,
2. 82Who rolls the epic song;
3. 83Friendship and truth be my reward--
4. 84To me no bays belong;
5. 85If laurell'd Fame but dwells with lies,
6. 86Me the enchantress ever flies,
7. 87Whose heart and not whose fancy sings;
8. 88Simple and young, I dare not feign;
9. 89Mine be the rude yet heartfelt strain,
10. 90"Friendship is Love without his wings!"