TOM[ARY]L[AETITIA]F[IELD]

tomrs.f[ield]

onherreturnfromgibraltar

jane,youarewelcomefromthebarrenrock,

andcalpe'ssoundingshores.ohdonotmock,

nowyouhaverais'd,ourgreetings;noragain

everrevisitthatdrynookofspain.

friendshaveyouhere,andfriendshipstocommand,

inmerryengland.lovethisheartyland.

ease,comfort,competence—ofthesepossess'd,

letprodigaladventurersseektherest:

dearenglandisasyou,—afieldthelordhathblest.

tom[ary]l[aetitia]f[ield]

(expectingtoseeheragainafteralonginterval)

howmanywasting,manywastedyears,

haveruntheirround,sinceibeheldyourface!

inmemory'sdimeyeityetappears

crowned,asitthenseemed,withachearfulgrace.

youngprattlingmaiden,onthethames'fairside,

enliveningpleasantsunburywithyoursmiles,

timemayhavechangedyou:coyreserve,orpride,

tosullenlooksreducedthosemirthfulwiles.

iwillnot'bateonesmileonthatclearbrow,

buttakeoftimearigorousaccount,

whennextiseeyou;andmarianow

mustbethethingshewas.towhatamount

theseverseselse?—allhollowanduntrue—

thiswasnotwrit,theselinesnotmeant,foryou.