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104 Juvenile Letters [[Italicized]]

Sad Philomel! ah, quit thy haunt,
  Yon distant woods among,
And round my friendly grotto chaunt
  Thy sweetly plaintive song.

Let not the harmless Redbreast fear,
  Domestic bird, to come
And seek a sure asylum here,
  With one that loves his home.

My trees for you, ye artless tribe,
  Shall store of fruit preserve ;
Oh, let me thus your friendship bribe !
  Come, feed without reserve.

For you there cheries I protect,
  To you these plums belong;
Sweet is the fruit that you have peck'd,
  But sweeter far your song.

Let then this league betwixt us made,
  Our mutual interest guard,
Mine be the gift of fruit and shade;
  Your songs be my reward.
         Adieu.
                               FANNY BLOOMFIELD
Mifs Helen Herbert [[Italicized]]

Juvenile Letters [[Italicized]] 105

LETTER XXXVI.

From Mifs MARGARET MANSFIELD to Mifs SOPHIA STANLEY. [[Italicized]]
                     Portland, March 10th, 1803.
DEAR SOPHIA,
     OUR greatly beloved, and much lamented A Amanda is no more! No doubt, you were prepared to receive the mournful tidings, as you muft have heard, from time to time, of her declining ftate. Her immortal part took its flight, as we truft for celeftial regions, on Monday laft, at five o'clock in the afternoon. I was with her for feveral hours before fhe breathed her laft; and I am glad I was there. I hope I fhall find by experience, that "it is better to go to the houfe of mournings, than to the houfe of feafting." Several of her acquaintance were prefent; and I wifh you, my dear Sophia, had made one of the number. Such a fermon as fhe preached I never before heard! She was but a little over fixteen, about one year older than myfelf; and yet it was ob-
ferved