“George, that I love thee why should I suppress?
For ’tis a love that virtue may profess—
Parental—frown not—tender, fix’d, sincere; }
Thou art for dearer ties by much too dear, }
And nearer must not be, thou art so very near. }
Nay, do not reason, prudence, pride agree,
Our very feelings, that it must not be? 440
Nay, look not so, I shun the task no more,
But will to thee thy better self restore.
“Then hear, and hope not; to the tale I tell