Lurk’d in my infant’s rosy smile,

And when his accents lisp’d my name,

They woke my inmost heart to flame!

I struggled—are there evil powers

That claim their own ascendant hours?

—Oh! what should thine unspotted soul

Or know or fear of their control?

Why on the fearful conflict dwell?

Vainly I struggled, and I fell—

Cast down from every hope of bliss—