John Brett. Portrait of Christina Rossetti. 1857.
The Bijou

The Bijou;

or Annual of Literature and the Arts

compiled by William Fraser

London: William Pickering,

1828

pp. pp. 191-192
[Page 191]page image and link
The Lover's Invocation: , Imitated from an Unpublished French Poem
By Miss Mitford
COME night, and spread thy shadowy veil 1
Across the still too glorious sky! 2
Come night, dark, silent, misty, pale, — 3
As best befits a lover's sigh! 4
Suspend the course of yonder rill 5
That murmurs o'er the mossy ground; 6
My Julia comes — be still! be still! 7
For love will fly the lightest sound. 8

Come night, and wrap in heaviest sleep 9
The guardian harsh who caused me to woe, 10
His senses in sweet visions steep, 11
And laughing lies around him throw! 12
Oh! be he cradled in such dreams 13
As poets view with waking eyes! 14
Prolong the soul enchanting themes, 15
And charm the doubt that never dies! 16

[Page 192]page image and link
Come night! — For see across the green, 17
Hies with quick step the timid maid — 18
Hush the soft breeze that lulled the scene, 19
And bid the silvery moon- beam fade! 20
For she, that timorous maid, would start 21
E'en at thy stars' mild lustre, night! 22
List trembling to her beating heart, 23
And fly the glow- worm's emerald light. 24