A Little Girl Lost

 　　Children of the future age,

　　Reading this indignant page,

　　Know that in a former time

　　Love, sweet love, was thought a crime.

　　In the age of gold,

　　Free from winter's cold,

　　Youth and maiden¹ bright,

　　To the holy light,

　　Naked in the sunny beams delight.

　　Once a youthful pair,

　　Filled with softest care,

　　Met in garden bright

　　Where the holy light

　　Had just removed the curtains of the night.

　　There, in rising day,

　　On the grass they play;

　　Parents were afar,

　　Strangers came not near,

　　And the maiden soon forgot her fear.

　　Tired with kisses sweet,

　　They agree to meet

　　When the silent sleep

　　Waves o'er heaven's deep,

　　And the weary tired wanderers weep.

　　To her father white

　　Came the maiden bright;

　　But his loving look,

　　Like the holy book,

　　All her tender limbs with terror shook.

　　Ona, pale and weak,

　　To thy father speak!

　　O the trembling fear!

　　O the dismal² care

　　That shakes the blossoms of my hoary³ hair!'

1 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

2 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

3 hoary   

adj.古老的；鬓发斑白的

参考例句：

• They discussed the hoary old problem.他们讨论老问题。
• Without a word spoken,he hurried away,with his hoary head bending low.他什么也没说，低着白发苍苍的头，匆匆地走了。