This child of Venus and Bacchus presided over marriages, and has the
appearance of a beautiful youth, holding a torch in his hand, and in the
other a purple garment, with his head ornamented by a crown of roses.
"Till Hymen brought his love-delighted hour.
There dwelt no joy in Eden's rosy bower!
In vain the viewless seraph lingering there,
At starry midnight charmed the silent air;
In vain the wild bird carolled on the steep
To hail the sun, slow wheeling from the deep;
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In vain, to soothe the solitary shade,
Aerial notes in mingling pleasure played;
The Summer wind that shook the spangled trees,
The whispering wave, the murmuring of the breeze;
Still slowly passed the melancholy day,
And still the stranger wist not where to stray.
The world was sad; the garden was a wild!
And man, the hermit, sighed,--till woman smiled!"