all-pow'rful hand Awful his looks but rude in his Address And his Authority roughly did express His violent Hands he on Aminta laid And out of mine snatch'd the dear trembling Maid So suddenly as hinder'd my defence And she cou'd only say in parting thence Forgive Lisander what by force I do Since nothing else can ravish me from you Make no resistance I obey Devoir Who values not thy Tears thy Force or Prayer Retain thy Faith and Love Aminta still Since she abandons thee against her Will. Immoveable I remain'd with this surprize Nor durst reply so much as with my Eyes I saw her go but was of Sense bereav'd And only knew from what I heard I liv'd Yes yes I heard her last Commands and thence By violent degrees retriev'd my Sense Ye Gods in this your Mercy was severe You might have spar'd the useless favour here But the first Thoughts my Reason did conceive Were to pursue the injurious Fugitive Raving that way I did my haste direct But once more met the Reverend Respect From whom I strove my self to dis-ingage And faign'd a calmness to disguise my Rage In vain was all the Cheat he soon perceiv'd Spight of my Smiles how much and why I griev'd Saw my despairs and what I meant to do And begg'd I wou'd the rash Design forego A thousand dangers he did represent T' win me from the desperate attempt I ever found his Counsel just and good And now resolv'd it shou'd not be withstood Thus he ore-came my Rage but did not free My Soul from Griefs more painful Tyranny Grief tho' more soft did not less cruel prove Madness is easier far then hopeless Love I parted thus but knew not what to do Nor where I went nor did I care to know With folded Arms with weeping Eyes declin'd I search the unknown shade I cou'd not find And mixt my constant Sighs with flying Wind. By slow unsteady steps the Paths I trace Which undesign'd conduct me to a place Fit for a Soul distrest obscur'd with shade Lonely and sit for Love and Sorrow made The Murmuring Boughs themselves together twist And 't wou'd allow to Grief her self some rest Inviron'd 'tis with lofty Mountains round From whence the Eccho's Sighs and Crys rebound Here in the midst and thickest of the Wood Cover'd with bending Shades a Castle stood Where Absence that dejected Maid remains Who nothing but her Sorrow entertains ABSENCE HER mourning languid Eyes are rarely shown Vnless to those afflicted like her own Her lone Apartment all obscure as Night Discover'd only by a glimmering Light Weeping she sate her Face with Grief dismaid Which all its natural sweetness has decaid Yet in despight of Grief there does appear The ruin'd Monuments of what was fair E'r cruel Love and Grief had took possession there These made her old without the aid of Years Worn out and faint with lingring hopes and fears She seldom answers ought but with her Tears No Train attends she only is obey'd By Melancholy that soft silent Maid A Maid that fits her Humour every way With whom she passes all the tedious day No other object can her Mind content She Feeds and Flatters all her languishment The noisy Streams that from high Mountains fall And water all the Neighbouring flowry Vale The Murmurs of the Rivulets that glide Against the bending Seges on the side Of mournful Birds the sad and tuneful Noats The Bleats of straggling Lambs and new yean'd Goats The distant Pipe of some lone Mountain Swain Who to his injur'd Passion fits his strain Is all the Harmony her Soul can entertain On a strict league of Friendship we agree For I was sad and as forlorn as she To all her Humours I conform my own Together Sigh together Weep and Moan Like her to Woods and Fountains I retreat And urge the pitying Eccho's to repeat My tale of Love and at each Period sound Aminta's name and bear it all around Whilst listening Voices do the charm reply And lost in mixing Air together dye There minutes like dull days creep slowly on And every day I drag an Age along The coming hours cou'd no more pleasures hast Than those so insupportably I 'd past I rav'd I wept I wisht but all in vain The distant Maid nor saw nor eas'd my pain With my sad tale each tender Bark I fill This soft complaints and that my Ravings tell This bears vain Curses on my cruel fate And Blessings on the Charming Virgin that The Willow by the lonely Spring that grows And o're the Stream bends his forsaken Boughs I call Lisander they like him I find Murmur and ruffl'd are with every Wind On the young springing Beech that 's straight and tall I Carve her name and that Aminta call But where I see an Oak that Climbs above The rest and grows the Monster of the Grove Whose pow'rful Arms when aiding Winds do blow Dash all the tender twining Shades below And even in Calms maliciously do spread That naught beneath can thrive imbrace or breed Whose mischiefs far exceed his fancy'd good Honour I call him Tyrant of the Wood. Thus rove from Thought to Thought without relief A change 't is true but 't is from Grief to Grief Which when above my silence they prevail With Love I 'm froward on my Fortune rail And to the Winds breathe my neglected Tale. To LOVE I. FOnd Love thy pretty Flatteries cease That feeble Hope you give Vnless ' twoud make my happiness In vain dear Boy in vain you strive It cannot keep my tortur'd Heart alive II. Tho' thou shou'dst give me all the Ioys Luxurious Monarch's do possess Without Aminta 't is but empty noise Dull and insipid happiness And you in vain invite me to a Feast Where my Aminta cannot be a Guest III. Ye glorious Trifles I renounce ye all Since she no part of all your splendour makes Let the Dull unconcern'd obey your call Let the gay Fop who his Pert Courtship takes For Love whilst he Profanes your Deity Be Charm'd and Pleas'd with all your necessary vanity IV. But give me leave whose Soul 's inspir'd With sacred but despairing Love To dye from all your noise retir'd And Buried lie within this silent Grove For whilst I Live my Soul 's a prey To insignificant desires Whilst thou fond God of Love and Play With all thy Darts with all thy useless Fires VVith all thy wanton flatteries cannot charm Nor yet the frozen-hearted Virgin warm V. Others by absence Cure their fire Me it inrages more with pain Each thought of my Aminta blows it higher And distance strengthens my desire I Faint with wishing since I wish in vain Either be gone fond Love or let me dye Hopeless desire admits no other remedy Here 't was the height of Cruelty I prov'd By absence from the sacred Maid I lov'd And here had dy'd but that Love found a way Some Letters from Aminta to convey Which all the tender marks of pity gave And hope enough to
my sight My Drooping Soul it Rais'd and Cheer'd And cast about a Dazling Light In every part there did appear The Great the God-like Rochester His Softness all his Sweetness everywhere It did advance and with a Generous Look To me Addrest to worthless me it spoke With the same wonted Grace my Muse it prais'd VVith the same Goodness did my Faults Correct And Careful of the Fame himself first rais'd Obligingly it School'd my loose Neglect The soft the moving Accents soon I knew The gentle Voice made up of Harmony Through the Known Paths of my glad Soul it flew I knew it straight it could no others be 'T was not Alied but very very he So the All-Ravisht Swain that hears The wondrous Musick of the Sphears For ever does the grateful Sound retain Whilst all his Oaten Pipes and Reeds The Rural Musick of the Groves and Meads Strive to divert him from the Heavenly Song in vain He hates their harsh and Untun'd Lays Which now no more his Soul and Fancy raise But if one Note of the remembred Air He chance again to hear He starts and in a transport cries 'T is there He knows it all by that one little taste And by that grateful Hint remembers all the rest Great Good and Excellent by what new way Shall I my humble Tribute pay For this vast Glory you my Muse have done For this great Condescention shown So Gods of old sometimes laid by Their Awful Trains of Majesty And chang'd ev'n Heav'n a while for Groves and Plains And to their Fellow-Gods preferr'd the lowly Swains And Beds of Flow'rs would oft compare To those of Downey Clouds or yielding Air At Purling Streams would drink in homely Shells Put off the God to Revel it in Woods and Shepherds Cells Would listen to their Rustick Songs and show Such Divine Goodness in Commending too Whilst the transported Swain the Honour pays With humble Adoration humble Praise The Sence of a Letter sent me made into Verse To a New Tune I. IN vain I have labour'd the Victor to prove Of a Heart that can ne'er give Admittance to Love So hard to be won That nothing so young Could e'er have resisted a Passion so long II But nothing I left unattempted or said To soften the Heart of the Pityless Maid Yet still she was shy And would blushing deny Whilst her willinger Eyes gave her Language the Lye III. When before the Impregnable Fort I lay down I resolv'd or to die or to Purchase Renown But how vain was the Boast All the Glory I lost And now vanquish'd and sham'd I 've quitted my Post. The Return I. AMyntas whilst you Have an Art to subdue And can conquer a Heart with a Look or a Smile You Pityless grow And no Faith will allow 'T is the Glory you seek when you rifle the Spoil II. Your soft warring Eyes When prepar'd for the Prize Can laugh at the Aids of my feeble Disdain You can humble the Foe And soon make her to know Tho' she arms her with Pride her Efforts are but vain III. But Shepherd beware Though a Victor you are A Tyrant was never secure in his Throne Whilst proudly you aim New Conquests to gain Some hard-hearted Nymph may return you your own On a Copy of Verses made in a Dream and sent to me in a Morning before I was Awake AMyntas if your Wit in Dreams Can furnish you with Theams What must it do when your Soul looks abroad Quick'nd with Agitations of the Sence And dispossest of Sleeps dull heavy Load When ev'ry Syllable has Eloquence And if by Chance such Wounds you make And in your Sleep such welcome Mischiefs do What are your Pow'rs when you 're awake Directed by Design and Reason too I slept as duller Mortals use Without the Musick of a Thought VVhen by a gentle Breath soft as thy Muse Thy Name to my glad Ear was brought Amyntas cry'd the Page And at the Sound My list'ning Soul unusual Pleasure sound So the Harmonius Spheres surprize VVhilst the All-Ravish'd Shepherd gazes round And wonders whence the Charms should rise That can at once both please and wound VVhilst trembling I unript the Seal Of what you 'd sent My Heart with an Impatient Zeal VVithout my Eyes would needs reveal Its Bus'ness and Intent But so beyond the Sence they were Of ev'ry scribling Lovers common Art That now I find an equal share Of Love and Admiration in my Heart And while I read in vain I strove To hide the Pleasure which I took Bellario saw in ev'ry Look My smiling Joy and blushing Love Soft ev'ry word easie each Line and true Brisk witty manly strong and gay The Thoughts are tender all and new And Fancy ev'ry where does gently play Amyntas if you thus go on Like an unwearied Conqueror day and night The World at last must be undone You do not only kill at sight But like a Parthian in your flight Whether you Rally or Retreat You still have Arrows for Defeat To my Lady Morland at Tunbrige AS when a Conqu'rour does in Triumph come And proudly leads the vanquish'd Captives home The Joyful People croud in ev'ry Street And with loud shouts of Praise the Victor greet While some whom Chance or Fortune kept away Desire at least the Story of the Day How brave the Prince how gay the Chariot was How beautiful he look'd with what a Grace Whether upon his Head he Plumes did wear Or if a Wreath of Bays adorn'd his Hair They hear 't is wondrous fine and long much more To see the Hero then they did before So when the Marvels by Report I knew Of how much Beauty Cloris dwelt in you How many Slaves your Conqu'ring Eyes had won And how the gazing Crowd admiring throng I wish'd to see and much a Lover grew Of so much Beauty though my Rivals too I came and saw and blest my Destiny I found it Just you should out-Rival me 'T was at the Altar where more Hearts were giv'n To you that day then were address'd to Heav'n The Rev'rend Man whose Age and Mystery Had rendred Youth and Beauty Vanity By fatal Chance casting his Eyes your way Mistook the duller Bus'ness of the Day Forgot the Gospel and began to Pray VVhilst the Enamour'd Crowd that near you prest Receiving Darts which none could e'er resist Neglected the Mistake o' th' Love-sick Priest Ev'n my Devotion Cloris you betray'd And I to Heaven no other Petition made But that you might all other Nymphs out-do In Cruelty as well as Beauty too I call'd Amyntas Faithless Swain before But now I find 't is Just he should Adore Not to love you a wonder sure would be Greater then all his Perjuries to me And whilst I Blame him I Excuse him too Who would not venture Heav'n to purchase you But Charming Cloris you too meanly prize The more deserving Glories of your Eyes If you permit him on an Amorous score To be your Slave who was my Slave before He
and see what numerous Store Of Lovers will your Ruin'd Shrine Adore Then let us Sylvia yet be wise And the Gay hasty minutes prize The Sun and Spring receive but our short Light Once sett a sleep brings an Eternal Night A Farewel to Celladon On his Going into Ireland Pindarique FArewell the Great the Brave and Good By all admir'd and understood For all thy vertues so extensive are VVrit in so noble and so plain a Character That they instruct humanity what to do How to reward and imitate 'em too The mighty Cesar found and knew The Value of a Swain so true And early call'd the Industrious Youth from Grooves VVhere unambitiously he lay And knew no greater Joyces nor Power then Loves VVhich all the day The careless and delighted Celladon Improves So the first man in Paradice was laid So blest beneath his own dear fragrant shade Till false Ambition made him range So the Almighty call'd him forth And though for Empire he did Eden change Less Charming 't was and far less worth II. Yet he obeyes and leaves the peaceful Plains The weeping Nymphs and sighing Swains Obeys the mighty voice of Iove The Dictates of his Loyalty pursues Bus'ness Debauches all his hours of Love Bus'ness whose hurry noise and news Even Natures self subdues Changes her best and first simplicity Her soft her easie quietude Into mean Arts of cunning Policy The Grave and Drudging Coxcomb to Delude Say mighty Celladon oh tell me why Thou dost thy nobler thoughts imploy In bus'ness which alone was made To teach the restless Statesman how to Trade In dark Cabals for Mischief and Design But n'ere was meant a Curse to Souls like thine Business the Check to Mirth and VVit Business the Rival of the Fair The Bane to Friendship and the Lucky Hit Onely to those that languish in Dispair Leave then that wretched troublesome Estate To him to whom forgetful Heaven Has no one other vertue given But dropt down the unfortunate To Toyl be Dull and to be Great III. But thou whose nobler Soul was fram'd For Glorious and Luxurious Ease By Wit adorn'd by Love inflam'd For every Grace and Beauty Fam'd Form'd for delight design'd to please Give Give a look to every Joy That youth and lavish Fortune can invent Nor let Ambition that false God destroy Both Heaven and Natures first intent But oh in vain is all I say And you alas must go The Mighty Caesar to obey And none so fit as you From all the Envying Croud he calls you forth He knows your Loyalty and knows your worth He 's try'd it oft and put it to the Test It grew in Zeal even whilst it was opprest The great the Godlike Celladon Unlike the base Examples of the times Cou'd never be Corrupted never won To stain his honest blood with Rebel Crimes Fearless unmov'd he stood amidst the tainted Crowd And justify'd and own'd his Loyalty aloud IV. Hybernia hail Hail happy Isle Be glad and let all Nature smile Ye Meads and Plains send forth your Gayest Flowers Ye Groves and every Purling Spring VVhere Lovers sigh and Birds do sing Be glad and gay for Celladon is yours He comes he comes to grace your Plains To Charm the Nymphs and bless the Swains Ecchoes repeat his Glorious Name To all the Neighbouring Woods and Hills Ye Feather'd Quire chant forth his Fame Ye Fountains Brooks and Wan'dring Rills That through the Meadows in Meanders run Tell all your Flowry Brinks the generous Swain is come VI. Divert him all ye pretty Solitudes And give his Life some softning Interludes That when his weari'd mind would be From Noise and Rigid Bus'ness free He may upon your Mossey Beds lye down Where all is Gloomy all is Shade With some dear Shee whom Nature made To be possest by him alone Where the soft tale of Love She breathes Mixt with the rushing of the wind-blown leaves The different Notes of Cheerful Birds And distant Bleating of the Herds Is Musick far more ravishing and sweet Then all the Artful Sounds that please the noisey Great VII Mix thus your Toiles of Life with Joyes And for the publick good prolong your days Instruct the VVorld the great Example prove Of Honour Friendship Loyalty and Love And when your busier hours are done And you with Damon sit alone Damon the honest brave and young VVhom we must Celebrate where you are sung For you by Sacred Friendship ty'd Nor Love nor Fate can nere divide VVhen your agreeing thoughts shall backward run Surveying all the Conquests you have won The Swaines you 'ave left the sighing Maids undone Try if you can a fatal prospect take Think if you can a soft Idea make Of what we are now you are gone Of what we feel for Celladon VIII 'T is Celladon the witty and the gay That blest the Night and cheer'd the world all Day 'T is Celladon to whom our Vows belong And Celladon the Subject of our Song For whom the Nymphs would dress the Swains rejoice The praise of these of those the choice And if our Joyes were rais'd to this Excess Our Pleasures by thy presence made so great Some pittying God help thee to guess What Fancy cannot well Express Our Languishments by thy Retreat Pitty our Swaines pitty our Virgins more And let that pitty haste thee to our shore And whilst on happy distant Coasts you are Afford us all your sighs and Cesar all your care On a Juniper-Tree cut down to make Busks WHilst happy I Triumphant stood The Pride and Glory of the Wood My Aromatick Boughs and Fruit Did with all other Trees dispute Had right by Nature to excel In pleasing both the tast and smell But to the touch I must confess Bore an Ungrateful Sullenness My Wealth like bashful Virgins I Yielded with some Reluctancy For which my vallue should be more Not giving easily my store My verdant Branches all the year Did an Eternal Beauty wear Did ever young and gay appear Nor needed any tribute pay For bounties from the God of Day Nor do I hold Supremacy In all the Wood o'er every Tree But even those too of my own Race That grow not in this happy place But that in which I glory most And do my self with Reason boast Beneath my shade the other day Young Philocles and Cloris lay Upon my Root she lean'd her head And where I grew he made their Bed Whilst I the Canopy more largely spread Their trembling Limbs did gently press The kind supporting yielding Grass Ne'er half so blest as now to bear A Swain so Young a Nimph so fair My Grateful Shade I kindly lent And every aiding Bough I bent So low as sometimes had the blisse To rob the Shepherd of a kiss Whilst he in Pleasures far above The Sence of that degree of Love Permitted every stealth I made Unjealous of his Rival Shade I saw 'em kindle to desire VVhilst with soft sighs they blew the fire Saw the approaches of their joy He growing more
into this Confused Order fell If Magick could be wrought on things Divine Some Amorous Sybil did thy Form design In some soft hour which the Prophetick Maid In Nobler Mysteries of Love employ'd Wrought thee a Hieroglyphick to express The wanton God in all his Tenderness Thus shaded and thus all adorn'd with Charms Harmless Unfletch'd without Offensive Arms He us'd of Old in shady Groves to Play E'er Swains broke Vows or Nymphs were vain and coy Or Love himself had Wings to fly away Or was it his Almighty Pow'r to prove Design'd a Quiver for the God of Love And all these shining Hairs which th'inspir'd Maid Has with such strange Mysterious Fancy laid Are meant his Shafts the subt'lest surest Darts That ever Conqu'red or Secur'd his Hearts Darts that such tender Passions do convey Not the young Wounder is more soft than they 'T is so the Riddle I at last have learn'd But found it when I was too far concern'd The Dream A Song I. THe Grove was gloomy all around Murm'ring the Streams did pass Where fond Astrea laid her down Upon a Bed of Grass I slept and saw a piteous sight Cupid a weeping lay Till both his little Stars of Light Had wept themselves away II. Methought I ask'd him why he cry'd My Pity led me on All sighing the sad Boy reply'd Alas I am undone As I beneath yon Myrtles lay Down by Diana's Springs Amyntas stole my Bow away And Pinion'd both my Wings III. Alas cry'd I 't was then thy Darts Wherewith he wounded me Thou Mighty Deity of Hearts He stole his Pow'r from thee Revenge thee if a God thou be Upon the Amorous Swain I 'll set thy Wings at Liberty And thou shalt fly again IV. And for this Service on my Part All I implore of thee Is That thou 't wound Amyntas Heart And make him die for me His Silken Fetters I Unty'd And the gay Wings display'd Which gently fann'd he mounts and cry'd Farewel fond easie Maid V. At this I blush'd and angry grew I should a God believe And waking found my Dream too true Alas I was a Slave A Letter to a Brother of the Pen in Tribulation POor Damon Art thou caught Is 't ev'n so Art thou become a Tabernacler too Where sure thou dost not mean to Preach or Pray Unless it be the clean contrary way This holy time I little thought thy sin Deserv'd a Tub to do its Pennance in O how you 'll for th' Aegyptian Flesh-pots wish When you 'r half-famish'd with your Lenten-dish Your Almonds Currans Biskets hard and dry Food that will Soul and Body mortifie Damn'd Penetential Drink that will infuse Dull Principles into thy Grateful Muse. Pox on 't that you must needs be fooling now Just when the Wits had greatest need of you Was Summer then so long a coming on That you must make an Artificial one Much good may 't do thee but 't is thought thy Brain E'er long will wish for cooler Days again For Honesty no more will I engage I durst have sworn thou'dst had thy Pufillage Thy Looks the whole Cabal have cheated too But thou wilt say most of the Wits do so Is this thy writing Plays who thought thy Wit An Interlude of Whoring would admit To Poetry no more thou'lt be inclin'd Unless in Verse to damn all VVoman-kind And 't is but Just thou shouldst in Rancor grow Against that Sex that has Confin'd thee so All things in Nature now are Brisk and Gay At the Approaches of the Blooming May The new-fletch'd Birds do in our Arbors sing A Thousand Airs to welcome in the Spring VVhilst ev'ry Swain is like a Bridegroom drest And ev'ry Nymph as going to a Feast The Meadows now their slowry Garments wear And ev'ry Grove does in its Pride appear VVhilst thou poor Damon in close Rooms art pent Where hardly thy own Breath can find a vent Yet that too is a Heaven compar'd to th' Task Of Codling every Morning in a Cask Now I could curse this Female but I know She needs it not that thus cou'd handle you Besides that Vengeance does to thee belong And 't were Injustice to disarm thy Tongue Curse then dear Swain that all the Youth may hear And from thy dire Mishap be taught to fear Curse till thou hast undone the Race and all That did contribute to thy Spring and Fall The Reflection A Song I. POOR Lost Serena to Bemoan The Rigor of her Fate High'd to a Rivers-side alone Upon whose Brinks she sat Her Eyes as if they would have spar'd The Language of her Tongue In Silent Tears a while declar'd The Sense of all her wrong II. But they alas too feeble were Her Grief was swoln too high To be Exprest in Sighs and Tears She must or speak or dye And thus at last she did complain Is this the Faith said she Which thou allowest me Cruel Swain For that I gave to thee III. Heaven knows with how much Innocence I did my Soul Incline To thy Soft Charmes of Eloquence And gave thee what was mine I had not one Reserve in Store But at thy Feet I lay'd Those Arms that Conquer'd heretofore Tho' now thy Trophies made IV. Thy Eyes in Silence told their Tale Of Love in such a way That 't was as easie to Prevail As after to Betray And when you spoke my Listning Soul Was on the Flattery Hung And I was lost without Controul Such Musick grac'd thy Tongue V. Alas how long in vain you strove My coldness to divert How long besieg'd it round with Love Before you won the Heart What Arts you us'd what Presents made What Songs what Letters writ And left no Charm that cou'd invade Or with your Eyes or Wit VI. Till by such Obligations Prest By such dear Perjuries won I heedlesly Resign'd the rest And quickly was undone For as my Kindling Flames increase Yours glimeringly decay The Rifled Joys no more can Please That once oblig'd your Stay VII Witness ye Springs ye Meads and Groves Who oft were conscious made To all our Hours and Vows of Love Witness how I 'm Betray'd Trees drop your Leaves be Gay no more Ye Rivers waste and drye Whilst on your Melancholy Shore I lay me down and dye SONG To Pesibles Tune I. 'T was when the Fields were gay The Groves and every Tree Just when the God of Day Grown weary of his Sway Descended to the Sea And Gloomy Light around did all the World survey 'T was then the Hapless Swain Amyntas to Complain Of Silvia's cold Disdâ—in Retir'd to Silent Shades Where by a Rivers Side His Tears did swell the Tide As he upon the Brink was lay'd II. Ye Gods he often cry'd Why did your Powers design In Silvia so much Pride Such Falshood to beside With Beauty so Divine VVhy should so much of Hell with so much Heaven joyn Be witness every Shade How oft the lovely Maid Her tender Vows has paid Yet with the self-same Breath With which
tender Love is all I ask again Whilst on her dang'rous Smiles fierce War must wait With Fire and Vengeance at your Palace gate Rouze your soft Slumbers with their rough Alarms And rudely snatch you from her faithless Arms Turn then fair Fugitive e'er 't is too late E'er thy mistaken Love procures thy Fate E'er a wrong'd Husband does thy Death design And pierce that dear that faithless Heart of thine A VOYAGE TO THE Isle of LOVE An Account from Lisander to Lysidas his Friend AT last dear Lysidas I 'l set thee Free From the disorders of Uncertainty Doubt's the worst Torment of a generous Mind Who ever searching what it cannot find Is roving still from wearied thought to thought And to no settled Calmness can be brought The Cowards Ill who dares not meet his Fate And ever doubting to be Fortunate Falls to that Wretchedness his fears Create I should have dy'd silent as Flowers decay Had not thy Friendship stopt me on my way That friendship which our Infant hearts inspir'd E're them Ambition or false Love had fir'd Friendship which still enlarg'd with years and sense Till it arriv'd to perfect Excellence Friendship Mans noblest bus'ness without whom The out-cast Life finds nothing it can own But Dully dyes unknowing and unknown Our searching thought serves only to impart It 's new gain'd knowledge to anothers Heart The truly wise and great by friendship grow That best instruct 'em how they should be so That only sees the Error of the Mind Which by its soft reproach becomes Refin'd Friendship which even Loves mighty power controuls When that but touches this Exchange Souls The remedy of Grief the safe retreat Of the scorn'd Lover and declining great This sacred tye between thy self and me Not to be alter'd by my Destiny This tye which equal to my new desires Preserv'd it self amidst Loves softer Fires Obliges me without reserve 't impart To Lycidas the story of my Heart Tho' 't will increase its present languishment To call to its remembrance past content So drowning Men near to their native shore From whence they parted near to visit more Look back and sigh and from that last Adieu Suffer more pain then in their Death they do That grief which I in silent Calms have born It will renew and rowse into a Storm The TRUCE With you unhappy Eyes that first let in To my fond Heart the raging Fire With you a Truce I will begin Let all your Clouds let all your Show'rs retire And for a while become serene And you my consiant rising Sighs forbear To mix your selves with flying Air But utter Words among that may express The vast degrees of Ioy and Wretchedness And you my Soul forget the dismal hour When dead and cold Aminta lay And no kind God no pittying Power The hasty fleeting Life would stay Forget the Mad the Raving pain That seiz'd Thee at a sight so new When not the Wind let loose nor raging Main Was so destructive and so wild as thou Forget thou saw'st the lovely yielding Maid Dead in thy trembling Arms Iust â—n the Ravishing hour when all her Charms A willing Victim to thy Love was laid Forget that all is fled thou didst Adore And never never shall return to bless Thee more Twelve times the Moon has borrow'd Rays that Night Might favour Lovers stealths by Glimmering Light Since I imbarqu'd on the inconstant Seas With people of all Ages and Degrees All well dispos'd and absolutely bent To visit a far Country call'd Content The Sails were hoisted and the Streamers spread And chearfully we cut the yielding Floud Calm was the Sea and peaceful every Wind As if the Gods had with our Wishes joyn'd To make us prosperous All the whispering Air Like Lovers Joys was soft and falsly fair The ruffling Winds were hush'd in wanton sleep And all the Waves were silenc'd in the deep No threatning Cloud no angry Curl was found But bright serene and smooth 't was all around But yet believe false Iris if she weep Or Amorous Layis will her promise keep Before the Sea that Flatters with a Calm Will cease to ruin with a rising Storm For now the Winds are rows'd the Hemisphere Grows black and frights the hardy Mariner The Billows all into Dis-order hurl'd As if they meant to bury all the World And least the Gods on us should pity take They seem'd against them too a War to make Now each affrighted to his Cabin Flyes And with Repentance Load the angry Skyes Distracted Prayers they all to Heaven Address While Heaven best knows they think of nothing less To quit their Interest in the World 's their fear Not whether but to go is all their Care And while to Heav'n their differing crimes they mount Their vast dis-orders doubles the account All pray and promise fair protest and weep And make those Vows they want the pow'r to keep But sure with some the angry Gods were pleas'd For by degrees their Rage and Thunder ceas'd In the rude War no more the Winds engage And the destructive Waves were tir'd with their own Rage Like a young Ravisher that has won the day O're-toil'd and Panting Calm and Breathless lay While so much Vigour in the Incounter's lost They want the pow'r a second Rape to Boast The Sun in Glory daignes again t' appear But we who had no Sense but that of fear Cou'd scarce believe and lessen our dispair Yet each from his imagin'd Grave gets out And with still doubting Eyes looks round about Confirm'd they all from Prayer to Praises hast And soon forgot the sense of dangers past And now from the recruited Top-mast spy'd An Island that discover'd Natures Pride To which was added all that Art could do To make it Tempting and Inviting too All wondering Gaz'd upon the happy place But none knew either where or what it was Some thought th' Inaccessible Land 't had been And others that Inchantment they had seen At last came forth a Man who long before Had made a Voyage to that fatal shoar Who with his Eyes declin'd as if dismaid At sight of what he dreaded Thus he said THis is the Coast of Africa Where all things sweetly move This is the Calm Atlantick Sea And that the Isle of Love To which all Mortals Tribute pay Old Young the Rich and Poor Kings do their awful Laws obey And Shepherds do Adore There 's none its forces can resist Or its Decrees Evince It Conquers where and whom it list The Cottager and Prince In entering here the King resigns The Robe and Crown he wore The Slave new Fetters gladly joyns To those he dragg'd before All thither come early or late Directed by desire Not Glory can divert their fate Nor quench the Amorous fire The Enterances on every side Thâ— Attracts and Beauties Guard The Graces with a wanton Pride By turn secure the Ward The God of Love has lent 'em Darts With which they gently Greet The heedless undefended Hearts That pass the
fatal Gate None e're escapt the welcom'd blow Which ner'e is sent in vain They Kiss the Shaft and Bless the Foe That gives the pleasing Pain Thus whilst we did this grateful story learn We came so near the Shoar as to discern The Place and Objects which did still appear More Ravishing approaching 'em more near There the vast Sea with a smooth calmness flows As are the Smiles on happy Lovers Brows As peaceably as Rivulets it glides Imbracing still the shaded Islands sides And with soft Murmurs on the Margent flows As if to Nature it design'd Repose Whose Musick still is answer'd by the Breeze That gently plays with the soft ruff'd Trees Fragrant and Flowry all the Banks appear Whos 's mixt dis-orders more delightful were Then if they had been plac'd with Artful care The Cowslip Lilly Rose and Jesamine The Daffodil the Pink and Eglintine Whose gawdy store continues all the year Makes but the meanest of the Wonders here Here the young Charmers walk the Banks a-long Here all the Graces and the Beauties throng But what did most my Admiration draw Was that the Old and Ugly there I saw Who with their Apisn Postures void of shame Still practice Youth and talk of Darts and Flame I laught to see a Lady out of date A worn out Beauty once of the first rate With youthful Dress and more fantastick Prate Setting her wither'd Face in thousand forms And thinks the while she Dresses it in charms Disturbing with her Court the busier throng Ever Addressing to the Gay and Young There an old Batter'd Fop you might behold Lavish his Love Discretion and his Gold On a fair she that has a Trick in Art To cheat him of his Politicks and Heart Whilst he that Jilts the Nation ore and ore Wants sense to find it in the subtiller W re The Man that on this Isle before had been Finding me so admire at what I 'd seen Thus said to me LOVE's Power LOVE when he Shoots abroad his Darts Regards not where they light The Aged to the Youthful Hearts At random they unite The soft un-bearded Youth who never found The Charms in any Blooming Face From one of Fifty takes the Wound And eagerly persues the cunning Chase While she an Arted Youth puts on Softens her Voice and languishes her Eyes Affects the Dress the Mean the Tone Assumes the noysy Wit and ceases to be Wise The tender Maid to the Rough Warrier yields Vnfrighted at his Wounds and Scars Pursues him through the Camps and Fields And Courts the story of his dangerous Wars With Pleasure hears his Scapes and does not fail To pay him with a Ioy for every Tale. The fair young Bigot full of Love and Prayer Doats on the lewd and careless Libertine The thinking States-man fumbles with the Player And dearly buys the barely wishing Sin The Peer with some mean Damsel of the trade Expensive common ugly and decay'd The gay young Squire on the blouz'd Landry Maid All things in Heaven in Earth and Sea Love give his Laws unto Tho' under different Objects they Alike obey and bow Sometimes to be reveng'd on those Whose Beauty makes 'em proudly nice He does a Flame on them impose To some unworthy choice Thus rarely equal Hearts in Love you 'l find Which makes 'em still present the God as Blind Whilst thus he spake my wondering Eyes were staid With a profound attention on a Maid Upon whose Smiles the Graces did a-wait And all the Beauties round about her sate Officious Cupid's do her Eyes obey Sharpning their Darts from every Conquering Ray Some from her Smiles they point with soft desires Whilst others from her Motion take their Fires Some the Imbroider'd Vail and Train do bear And some around her fan the gentle Air Whilst others flying scatter fragrant Show'rs And strow the paths she tread with painted flow'rs The rest are all imploy'd to dress her Bow'rs While she does all the smiling Gods carress And they new Attributes receive from each Address The CHARACTER SVch Charms of Youth such Ravishment Through all her Form appear'd As if in her Creation Nature meant She shou'd a-lone be ador'd and fear'd Her Eyes all sweet and languishingly move Yet so as if with pity Beauty strove This to decline and that to charm with Love A chearful Modesty adorn'd her Face And bashful Blushes spread her smiling Cheeks Witty her Air soft every Grace And 't is eternal Musick when she speaks From which young listening Gods the Accents take And when they wou'd a perfect Conquest make Teach their young favourite Lover so to speak 2. Her Neck on which all careless fell her Hair Her half discover'd rising Bosome bare Were beyond Nature form'd all Heavenly fair Tempting her dress loose with the Wind it flew Discovering Charms that wou'd alone subdue Her soft white slender Hands whose touches wou'd Beget desire even in an awful God Long Winter'd Age to tenderness wou'd move And in his Frozen Blood bloom a new spring of Love All these at once my Ravisht Senses charm'd And with unusual Fires my Bosome warm'd Thus my sixt Eyes pursu'd the lovely Maid Till they had lost her in the envied Glade Yet still I gaz'd as if I still had view'd The Object which my new desires pursu'd Lost while I stood against my Will my sight Conducted me unto a new delight Twelve little Boats were from the Banks unty'd And towards our Vessel sail'd with wondrous Pride With wreathes of Flowers and Garlands they were drest Their Cordage all of Silk and Gold consist Their Sails of silver'd Lawn and Tinsel were Which wantonly were rufâ—led in the Air. As many little Cupids gayly clad Did Row each Boat nor other guides they had A thousand Zephires Fann'd the moving Fleet Which mixing with the Flow'rs became more sweet And by repeated Kiss did assume From them a scent that did the Air perfume So near us this delightful Fleet was come We cou'd distinguish what the Cupid's sung Which oft with charming Notes they did repeat With Voices such as I shall ne're forget You that do seek with Amorous desires To tast the Pleasures of the Life below Land on this Island and renew your Fires For without Love there is no joy you know Then all the Cupids waiting no Commands With soft inviting Smiles present their Hands And in that silent Motion seem'd to say You ought to follow when Love leads the way Made with delight and all transported too I quitted Reason and resolv'd to go For that bright charming Beauty I had seen And burnt with strange desire to see agen Fill'd with new hope I laught at Reasons force And towards the Island bent my eager Course The Zephires at that instant lent their Aid And I into Loves Fleet was soon convey'd And by a thousand Friendships did receive Welcomes which none but God's of Love coud give Many possest with my Curiosity Tho' not inspir'd like me yet follow'd me And many staid behind and laught at us
And in a scoffing tone reproacht us thus Farewel Adventurers go search the Ioy Which mighty Love inspires and you shall find The treatment of the wond'rous Monarch Boy In 's Airy Castle always soft and kind We on the fragrant Beds of Roses laid And lull'd with Musick which the Zephires made When with the Amorous silken Sails they plaid Rather did them as wanting Wit account Then we in this affair did Judgment want With Smiles of pity only answer'd them Whilst they return'd us pitying ones again Now to the wisht for Shoar with speed we high Vain with our Fate and eager of our Joy And as upon the Beech we landed were An awful Woman did to us repair Goddess of Prudence who with grave advice Counsels the heedless Stranger to be Wise She guards this Shoar and Passage does forbid But now blind Sense her Face from us had hid We pass'd and dis-obey'd the heavenly Voice Which few e'er do but in this fatal place Now with impatient hast but long in vain I seek the Charming Author of my Pain And haunt the Woods the Groves and ev'ry Plain I ask each Chrystal Spring each murmuring Brook Who saw my fair or knows which way she took I ask the Eccho's when they heard her Name But they cou'd nothing but my Moans proclaim My Sighs the fleeting Winds far off do bear My Charmer coud no soft complaining hear At last where all was shade where all was Gay On a Brooks Brink which purling past away A sleep the lovely Maid extended lay Of different Flowers the Cupids made her Bed And Rosâ—y Pillows did support her Head With what transported Joy my Soul waâ— fill'd When I the Object of my wish beheld My greedy View each lovely part survey'd On her white Hand her Blushing Cheek was laid Half hid in Roses yet did so appear As if with those the Lillys mingled were Her thin loose Robe did all her shape betray Her wondrous shape that negligently lay And every Tempting Beauty did reveal But what young bashful Maids wou'd still conceal Impatient I more apt to hope than fear Approacht the Heav'nly sleeping Maid more near The place my flame and all her Charms invite To tâ—st the sacred Joys of stoln delight The Grove was silent and no Creature by But the young smiling God of Love and I But as before the awful shrine I kneel'd Where Loves great Mystery was to be reveal'd A Man from out the Groves recess appears Who all my boasted Vigor turn'd to fears He slackt my Courage by a kind surprize And aw'd me with th' Majesty of his Eyes I bow'd and blusht and trembling did retire And wonder'd at the Pow'r that checkt my fire So excellent a Mean so good a Grace So grave a Look such a commanding Face In modest Speech as might well subdue Youth 's native wildness yet 't was gracious too A little Cupid waiting by my side Who was presented to me for a guide Beholding me decline the Sleeping Maid To gaze on this Intruder Thus he said RESPECT I. HIM whom you see so awful and severe Is call'd Respect the Eldest Son of Love Esteem his Mother is who every where Is the best Advocate to all the fair And knows the most obliging Arts to move Him you must still carress and by his Grace You I conquer all the Beauties of the Place To gain him 't is not Words will do His Rhetorick is the Blush and Bow II. He even requires that you shou'd silent be And understand no Language but from Eyes Or Sighs the soft Complaints on Cruelty Which soonest move the Heart they wou'd surprize They like the Fire in Limbecks gently move What words too hot and fierce destroy These hy degrees infuse a lasting Love Whilst those do soon burn out the short blaz'd Ioy. These the all gaining Youth requires And bears to Ladies Hearts the Lambent Fires And He that wou'd against despair be proof Can never keep him Company enough Instructed thus I did my steps direct Towards the necessary Grave Respect Whom I soon won to favour my design To which young LOVE his promis'd aid did joyn This wak't Aminta who with trembling fear Wonder'd to see a stranger enter'd there With timrous Eyes the Grove she does survey Where are my LOVES she crys all fled away And left me in this gloomy shade alone And with a Man Alas I am undone Then strove to fly but I all prostrate lay And grasping fast her Robe oblig'd her stay Cease lovely Charming Maid Oh cease to fear I faintly cry'd There is no Satyr near I am of humane Race whom Beauty Aws And born an humble Slave to all her Laws Besides we 're not alone within the Grove Behold Respect and the young God of LOVE How can you fear the Man who with these two In any Shade or hour approaches you Thus by degrees her Courage took its place And usual Blushes drest again her Face Then with a Charming Air her Hand she gave She bade me rise and said she did believe And now my Conversation does permit But oh the entertainment of her Wit Beyond her Beauty did my Soul surprize Her Tongue had Charms more pow'rful than her Eyes Ah Lysidas hadst thou a list'ner been To what she said tho' her thou ne're had'st seen Without that Sense thou hadst a Captive been Guess at my Fate but after having spoke Many indifferent things Her leave she took The Night approach't and now with Thoughts opprest I minded neither where nor when to Rest When my Conducter LOVE whom I pursu'd Led to a Palace call'd Inquietude INQUIETUDE A Neighbouring Villa which derives its name From the rude sullen Mistress of the same A Woman of a strange deform'd Aspect Peevishly pensive fond of her neglect She never in one posture does remain Now leans lyes down then on her Feet again Sometimes with Snails she keeps a Lazy pace And sometimes runs like Furies in a Chase She seldom shuts her Watchful Eyes to sleep Which pale and languid does her Visage keep Her loose neglected Hair disorder'd grows Which undesign'd her Fingers discompose Still out of Humour and deprav'd in Sense And Contradictive as Impertinence Distrustful as false States-men and as nice In Plots Intrigues Intelligence and Spies To her we did our Duty pay but she Made no returns to our Civility Thence to my Bed where rest in vain I sought For pratling LOVE still entertain'd my thought And to my Mind a thousand Fancies brought Aminta's Charms and Pow'rful Attractions From whence I grew to make these soft Reflections The REFLECTION I. WHat differing Passions from what once I felt My yielding Heart do melt And all my Blood as in a Feaver burns Yet shivering Cold by turns What new variety of hopes and fears What suddain fits of Smiles and Tears Hope Why dost thou sometimes my Soul imploy With Prospects of approaching Ioy Why dost thou make me pleas'd and vain And quite forget last minutes pain What Sleep wou'd calm
of Love is still at enmity She keeps a glorious Train and glorious Court And thither Youth and Beauty still resort But oh my Soul form'd for Loves softer Sport Cou'd not endure the Rigor of her Court Which her first rude Address did so affright That I all Trembling hasted from her Sight Leaving the unconcern'd and cruel Maid And on a Rivers Bank my self all fainting laid Which River from the obdurate Rock proceeds And cast's it self i' th' Melancholy Meads The River of Despair IT s Torrent has no other source But Tears from dying Lovers Eyes Which mixt with Sighs precipitates its course Softning the sensless Rocks in gliding by Whose doleful Murmurs have such Eloquence That even the neighbouring Trees and flow'rs have pitying sense And Cruelty alone knows in what sort Against the moving sound to make defence Who laughs at all despair and Death as sport A dismal Wood the Rivers Banks do bear Securing even the day from entering there The Suns bright Rays a passage cannot find Whose Boughs make constant War against the Wind Yet though their Leaves glimmers a sullen Light Which renders all below more terrible than Night And snows upon the Bark of every Tree Sad stories carv'd of Love and Cruelty The Grove is fill'd with Sighs with Crys and Groans Reproaches and Complaints in dying Moans The Neighbouring Eccho's nothing do repeat But what the Soul sends forth with sad regret And all things there no other Murmurs make But what from Language full of death they take 'T was in this place dispairing ere to free Aminta from the Arms of Cruelty That I design'd to render up my Breath And charge the cruel Charmer with my Death The RESOLVE NOw my fair Tyrant I despise your Pow'r 'T is Death not you becomes my Conqueror This easy Trophy which your scorn Led bleeding by your Chariot-side Your haughty Victory to adorn Has broke the Fetters of your Pride Death takes his quarrel now in hand And laughs at all your Eyes can do His pow'r thy Beauty can withstand Not all your Smiles can the grim victor bow He 'll hold no Parley with your Wit Nor understands your wanton play Not all your Arts can force him to submit Not all your Charms can teach him to obey Your youth nor Beauty can inspire His frozen Heart with Love's perswasive fire Alas you cannot warm him to one soft desire Oh mighty Death that art above The pow'r of Beauty or of Love Thus sullen with my Fate sometimes I grew And then a fit of softness wou'd ensue Then weep and on my Knees implore my Fair And speak as if Aminta present were The QUESTION SAY my fair Charmer must I fall A Victim to your Cruelty And must I suffer as a Criminal Is it to Love offence enough to dye Is this the recompence at last Of all the restless hours I 've past How oft my Awe and my Respect Have fed your Pride and Scorn How h 〈…〉 your neglect Too mighty to be born How have I strove to hide that flame You seem'd to dis-approve How careful to avoid the name Of Tenderness or Love Least at that Word some guilty Blush shou'd own What your bright Eyes forbad me to make known Thus fill'd the neighbouring Eccho's with my Cry Did nothing but reproach complain and dye One day All hopeless on the Rivers Brink I stood Resolv'd to plunge into the Rapid Floud That Floud that eases Lovers in despair And puts an end to all their raging care 'T is hither those betray'd by Beauty come And from this kinder stream receive their doom Here Birds of Ominous presages Nest Securing the forlorn Inhabitants from rest Here Mid-night-Owls night-Crows and Ravens dwell Filling the Air with Melancholy Yell Here swims a thousand Swans whose doleful moan Sing dying Lovers Requiems with their own I gaz'd around and many Lovers view'd Gastly and pale who my design pursu'd But most inspir'd by some new hope or won To finish something they had left undone Some grand Important bus'ness of their Love Did from the fatal precipice remove For me no Reason my designs disswade Till Love all Breathless hasted to my Aid With force m' unfixing Feet he kindly graspt And tenderly reproacht my desperate hast Reproach'd my Courage and condemn'd my Wit That meanly cou'd t' a Womans scorn submit That cou'd to feed her Pride and make her vain Destroy an Age of Life for a short date of pain He wou'd have left me here but that I made So many friendships as did soon perswade The yielding Boy who Smil'd resolv'd and staid He rais'd my Head and did again renew His Flatteries and all the Arts he knew To call my Courage to its wonted place What cry'd he sweetly Angry shall a Face Arm'd with the weak resistance of a Frown Force us to lay our Claims and Titles down Shall Cruelty a peevish Woman prove Too strong to be overcome by Youth and Love No! rally all thy Vigor all thy Charms And force her from the cruel Tyrants Arms Come once more try th' incens'd Maid to appease Death 's in our pow'r to grasp when ere we please He said And I the heavenly voice attend Whilst towards the Rock our hasty steps we bend Before the Gates with all our forces lye Resolv'd to Conquer or resolv'd to dye In vain Love all his feeble Engines rears His soft Artillery of Sighs and Tears Were all in vain against the Winds were sent For she was proof 'gainst them and languishment Repeated Vows and Prayers mov'd no Remorse And 't was to Death alone I had Recourse Love in my Anguish bore a mighty part He pityed but he cou'd not ease my Heart A thousand several ways he had assay'd To touch the Heart of this obdurate Maid Rebated all his Arrow 's still return For she was fortify'd with Pride and Scorn The useless Weapons now away he flung Neglected lay his Ivory Bow unstrung His gentle Azure Wings were all unprun'd And the gay Plumes a fading Tinct assum'd Which down his snowy sides extended lay And now no more in wanton Motions play He blusht to think he had not left one dart Of force enough to wound Aminta's Heart He blusht to think she shou'd her freedom boast Whilst mine from the first Dart he sent was lost Thus tir'd with our Complaints whilst no relief Rescu'd the fleeting Soul from killing Grief We saw a Maid approach who 's lovely Face Disdain'd the Beauties of the common race Soft were her Eyes where unfeign'd Sorrow dwelt And on her Cheeks in pitying Show'rs they melt Soft was her Voice and tenderly it strook The eager listening Soul when e're she spoke And what did yet my Courage more augment She wore this sadness for my languishment And sighing said ah Gods have you Beheld this dying Youth and never found A pity for a Heart so true Which dyes adoring her that gave the Wound His Youth his Passion and his Constancy Merits ye God's a kinder Destiny With
make me wish to Live From Duty now the lovely Maid is freed And calls me from my lonely solitude Whose cruel Memory in a Moments space The thoughts of coming Pleasures quite deface With an impatient Lovers hast I flew To the vast Blessing Love had set in view But oh I found Aminta in a place Where never any Lover happy was RIVALS RIvals 't is call'd a Village where The Inhabitants in Fury still appear Malicious paleness or a generous red O'r every angry face is spread Their Eyes are either smiling with disdain Or fiercely glow with raging Fire Gloomy and sullen with dissembl'd pain Love in the Heart Revenge in the desire Combates Duels Challenges Is the discourse and all the busness there Respect of Blood nor sacred friendship tyes Can reconcile the Civil War Rage Horror Death and wild despair Are still Rencounter'd and still practis'd there 'T was here the lovely cruel Maid I found Incompass'd with a thousand Lovers round At my approach I saw their Blushes rise And they regarded me with angry Eyes Aminta too or else my Fancy 't was Receiv'd me with a shy and cold Address I cou'd not speak but Sigh'd retir'd and Bow'd With pain I heard her Talk and Laugh aloud And deal her Freedoms to the greedy Crowd I Curst her Smiles and envy'd every look And Swore it was too kind what e're she spoke Condemn'd her Air rail'd on her soft Address And vow'd her Eyes did her false Heart confess And vainly wisht their Charming Beauties less A Secret hatred in my Soul I bear Against these objects of my new despair I waited all the day and all in vain Not one lone minute snatcht to ease my pain Her Lovers went and came in such a sort It rather seem'd Loves-Office than his Court Made for eternal Bus'ness not his Sport Love saw my pain and found my rage grew high And led me off to lodge at Iealousie JEALOUSIE I. A Palace that is more un-easy far Then those of cruelty and absence are There constant show'rs of Hail and Rains do flow Continual Murmuring VVinds a-round do blow Eternal Thunder rowling in the Air And thick dark hanging Clouds the day obscure Whose sullen dawn all Objects multiplies And render things that are not to the Eyes Fantoms appear by the dull gloomy light That with such subtil Art delude the sight That one can see no Object true or right I here transported and impatient grow And all things out of order do Hasty and peevish every thing I say Suspicion and distrust's my Passions sway And bend all Nature that un-easy way II. A thousand Serpents gnaw the Heart A thousand Visions fill the Eyes Aud Deaf to all that can relief impart We hate the Counsel of the Wise And Sense like Tales of Lunaticks despise Faithless as Couzen'd Maids by Men undone And obstinate as new Religion As full of Error and false Notion too As Dangerous and as Politick As Humerous as a Beauty without Wit As Vain and Fancyful in all we do Thus Wreck the Soul as if it did conceal Love Secrets which by torturing ' t wo'd reveal Restless and wild ranging each Field and Grove I meet the Author of my painful Love But still surrounded with a numerous Train Of Lovers whom Love taught to Sigh and Fawn At my approach my Soul all Trembling flies And tells its soft Resentment at my Eyes My Face all pale my steps unsteady fall And faint Confusion spreads it self o're all I listen to each low breath'd Word she says And the returns the happy Answerer pays When catching half the Sense the rest Invent And turn it still to what will most Torment If any thing by Whispers she impart 'T is Mortal 't is a Dagger at my Heart And every Smile each Motion Gesture Sign In favour of some Lover I explain When I am absent in some Rivals Arms I Fancy she distributes all her Charms And if alone I find her sighing cry Some happier Lover she expects than I. So that I did not only Jealous grow Of all I saw but all I fancy'd too The COMPLAINT I. OFT in my Iealous Transports I wou'd cry Ye happy shades ye happy Bow'rs Why speaks she tenderer things to you than me Why does she Smile carress and praise your Flowers Why Sighs she opening Buds her Secrets all Into your fragrant Leaves Why does she to her Aid your sweetness call Yet take less from you than she gives Why on your Beds must you be happy made And be together with Aminta laid You from her Hands and Lips my KISSES take And never meet Reproaches from her Pride A thousand Ravishing stealths may make And even into her softer Bosome glide And there expire Oh happy Rival flowers How vainly do I wish my Fate like that of Yours II. Tell me ye silent Groves whose Gloom invites The lovely Charmer to your Solitudes Tell me for whom she languishes and sighs For whom she feels her soft Inquietudes Name me the Youth for whom she makes her Vows For she has breath'd it oft amongst your listening Boughs Oh happy confidents of her Amours How vainly do I wish my Fortune blest as Yours III. Oh happy Brooks oh happy Rivulets And Springs that in a thousand Windings move Vpon your Banks how oft Aminta sits And prattles to you all her Tale of Love Whilst your smooth surface little Circles bears From the Impressions of her falling Tears And as you wantonly reflecting pass Glide o're the lovely Image of her Face And sanctifies your stream which as you run You Boast in Murmurs to the Banks along Dear streams to whom she gives her softest hours How vainly do I wish my happiness like yours Sometimes I rail'd again and wou'd upbraid Reproachfully the charming fickle Maid Sometimes I vow'd to do 't no more But one vain short-liv'd hour Wou'd Perjure all I 'd Sworn before And Damn my fancy'd Pow'r Sometimes the sullen fit wou'd last A teadious live-long day But when the wrecking hours were past With what Impatience wou'd I hast And let her Feet weep my neglect away Quarrels are the Reserves Love keeps in store To aid his Flames and make 'em burn the more The PENITENT I. WIth Rigor Arm your self I cry'd It is but just and fit I merit all this Treatment from your Pride All the reproaches of your VVit Put on the cruel Tyrant as you will But know my tender Heart adores you still II. And yet that Heart has Murmur'd too And been so insolent to let you know It did complain and rave and rail'd at you Yet all the while by every God I swear By every pitying Pow'r the wretched here By all those Charms that dis-ingage My Soul from the extreams of Rage By all the Arts you have to save and kill My faithful tender Heart adores you still III. But oh you shou'd excuse my soft complaint Even my wild Ravings too prefer I sigh I burn I weep I faint And vent my Passions to the Air
Yet even that God but faintly wou'd express Th' unbounded pleasures of the Bower of Bliss A slight a poor Idea may be given Like that we fancy when we paint a Heav'n As solid Christal Diamonds shining Gold May fancy Light that is not to be told To vulgar Senses Love like Heaven shou'd be To make it more Ador'd a Mystery Eternal Powers when ere I sing of Love And the unworthy Song immortal prove To please my wandering Ghost when I am Dead Let none but Lovers the soft stories read Praise from the Wits and Braves I 'le not implore Listen ye Lovers all I ask no more That where Words fail you may with thought supply If ever any lov'd like me or were so blest as I. The Prospect and Bower of Bliss I. T IS all eternal Spring around And all the Trees with fragrant flowers are Crown'd No Clouds no misty Showers obscure the Light But all is calm serene and gay The Heavens are drest with a perpetual bright And all the Earth with everlasting May. Each minute blows the Rose and Iesamine And twines with new-born Eglantine Each minute new Discoveries bring Of something sweet of something ravishing II. Fountains wandering Brooks soft rills That o're the wanton Pebbles play And all the Woods with tender murmuring fills Inspiring my Love inciting Ioy The sole the solemn business of the day Through all the Groves the Glades and thickets run And nothing see but Love on all their Banks along A thousand Flowers of different kinds The neighbouring Meads adorn Whose sweetness snatcht by flying Winds O're all the Bow'r of Bliss is born Whether all things in nature strive to bring All that is soft all that is ravishing III. The verdant Banks no other Prints retain But where young Lovers and young Loves have lain For Love has nothing here to do But to be wanton soft and gay And give a lavish loose to joy His emptyed Quiver and his Bow In slowry Wreaths with rosy Garlands Crown'd In Myrtle shades are hung As Conquerors when the Victories won Dispose their glorious Trophies all around Soft Winds and Eccho's that do haunt each Grove Still whisper and repeat no other Songs than Love Which round about the sacred Bower they sing Where every thing arrives that's sweet and ravishing IV. A thousand gloomy VValks the Bower contains Sacred all to mighty Love A thousand winding turns where Pleasure reigns Obscur'd from day by twining Boughs above Where Love invents a thousand Plays Where Lovers act ten thousand Ioys Nature has taught each little Bird A soft Example to afford They Bill and Look and Sing and Love And Charm the Air and Charm the Grove Whilst underneath the Ravisht Swain is lying Gazing Sighing Pressing Dying Still with new desire warm'd Still with new Ioy new Rapture charm'd Amongst the green soft Rivulets do pass In winding Streams half hid in Flowers and Grass Who Purl and Murmur as they glide along And mix their Musick with the Shepherds Pipe and Song Which Eccho's through the sacred Bower repeat Where every thing arrives that 's ravishing and sweet V. The Virgin here shows no disdain Nor does the Shepherd Sigh in vain This knows no Cruelty nor that no Pain No Youth complains upon his rigorous fair No injur'd Maid upon her perjur'd dear 'T is only Love fond Love finds entrance here The Notes of Birds the Murmuring Boughs VVhen gentle VVinds glide through the Glades Soft Sighs of Love and oft breath'd Vows The tender VVhisperings of the yielding Maids Dashing Fountains Purling Springs The short breath'd crys from faint resistance sent Crys which no aid desires or brings The soft effects of Fear and Languishment The little struggling of the fair The trembling force of the young Conqueror The tender Arguments he brings The pretty Non-sence with which she assails VVhich as she speaks she hopes it nought prevails But yielding owns her Love above her Reasonings Is all is heard Silence and shade the rest VVhich best with Love which best with Ioys consist All which young Eccho's through the Bower does sing VVhere every thing is heard that 's sweet and ravishing VI. Recesses Dark and Grotto's all conspire To favour Love and soft desire Shades Springs and Fountains flowry Beds To Ioys invites to Pleasure leads To Pleasure which all Humane thought exceeds Heav'n Earth and Sea here all combine To propagate Love's great design And render the Appointments all Divine After long toyl 't is here the Lover reaps Transporting softnesses beyond his hopes 'T is here fair Eyes all languishing impart The secrets of the fond inclining Heart Fine Hands and Arms for tender Pressings made In Love's dear business always are imploy'd The soft Inchantments of the Tongue That does all other Eloquence controul Is breath'd with broken Sighs among Into the Ravish'd Shepherds Soul VVhilst all is taken all is given That can compleat a Lovers Heav'n And Io Peans through the VVoods do ring From new fletch'd God in Songs all Ravishing Oh my dear Lysidas my faithful Friend Woud I cou'd here with all my Pleasures end 'T was Heaven 't was Extasie each minute brought New Raptures to my Senses Soul and Thought Each Look each Touch my Ravisht fancy charm'd Each Accent of her Voice my Blood Alarm'd I pant with every Glance faint with a Kiss Oh Judge my Transports then in higher Bliss A while all Dead between her Arms I lay Unable to possess the conquer'd Joys But by degrees my Soul its sense retriev'd Shame and Confusion let me know I liv'd I saw the trembling dis-appointed Maid With charming angry Eyes my fault up-braid While Love and Spight no kind Excuse affords My Rage and Softness was above dull Words And my Misfortune only was exprest By Sighing out my Soul into her Brest A thousand times I breath'd Aminta's name Aminta call'd but that increas'd my flame And as the Tide of Love flow'd in so fast My Low my Ebbing Vigor out did hast But 't was not long thus idly and undone I lay before vast Seas came rowling on Spring-tides of Joy that the rich neighboring shoar And down the fragrant Banks it proudly bore O're-flow'd and ravisht all great Natures store Swoln to Luxurious heights no bounds it knows But wantonly it Triumphs where it flows Some God inform Thee of my blest Estate But all their Powers divert thee from my Fate 'T was thus we liv'd the wonder of the Groves Fam'd for our Love our mutual constant Loves Young Amorous Hero's at her Feet did fall Despair'd and dy'd whilst I was Lord of All Her Empire o're my Soul each moment grew New Charms each minute did appear in view And each appointment Ravishing and New Fonder each hour my tender Heart became And that which us'd t' allay increas'd my Flame But on a day oh may no chearful Ray Of the Sun's Light bless that succeeding day May the black hours from the account be torn May no fair thing upon thy day be born May fate and Hell