Page images
PDF
EPUB

Then die, that she

The common fate of all things rare
May read in thee:

How small a part of time they share,
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!

TO PHILLIS.

PHILLIS, why should we delay

Pleasures shorter than the day?
Could we (which we never can)
Stretch our lives beyond their span,
Beauty like a shadow flies,
And our youth before us dies.
Or would youth and beauty stay,
Love hath wings, and will away.
Love hath swifter wings than time,
Change in love to heav'n doth climb;
Gods, that never change their state,
Vary oft their love and hate.
Phillis, to this truth we owe
All the love betwixt us two;
Let not you and I inquire
What hath been our past desire;
On what shepherds you have smil'd,
Or what nymphs I have beguil'd;
Leave it to the planets too

What we shall hereafter do;

[ocr errors]

For the joys we now may prove,

Take advice of present love.

OF MY LADY ISABELLA PLAYING ON THE

LUTE.

SUCH moving sounds from such a careless touch!
So unconcern'd herself, and we so much!

What art is this, that with so little pains
Transports us thus, and o'er our spirits reigns?

The trembling strings about her fingers crowd,
And tell their joy for every kiss aloud,

Small force there needs to make them tremble so;
Touch'd by that hand, who would not tremble too?
Here Love takes stand, and while she charms the ear,
Empties his quiver on the listening deer.
Music so softens and disarms the mind,
That not an arrow does resistance find.
Thus the fair tyrant celebrates the prize,
And acts herself the triumph of her eyes:
So Nero once, with harp in hand, survey'd
His flaming Rome, and as it burn'd he play'd.

OF THE MARRIAGE OF THE DWARFS.
ESIGN or Chance makes others wive,
But Nature did this match contrive:
Eve might as well have Adam fled,
As she denied her little bed

To him, for whom Heav'n seem'd to frame
And measure out this only dame.

Thrice happy is that humble pair,
Beneath the level of all care!
Over whose heads those arrows fly
Of sad distrust and jealousy;
Secured in as high extreme,

As if the world held none but them.

To him the fairest nymphs do show
Like moving mountains topp'd with snow;
And every man a Polypheme

Does to his Galatea seem:

None may presume her faith to prove ;
He proffers death that proffers love.
Ah, Chloris! that kind Nature thus
From all the world had sever'd us;
Creating for ourselves us two,
As Love has me for only you!

SEDLEY.

SONG.

PHILLIS, let's shun the common fate,

And let our love ne'er turn to hate.

I'll doat no longer than I can

Without being call'd a faithless man;
When we begin to want discourse,
And kindness seems to taste of force,
As freely as we met we'll part;

Each one possess'd of his own heart.
Thus while rash fools themselves undo,
We'll game, and leave off savers too.
So equally the match we'll make,
Each shall be glad to draw the stake:
A smile of thine shall make my bliss,
Or I'll enjoy thee in a kiss:
If from this height our kindness fall,
We'll bravely scorn to love at all:
If thy affection first decay,
I will the blame on nature lay.
Alas! what cordial can remove
The hasty fate of dying love?
Thus we will all the world excel,
In loving and in parting well.

SONG.

OT, Celia, that I juster am,
Or better than the rest;

For I would change each hour, like them,

Were not my heart at rest.

But I am ty'd to very thee
By ev'ry thought I have:
Thy face I only care to see,
Thy heart I only crave.

All that in woman is ador'd,

In thy dear self I find;

For the whole sex can but afford
The handsome and the kind.

Why then should I seek farther store,
And still make love anew?
When change itself can give no more,
"Tis easy to be true.

GET

SONG.

ET you gone-you will undo me,
If you love me don't pursue me;
Let that inclination perish,
Which I dare no longer cherish.

With harmless thoughts I did begin,
But in the crowd Love enter'd in;
I knew him not, he was so gay,
So innocent, and full of play.

At ev'ry hour, in ev'ry place,
I either saw, or form'd your face :
All that in plays is finely writ,
Fancy for you and me did fit.

My dreams at night were all of you,
Such as, till then, I never knew.
I sported thus with young desire,
Never intending to go higher.

But now his teeth and claws are grown,

Let me the fatal lion shun;

You found me harmless, leave me so;

For, were I not, you'd leave me too.

HEA

SONG.

EARS not my Phillis, how the birds,
Their feather'd mates salute?

They tell their passion in their words,
Must I alone be mute?

Phillis, without frown or smile,

Sat and knotted all the while.

The god of love, in thy bright eyes,

Doth like a tyrant reign;

But in thy heart, a child he lies,
Without his dart or flame.

Phillis, &c.

So many months in silence past,

And yet in raging love;

Might well deserve one word at last,
My passion should approve.

Phillis, &c.

Must then your faithful swain expire,
And not one look obtain;

Which he, to soothe his fond desire,
Might pleasingly explain?

Phillis, without frown or smile,
Sat and knotted all the while.

« PreviousContinue »