The poems of George Daniel ... From the original mss. in the British Museum: Hitherto unprinted. Edited, with introduction, notes, and illustrations, portrait, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart: In four volumes |
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 | The poems of George Daniel |  |
35
A Pastorall Ode; The Eglogue is Lost.
Come leave the Citie's strife
And chuse a Countrie Life,
There place my Ioyes; and let my wandring mind
Be fixt, and there confin'd;
There, with my lovèd Sheepe,
And my owne Silvia, I as prince, can keepe,
Crowned Monarch, in her Brest,
Equall loving, equall Blest;
Come, come away, my thoughts, be fixèd here,
ffor greater pleasures have ye greater Care.
And chuse a Countrie Life,
There place my Ioyes; and let my wandring mind
Be fixt, and there confin'd;
There, with my lovèd Sheepe,
And my owne Silvia, I as prince, can keepe,
Crowned Monarch, in her Brest,
Equall loving, equall Blest;
Come, come away, my thoughts, be fixèd here,
ffor greater pleasures have ye greater Care.
What though I doe not find
My Galleries, there Lined
With Atticke hangings, nor Corinthian Plate,
(Ensignes of greater State
Placed for more ornament)
Is't in these vanities to find Content?
I doe not Covet these;
An humble Roofe may please
An humble mind; and who can tell? there may
Be troubled Thoughts in Downe, as well as Hay.
My Galleries, there Lined
With Atticke hangings, nor Corinthian Plate,
(Ensignes of greater State
Placed for more ornament)
Is't in these vanities to find Content?
I doe not Covet these;
An humble Roofe may please
An humble mind; and who can tell? there may
Be troubled Thoughts in Downe, as well as Hay.
36
Though Gray or Russet be
My height of Gayetie,
Though I nor Plush, nor gaudie Sattin have;
Enough, I doe none Crave:
What though, my Backe, or Thigh,
Not Cloathèd be with Woole, in Tirian Dye!
Nor Beaver's ffleece enrich
My Browes! tis not the Itch
Of Glorie takes me; I can often find
In Garments trimme, a Discomposèd mind.
My height of Gayetie,
Though I nor Plush, nor gaudie Sattin have;
Enough, I doe none Crave:
What though, my Backe, or Thigh,
Not Cloathèd be with Woole, in Tirian Dye!
Nor Beaver's ffleece enrich
My Browes! tis not the Itch
Of Glorie takes me; I can often find
In Garments trimme, a Discomposèd mind.
The Colchian Bird's to mee
Noe baite of Luxurie,
Nor doe I seeke th' Ionian Partridge, more
Then Hens, from my owne Doore;
The Lushious oyster is,
And Lobster, though of treeble price
Not moveing; neither seeke
I Spanish Wines, or Greeke,
To Stirre my Spirrits: I can gladly bee
Sated with lesse, and Shun the Luxurie.
Noe baite of Luxurie,
Nor doe I seeke th' Ionian Partridge, more
Then Hens, from my owne Doore;
The Lushious oyster is,
And Lobster, though of treeble price
Not moveing; neither seeke
I Spanish Wines, or Greeke,
To Stirre my Spirrits: I can gladly bee
Sated with lesse, and Shun the Luxurie.
What tho' perhaps I want
Beauties, and have no hant
Where I may wanton, and quench lustfull fires;
Noe need; for those desires
I doe not harbour; Soe
I flye the Sin, and the occasion too;
ffor Silvia is to me
More then varietie;
In her deare Eyes I ioy, and can take thence
A fflame of Modestie and Innocence.
Beauties, and have no hant
Where I may wanton, and quench lustfull fires;
Noe need; for those desires
I doe not harbour; Soe
I flye the Sin, and the occasion too;
37
More then varietie;
In her deare Eyes I ioy, and can take thence
A fflame of Modestie and Innocence.
Noe Lustfull Raptures me
Hold in Captivitie;
I seeke noe wanton mistress, I can Spend
(And wish time might not End,)
Daies, and Years, with Silvia;
Shee, to my pleasèd Thoughts, is more then they
Can fancie, in their Dreams;
I would, these foule extreames,
Not less then Scylla, or Charibdis Shun;
There is an Isthmus, I would fixe vpon.
Hold in Captivitie;
I seeke noe wanton mistress, I can Spend
(And wish time might not End,)
Daies, and Years, with Silvia;
Shee, to my pleasèd Thoughts, is more then they
Can fancie, in their Dreams;
I would, these foule extreames,
Not less then Scylla, or Charibdis Shun;
There is an Isthmus, I would fixe vpon.
The gaudie Citie's pride,
Nor what they boast beside,
Nor their full Treasures, nor their furnisht roomes,
Where Silken Madam comes;
Not all the Cloaths they weare
Nor their high feastings, and luxurious fare;
Not Madam's selfe, can make
Mee, countrie Life forsake;
Noe; let them riot, revel, feast, and vant
Their garments rich as these, the Sin I want.
Nor what they boast beside,
Nor their full Treasures, nor their furnisht roomes,
Where Silken Madam comes;
Not all the Cloaths they weare
Nor their high feastings, and luxurious fare;
Not Madam's selfe, can make
Mee, countrie Life forsake;
Noe; let them riot, revel, feast, and vant
Their garments rich as these, the Sin I want.
Ile shun Court Care, and the proud Citie's strife,
Center my Ioyes, in a poore Countrie Life.
Center my Ioyes, in a poore Countrie Life.
| The poems of George Daniel | |