Poetical Trifles :: :: University of Virginia Library

Immortal Venus! beauty's queen!
For whom so many temples seen;
Daughter of Jove! whose witching smart
With wily transports thrills the heart,
To thee I bow—and trembling pray
Thee not to melt my heart away

By thy charms so blandly smiling,
Wasting slow, so soft beguiling:
But if thou e'er couldst gentle prove
To hear the sweet distress of love,
In native charms, effulgent crown'd,
Descend and hear my tuneful sound.

Such as thou didst hear me blending,
From the golden skies descending;
In chariot drawn by sparrows yok'd,
Whose dark-plum'd wings the air revok'd,
I saw thee ride the expanse blue,
And fleet thy airy coursers flew,
'Till down below their queen they brought,
Then through the skies their way they sought.

While, goddess, thou with heaven-wrought smile,
Ask'dst what grief did my heart beguile?
What am'rous spell disturb'd my breast,
That I to thee had sigh'd for rest?
Why thus Love's maniac I was turn'd,
My bosom why with raptures burn'd?
What lovely youth I would ensnare,
And by what toils release my care?
O say, my Sapho, who could slight,
And fly unwounded beauty's sight?
If now he mutual love refuse,
From each ensaring trap recluse;
If passion now be quench'd and cold,
Not long he will thy prayers withhold;
Soon, soon, thy melting charms will chain,
And lead him victim home again.

Then Cyprian Fair, with healing balm,
Once more these warring thoughts becalm;
From vexing pains my heart allure,
And with thine aid my bliss secure.