University of Virginia Library

I.

'Tis all eternal Spring around,
With fragrant Leaves the Trees are ever crown'd;
No Clouds, no misty Show'rs obscure the Light,
But all is calm, serene, and gay;
The Heav'ns are dress'd with a perpetual Bright,
And all the Earth with everlasting May.
Each Minute new Discov'ries bring,
Of something sweet, of something ravishing,
And all the Woods with tender Murm'rings ring.

II.

Inspiring Loves, inciting Joy,
(The sole, the solemn Bus'ness of the Day)
Thro' all the Groves, the Shades, and Thickets toy,
And nothing seen but Love o'er all the fragrant Way.
A thousand Flow'rs of diff'rent Kinds,
The neighb'ring Meads adorn;
Whose Sweetness, snatch'd by flying Winds,
Is over all the Bower born;
To which 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,
In soft incessant Play.
His empty'd Quiver and his Bow,
In flow'ry Wreaths, with Garlands crown'd,
In Myrtle Shades are hung up now,
As Conqu'rors when they've quell'd the Foe,
Dispose their glorious Trophies all around.
Soft Winds and Echo's that do haunt each Grove,
Still whisper, and repeat glad Songs of Love;
Which round about the sacred Bow'r they sing,
Where ev'ry Thing arrives that's sweet and ravishing.

IV.

A thousand pleasing Walks, contain
(Sacred all to mighty Love)
A thousand winding Turns, where Pleasures reign,
Obscur'd from Day by twining Boughs above.
Where Love invents a thousand Plays;
Where Lovers act ten thousand Joys.
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 ravish'd Swain is lying,
Gazing, sighing, wishing, dying,
Still with new Desire warm'd,
Still with new Joy, new Raptures charm'd;
Thro' the delightful Green soft Riv'lets pass,
In winding Streams, half hid with Flow'rs and Grass,
Who purl and murmur as they glide along,
And mix their Musick with the Shepherd's Song;
Which Echo's thro' the sacred Bow'r repeat,
Where ev'ry Thing arrives that's ravishing and sweet.

V.

The Virgin here shews no Disdain,
Nor does the Shepherd sigh in vain;
She knows no Cruelty, and he no Pain.
No Youth complains upon his rig'rous Fair;
No injur'd Maid upon her perjur'd Dear;
'Tis only Love, fond Love finds Entrance here.
The Notes of Birds, the murm'ring Boughs,
When gentle Winds breathe thro' the Glades;
Soft Sighs of Love, and oft repeated Vows,
The tender Whisp'rings of the yielding Maids,
Is all that's heard; Silence and Shade the rest,
Which best with Love, and with its Joys consist;
All which loud Echo's thro' the Bow'r do sing,
Where ev'ry Thing is heard, that's sweet and ravishing.

VI.

The soft Enchantments of the Tongue,
That does all other Eloquence controul,
Is breath'd, with broken Sighs among,
Into the ravish'd Shepherd's Soul.
Whilst all is taken, all is given,
That can compleat a Lover's Heav'n,
And Triumphs thro' the list'ning Woods do ring,
Of Love's soft Vict'ries, in Songs all ravishing.

Two Ways I saw, both difficult to tread,
Did to this Bower of Enjoyment lead.
Upon the Right there stood a sacred Place
To Hymen, and his Chapel called was;
Where Love, they told us, serious did appear,
And all his Robes of Ceremony wear.
Thro' this (tho' 'tis about a little) you
(They said) may safely to the Bower go.
Strait I press'd on, impatient with Desire,
Whilst ev'ry Look and Touch increas'd the Fire.
But eager Love, who hates to be controul'd,
In soft, but hasty Language, bad me hold.
Why would'st, he said, take this long tedious Way,
And let the Love that's kindled, die away?
I thought you better understood Love's Arts,
And all the Myst'ries of securing Hearts.
Why would'st pursue this common beaten Road,
That's only by dull formal Lovers trod?
Our Vot'ries now trace nearer Paths to Bliss,
And take a shorter Cut to Happiness.
Come, come, fond Youth, I favour thy Design,
And am resolv'd to make the Charmer thine:
I'll lead you a more short and easy Way,
Whose Pleasure shall the Hazard over-pay.
How easy 'tis for Love, whose pow'rful Darts
Have conquer'd Gods, to vanquish mortal Hearts!
To him I yield, and with his Help perswade
The ignorant, the young, the harmless Maid.
Forthwith from Hymen's Chapel we remove,
And follow to the Bow'r our Leader Love.
But oh! in ent'ring this so bless'd Abode,
All gay, and pleas'd as a triumphing God,
I new unlook'd for Difficulties met,
Encount'ring Honour at the sacred Gate.