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University of Virginia Library

A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes

Dodsley, Robert (1703-1764)

I.

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II.

THE PROGRESS of LOVE. IN Four ECLOGUES.

SOLILOQUY Of a BEAUTY in the Country.

TO THE Reverend Dr. AYSCOUGH at Oxford.

To Mr. POYNTZ, Ambassador at the Congress of Soissons, in the Year 1728.

VERSES to be written under a Picture of Mr. POYNTZ.

An Epistle to Mr. POPE.

To my Lord --- In the Year 1730.

ADVICE to a LADY.

DAMON and DELIA. In Imitation of Horace and Lydia.

ODE, in Imitation of Pastor Fido.

Part of an Elegy of Tibullus, translated.

Written at Mr. Pope's House at Twickenham, which he had lent to Mrs. G---lle.

To Mr. West at Wickham.

To Miss LUCY F---

To the Same, with Hammond's Elegies.

A Prayer to Venus in her Temple at Stowe. To the Same.

To the Same. On her pleading want of Time.

To the same with a New Watch.

An Irregular ODE written at Wickham, in 1746. To the Same.

To the Memory of the same LADY, A MONODY. A. D. 1747.

VERSES Making Part of an EPITAPH on the same LADY.

ON THE ABUSE of TRAVELLING.

THE INSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF THE GARTER.

An Epistle to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Cornbury.

An EPISTLE to a LADY.

An EPISTLE to Mr. POPE.

EPISTLE to POLLIO, from the Hills of Howth in Ireland.

An ODE to William Pultney, Esq;

An Ode to the Right Honourable the Lord Lonsdale.

An ODE to MANKIND.

VERSES to Camilla.

An INSCRIPTION on the Tomb, Raised to the memory of the author's father, and of others his ancestors.

The Danger of Writing Verse.

To the Honourable ---

To Mr. GARRICK.

NATURE to Dr. HOADLY.

The Youth and the Philosopher. A FABLE.

An ODE to a Gentleman, On his pitching a Tent in his Garden.

On a Message-Card in Verse. Sent by a LADY.

The Je ne scai Quoi. A SONG.

An ODE On a distant Prospect of ETON COLLEGE.

ODE on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes.

A MONODY On the Death of Queen CAROLINE.

A PIPE of TOBACCO: In Imitation of Six Several Authors.

ODE to the Hon. C. Y.

From CÆLIA to CLOE.

ON A FIT of the GOUT.

Horace, Ode 14. Book I. imitated in 1746.

The Female Right to Literature, in a Letter to a young Lady from Florence.

On Shakespear's Monument at Stratford upon Avon.

The INDIFFERENT.

The Triumph of INDIFFERENCE.

The Shepherd's Farewel to his Love.

Audivere, Lyce, &c. Hor. Book 4. Ode 13. Imitated.

A SONNET. Imitated from the Spanish of Lopez de Vega. Menagiana tom. iv. p. 176.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

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164

To VENUS. A Rant, 1732.

Set to Music by Dr. HAYES, By the same.

Recitative.

O Goddess most rever'd above,
Bright parent of almighty Love,
Whose pow'r th'immortal Gods confess,
Hear and approve my fond address:
In melting softness I thy doves outvie,
Then teach me like thy swans to sing and fly;
So I thy vot'ry will for ever be;
My song, my life I'll consecrate to thee.

Air.

Give me numbers strong and sweet,
Glowing language, pointed wit;
Words that might a Vestal move,
And melt a frozen heart to love.
Bid, bid thy blind boy
All his vigour employ;

165

On his wings wou'd I soar up to same:
'Tis but just, if he scorch
My breast with his torch,
In my wit too he kindle a flame.

Recitative.

Trophies to Chastity let others raise,
In notes as cold as the dull thing they praise,
To rage like mine more sprightly themes belong;
Gay youth inspires, and beauty claims my song;
Me all the little Loves and Graces own;
For I was born to worship them alone.

Air.

Tell not me the joys that wait
On him that's rich, on him that's great:
Wealth and wisdom I despise:
Cares surround the rich and wise.
No, no,—let love, let life be mine:
Bring me women, bring me wine:
Speed the dancing hours away,
And mind not what the grave ones say;
Speed, and gild 'em as they fly
With love and freedom, wit and joy:
Bus'ness, title, pomp, and state,
Give 'em to the fools I hate.