University of Virginia Library

A Farewel to LOVE.

Well, since in Spite of all that Love can do,
The dang'rous Steps of Honour you'll pursue,
I'll just grow Wise and Philosophic too:
I'll bid these tender silly Things Farewel;
And Love, with thy great Antidote, expel:
I'll tread the same ambitious Paths with Thee,
And Glory too shall be my Deity.
I'll therefore now release my Train of Fools,
In pure Good-Nature to the loving Souls;
For Pity's-sake at last I'll set to rights
The vain Conceits of the presumptuous Wights:
For tho' I shake off Theron's Chains, yet He
Is all that e'er deserv'd a Smile from me.
But he's unjust, and false; yet I a Part,
Would not accept, tho' of a Monarch's Heart.
Therefore ye flatt'ring Hopes and Wishes too,
With all Loves, soft Concomitants, Adieu:
No more to its Imperious Yoke I'll bow;
Pride and Resentment fortify me now.
My Inclinations are revers'd; nor can
I but abhor the Slavery of Man,
Howe'er the empty Lords of Nature boast,
O'er me, their fond Prerogative is lost:
For, uncontroul'd I thus resolve to rove,
And hear no more of Hymen, or of Love:
No more such wild fantastic things shall charm
My Breast; nor my serener Thoughts alarm.
No more for Sport I'll make a Lover creep,
And look like silly Wretch who bit a Sheep;
Nor with dissembled Smiles indulge the Fops,
In pure Revenge to their audacious Hopes;
Tho' at my Feet a thousand Victims lay,
I'd proudly spurn the whining Slaves away:
Deaf as the Winds, or Theron, would I prove,
And hear no more of Hymen, or of Love.
Like bright Diana now I'll range the Woods,
And haunt the silent Shades and silver Floods;
I'll find out the remotest Paths I can,
To shun th' offensive, hated Face of Man;
Where I'll Indulge my Liberty and Bliss,
And no Endymion shall obtain a Kiss.
Now, Cupid, mourn, th' Inlargment of my Fate,
Thou'ast lost a Politician in thy State:
I could have taught Thee, hadst thou lost thy Arms,
To fool the World with more delusive Charms:
I could have made thy Taper burn more bright,
And wing thy Shafts with an unerring Flight:
'Twas I directed that successful Dart,
Which found its Way to the Great Strephon's Heart:
'Twas I who made the lovely Flatman bow,
A proud Contemner of thy Laws, till now;
I sung thy Power, and inspir'd the Swains,
Or thou hadst been no Deity on the Plains,
Yet think no more my Freedom to surprize,
Which nothing can controul but Theron's Eyes;
And ev'ry flatt'ring Smile, and ev'ry Grace,
With all the Air of that bewitching-Face,
My Pride and Resolutions may deface:
From whom those Eyes for ever I'll remove,
To shun the Sight of what I would not love:
And then, tho' ev'ry Cyclop stretch'd his Art,
To form the little angry God a Dart,
I'll yet defy his Rage to touch my Heart:
For tho' my Years compel me, in Disdain,
Of the false Charmer meanly to complain;
'Tis yet some Satisfaction to my Mind,
I for his Sake abandon all Mankind.
My prouder Muse, to love no more a Slave,
Shall sing the Just, the Fortunate, and Brave,
And twine her promis'd Wreaths for Theron's Brow,
The Hero, not the faithless Lover now.
More blooming Glories may'st thou still acquire,
And urge my Breast with a more active Fire;
May new Successes wait upon thy Sword,
And deathless Honour all thy Acts record;
May all Thou dost thy Character compleat;
And, like thy self, be Loyal still and Great:
Whilst in an equal Orb as free I move,
And think no more of Hymen, or of Love.