 | The Land of Love |  |
Little Cares.
I.
Thither the amorous Youths repair,To see the Objects of their Vows;
No Jealousies approach them there,
They banish Dulness and Despair,
And revel under shady Boughs.
The Houses cover'd o'er with Flow'rs, appear
Like fragrant Arbours all the Year;
Where all the dear and live-long Day
In Musick, Songs, and Balls, is pass'd away.
Gay Conversation, Feasts, and Masquerades,
Agreeable Cabals, and Serenades;
Mirth, Gladness, Gaiety, and Sport,
Make up the Bus'ness of the little Court.
II.
There no Reproaches dwell; that ViceIs banish'd, with the Coy and Nice;
The Froward there learn Complaisance,
The Old dispose themselves to dance,
And Melancholly wakens from his Trance.
There the dull Wise his Gravity forsakes,
And against Nature sprightly Humour takes;
The formal Statesman does his Int'rest quit,
And learns to talk of Love and Wit,
19
Such as his Mistress's Eyes inspire;
Forgets his learned Eloquence,
And thinks Love's Flame more fierce than chymick Fire.
III.
The Miser there opens his Golden Heaps,And at Love's Altar offers the rich Prize;
Beguils his Heir, while the fair Mistress reaps
The Blessing of his grateful Sacrifice.
Even the flutt'ring Coxcomb there
Does less ridiculous appear;
For in the Crowd some one unlucky Face,
With some peculiar Charm or other, has
The fatal Chance his Heart to gain;
Which gives him just the Sense to feel the Pain,
Whence he becomes less talkative and vain.
There 'tis the Muses dwell, the sacred Nine,
Who teach th'enlarged Soul to prove
No Arts or Sciences divine,
But those inspir'd by them and Love.
At our Approach new Fires my Bosom warm,
New Vigor I receive from ev'ry Charm;
I found Invention with my Love increase,
And both instruct me with new Arts to please;
New Stratagems I sought to entertain,
And had the Joy to find them not in vain.
All the Extravagance of Youth I show,
And pay to Age the Dotage I shall owe.
With Diligence I wait Aminta's Look,
And her Decrees from Frowns or Smiles I took.
To my new fix'd Resolves no Stop I found;
My Flame was uncontroul'd, and knew no Bound.
New Vigor I receive from ev'ry Charm;
I found Invention with my Love increase,
And both instruct me with new Arts to please;
New Stratagems I sought to entertain,
And had the Joy to find them not in vain.
All the Extravagance of Youth I show,
And pay to Age the Dotage I shall owe.
20
And her Decrees from Frowns or Smiles I took.
To my new fix'd Resolves no Stop I found;
My Flame was uncontroul'd, and knew no Bound.
Aminta here was unconfin'd and free,
Gave my Address a modest Liberty;
My frequent early Visits does allow,
And more engagingly receives me now.
Her still increasing Charms, her soft Address,
A partial Lover cannot well express;
Her Beauties with my Flame each Hour increase.
'Twas here my Soul more true Content receiv'd,
Than all the duller Hours of Life I'd liv'd:
But with the envying Night I still repair
T'Inquietude, few lodge at Little Care.
The hasty Minutes summon me away,
And large Night-Reckonings over-pay the Day.
The God of Sleep his wonted Aid denies,
Lends no Repose either to Heart or Eyes;
Only one Hour of Rest the Morning brought,
In which this happy Dream employ'd my Thought.
Gave my Address a modest Liberty;
My frequent early Visits does allow,
And more engagingly receives me now.
Her still increasing Charms, her soft Address,
A partial Lover cannot well express;
Her Beauties with my Flame each Hour increase.
'Twas here my Soul more true Content receiv'd,
Than all the duller Hours of Life I'd liv'd:
But with the envying Night I still repair
T'Inquietude, few lodge at Little Care.
The hasty Minutes summon me away,
And large Night-Reckonings over-pay the Day.
The God of Sleep his wonted Aid denies,
Lends no Repose either to Heart or Eyes;
Only one Hour of Rest the Morning brought,
In which this happy Dream employ'd my Thought.
| The Land of Love | |