University of Virginia Library

Oh! with what Pleasure did I pass away
The too swift Course of the delightful Day!
What Joys I found in being Slave
To ev'ry conqu'ring Smile she gave!
Whose charming Sweetness could inspire
The Cynick, or the Fool with Love;
Alas! I needed no Increase of Fire,
Who did its Height already prove.
Ah! my Aminta, had I been content
With that Degree of Ravishment;
Had I been satisfy'd with the Delight I took,
Only to prattle Love, to sigh, and look,
With the dull bart'ring Kiss for Kiss,
And never aim'd at higher Bliss,
What Midnight Sighs, what Tears might I have sav'd?
What anxious Fears, what tedious Watchings wav'd?

But still Love importun'd, nor could I rest,
So often and impatiently he prest,
That I the lovely Virgin would invite
To the so worshipp'd Temple of Delight.
By all the subtil'st Arts I strove to move,
And watch'd the softest Minutes of her Love;
But she, 'gainst all my Vows and Pray'rs was Proof;
Alas! she lov'd, but did not love enough.

Yet 'twas not long I did my Sighs employ,
Before she rais'd me to the Height of Joy;
And all my Fears and Torments to remove,
Yields I shall lead her to the Court of Love.

Here, Lysidas, thou think'st me sure, and blest
With Recompence for all my past Unrest:
But Fortune only smil'd, the easier to betray;
She's more unconstant than the faithless Sea.
For whilst our nimble Feet out-strip the Wind,
Leaving all Thoughts of mortal Care behind;
Whilst we fly gazing full of new Surprize,
Exchanging Souls at one another's Eyes,
We met with one, who seem'd of great Command,
Who stopt our Course with an all-pow'rful Hand;
Awful his Looks, but rude in his Address,
And roughly did Authority express.
Upon Aminta his rude Hands he laid,
And out of mine snatch'd the dear trembling Maid,
So suddenly, as hinder'd my Defence,
And she could only say, in parting thence,
Forgive, Lysander what by Force I do,
Since nothing else can ravish me from you:
Make no Resistance, I obey Devoir,
Who values not thy Tears, thy Force, or Pray'r:
Retain thy Faith, and love Aminta still,
Since she abandons thee against her Will.
Immoveable I stood with the Surprize,
Nor durst reply, so much as with my Eyes.
I saw her go, but was of Sense bereav'd,
And only knew by what I heard, I liv'd.
Yes, yes, I heard her last Commands, and thence,
By violent Degrees, retriev'd my Sense.
Ye Gods! in this your Mercy was severe;
You might have spar'd the useless Favour here.
But the first Thoughts my Reason did conceive,
Was to pursue th'injurious Fugitive.
As raving on I did my Steps direct,
I once more met the reverend Respect;
From whom I strove my self to disengage,
And feign'd a Calmness, to disguise my Rage.
In vain was all the Cheat; he soon perceiv'd,
Spight of my Smiles, how much, and why I griev'd;
Saw my Despair, and what I meant to do,
And begg'd I would the rash Design forego:
A thousand Dangers he did represent,
To win me from the desperate Attempt:
At length o'ercame my Rage, but could not free
My Soul from Grief's more pow'rful Tyranny:
Grief, tho' more soft, did not less cruel prove;
Madness is easier far than hopeless Love.

I parted thus, but knew not what to do,
Nor where I went, nor did I care to know.
With folded Arms, with weeping Eyes declin'd,
I sought the Ease I could not hope to find,
And mix'd my constant Sighs with flying Wind.
By slow unsteady Steps a Path I trace,
Which, undesign'd, conducts me to a Place
Suiting a Soul distress'd, obscur'd with Shade,
Lonely, and fit for Love and Sorrow made;
With hideous Mountains all inviron'd round,
Whence Echo's melancholly Notes resound.
Here, in the midst and thickest of a Wood,
Cover'd with bending Shades, a Castle stood,
Where Absence, sad dejected Maid, remains,
And nothing but her Sorrow entertains.