University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Bellinda sola.
Bell.
Ye aged Oaks, the semi-gods aboads,
And who your selves in antient times were gods;
Ye silent walks, and solitary groves,
Places which melancholy passion loves,
You I make only Confident of
My secret thoughts; I love, O dissipate
My words some gentle wind, in such minute,
And aiery particles, none in soft Characters
May ever read, nor ever find imprest,
This most important secret of my brest;
But whe'r my lov'd Philander live, or no,
Heaven knows, I do not know
By other Argument than that I live my self,
Have so dear sympathy with him, infallibly,
Were he but dead, I instantly should die,
Our Loves and Lives having but one thrid, one knife,
And once but cut our Loves, and cut our Life:
Mean time my daily musings which only ar
But waking dreams, and nightly Dreams, which ar
But sleeping Actions, both testimony bears,
“Love's a solicitous thing, and full of Fears,—
But soft, I've blab'd too much I fear,
See Philena coming here.