 | Venus and Adonis |  |
9
1st INTERLUDE.
Adonis Entring from a Wood.Adon.
Hail! bright Aurora! Blushing Maid,
Life-giving Goddess, Hail!
What Mortal would dissolve in Sleep,
And lose the Rising Views
Which thy creating Beams present?
O! how transporting 'tis, to see
Thy Glories chase the Shades,
And gild the Globe anew?
10
In Purple Hue before thee!
The verdant Valleys and the Meads
Forsake their misty Beds,
And dress their Beauties, to adore thee.
How Pleasant is Ranging the Fields,
When we mount with our Hounds in the Morning?
What spirit the Exercise yields!
When we Hollow,
And follow
The Scent ever Burning?
How Pleasant, &c.
Venus descends from her Chariot.
When we mount with our Hounds in the Morning?
What spirit the Exercise yields!
When we Hollow,
And follow
The Scent ever Burning?
How Pleasant, &c.
But soft! What Nymph is this?
Whose gaudy Form and Dress
Seem rather of a Court,
Than of the Rural Sport?
Ven.
Ah! sweet Adonis form'd for Joy!
Ah! Blooming lovely Boy,
Have Pity on a Goddess Pain:
Since Gods themselves have sigh'd for me,
Ah! let not Venus sigh for thee,
Dear charming Youth, in vain.
Ah! sweet Adonis, &c.
Adon.
O! Bounteous Goddess! you misplace
The Blessings you on me bestow;
My Joy is only in the Chace,
I to Diana's Altar bow.
11
With her alone I'll live, and die,
But Love shall ever flye:
Yet when the Game is chac'd in view,
Like Lightning I pursue.
With her alone, &c.
Your Leave, bright Goddess—But Love shall ever flye:
Yet when the Game is chac'd in view,
Like Lightning I pursue.
With her alone, &c.
[Going.
Ven.
—Hold!
I've more to say—
Adon.
—The Morning's Cold,
Beside, the Sport expects me—
Ven.
—Where?
Adon.
In yonder Vale—
Ven.
—Ah! do not fear;
Stay and improve thy Pastime here.
Swain, thy foolish Sports give over,
Joys immortal thou shalt find:
Sweeter Pleasures you'll discover,
When the Queen of Beauty's Kind.
Swain, &c.
Joys immortal thou shalt find:
Sweeter Pleasures you'll discover,
When the Queen of Beauty's Kind.
Swain, &c.
Adon.
In vain of Love you praise the Joy
To an unskilful Beardless Boy;
I've heard Men talk of Sighs and Kisses,
But cann't imagine where the Bliss is:
Then I'm too Young to be deceiv'd,
And you too Fair to be believ'd.
Ven.
Who could deceive such blooming Charms?
Or after thine, seek other Arms?
12
Nor Truth nor Beauty touch my Sense,
For I am all Indifference.
Cease your vain Teazing,
Love is Unpleasing,
No Heart shall brave me,
Mine is my own:
Why should a Creature,
Weaker by Nature,
Think to enslave me,
With Smile or Frown?
Cease, &c.
Love is Unpleasing,
No Heart shall brave me,
Mine is my own:
Why should a Creature,
Weaker by Nature,
Think to enslave me,
With Smile or Frown?
Cease, &c.
Ven.
Ah! Venus lost! thy Charms no more
Let flatt'ring God's pretend t'adore;
In vain they stile me Bright, and Fair,
While of a Mortal I despair:
No! no! my Folly soon shall cease,
Revenge or Pride shall give me Ease.
Cupid! Cupid! Bend thy Bow,
Revenge! revenge thy Mother's Pain:
Let his Heart my Torment know,
What 'tis to Love, and Love in vain.
Alas! alas! it will not be!
Revenge! revenge thy Mother's Pain:
Let his Heart my Torment know,
What 'tis to Love, and Love in vain.
The more I struggle to be free,
The more I gall me with the Chain,
And but increase my Pain.
13
Adon.
Hark! how the chearful Horn
Proclaims the wasting Morn!
The jolly Sports-men mend their Pace
To the appointed meeting Place—
Ven.
Curse on those noisy Sounds!—O stay!
Adon.
I cannot lose the Sport, and must away.
Ven.
Hast thou no Sense of what I bear?
My Pains nor Pleasures wilt thou share?
Adon.
Forbear! forbear thy vain Embrace,
If thou with me wilt Pleasure share
Tie up thy Robes, and Ringlet Hair,
And follow to the Chase.
How silly's the Heart of a Woman,
When Courted by many, to fly?
But when she is follow'd by no Man.
For one she will Languish and Die:
Beguiling,
And smiling,
Now Coying,
Then Toying,
She'll her Fancy pursue,
Designing,
Or Whining,
She'll Vex ye,
Perplex ye,
And all that pursue her, undo.
How silly, &c.
When Courted by many, to fly?
But when she is follow'd by no Man.
For one she will Languish and Die:
Beguiling,
And smiling,
Now Coying,
Then Toying,
She'll her Fancy pursue,
Designing,
Or Whining,
She'll Vex ye,
Perplex ye,
And all that pursue her, undo.
How silly, &c.
14
Such Scorn and Insult can I bear!
But hold! from far
I see the Jealous God of War;
Some other Hour I must employ
To melt this Frozen Boy.
[Aside.
Well! Cold Adonis! since the Charms
Of Rural Sports
(Tho' Venus courts)
Must snatch thee from my Arms,
Yet e're we part,
Bid me Farewel, and Ease my Heart.
[Air in two Parts.]
Adon.
Farewel Venus! Welcome Pleasure!
I must to the Groves away.
Ven.
Dear Adonis! O my Treasure,
I could here for ever stay.
Adon.
When my Sporting knows no measure,
Think what Joy it is to me:
Ven.
When thy Sporting gives the Leisure,
Think I Languish here for thee.
[Exeunt severally.
| Venus and Adonis | |