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TO MISS LUCY FORTESCUE.

ONCE, by the Mufe alone infpir'd
I fung my amorous ftrains :

No ferious love my bofom fir'd;
Yet every tender maid, deceiv'd,
The idly-mournful tale believ'd,
And wept my fancied pains.

But Venus now, to punish me
For having feign'd so well,
Has made my heart fo fond of thee,
That not the whole Aonian choir
Can accents foft enough infpire,
Its real flame to tell.

TO THE SAME;

WITH

HAMMON D'S ELEGIE S.

A

LL that of Love can be exprefs'd,

In thefe foft numbers fee;

But, Lucy, would you know the reft,

It must be read in me.

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TO THE SAME.

O him who in an hour muft die,
Not swifter feems that hour to fly,
Than flow the minutes feem to me,
Which keep me from the fight of thee.

Not more that trembling wretch would give,
Another day or year to live;

Than I to fhorten what remains

Of that long hour which thee detains.

Oh! come to my impatient arms,

Oh! come, with all thy heavenly charms,

At once to justify and pay

The pain I feel from this delay.

10

TO THE SAME,

I:

eafe my troubled mind of anxious care,

T Laft night the fecret casket I explor'd,

Where all the letters of my abfent fair
(His richest treasure) careful Love had ftor'd:

II.

In every word a magic fpell I found

Of power to charm each bufy thought to rest; Though every word increas'd the tender wound

Of fond defire still throbbing in my breast.

III. Sa.

III.

So to his hoarded gold the miser fteals,.
And lofes every forrow at the fight;
Yet wishes ftill for more, nor ever feels.
Entire contentment, or fecure delight.
IV.

Ah! fhould I lofe thee, my too lovely maid,
Couldst thou forget thy heart was ever mine,
Fear not thy letters fhould the change upbraid;,
My hand each dear memorial fhall refign:

V.

Not one kind word fhall in my power remain,,
A painful witness of reproach to thee;

And left my heart should still their sense retain,
My heart, fhall break, to leave thee wholly free..

A PRAYER TO VENUS,

IN HER TEMPLE AT STOWE.

FA

TO THE SAME. /

I.

AIR Venus, whose delightful shrine fürveys
Its front reflected in the filver lake,

These humble offerings, which thy fervant pays,

Fresh flowers, and myrtle wreaths, propitious take.

II. If

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II.

If lefs my love exceeds all other love,

Than Lucy's charins all other charms excel, Far from my breast each soothing hope remove, And there let fad Despair for ever dwell.

III.

But if my foul is fill'd with her alone;

No other wish, nor other object knows;
Oh! make her, Goddefs, make her all my own,
And give my trembling heart secure repose!

IV.

No watchful spies I ask, to guard her charms,
No walls of brafs, no fteel-defended door:
Place her but once within my circling arms,
Love's fureft fort, and I will doubt no more.

TO THE SAM E.

ON HER PLEADING WANT OF TIME.

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I.

N Thames's bank, a gentle youth

For Lucy figh'd, with matchlefs truth,
Ev'n when he figh'd in rhyme;

The lovely maid his flame return'd,

And would with equal warmth have burn'd,
But that he had not time.

II. Oft

II.

Oft he repair'd with eager feet
In fecret fhades his fair to meet,

Beneath th' accuftom'd lime:

She would have fondly met him there,
And heal'd with love each tender care,
But that he had not time.

III.

"It was not thus, inconftant maid!
"You acted once," (the fhepherd faid)
"When love was in its prime :"
She griev'd to hear him thus complain;
And would have writ, to eafe his pain,
But that he had not time.

IV.

How can you a& fo cold a part?

No crime of mine has chang'd your heart,
If love be not a crime.-

We foon must part for months, for years-
She would have anfwer'd with her tears,
But that he had not time.

YOUR

TO THE SAME.

OUR fhape, your lips, your eyes, are ftill the
fame,

Still the bright object of my conftant flame;
But where is now the tender glance, that stole,
With gentle fweetnefs, my enchanted foul ?

Kind

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