For thou may'st say, 'twas not thy fault, That thou didst thus inconstant prove, Being by my example taught To break thy oath, to mend thy love. No, Chloris, no! I will return, And raise thy story to that height, That strangers shall at distance burn, And she distrust me reprobate. Then shall my love this doubt displace, OF SYLVIA. OUR sighs are heard; just heav'n declares So when the sky makes us endure Hence 'tis that I conceal my flame, Hiding from Flavia's self her name; Lest she, provoking heaven, should prove How it rewards neglected love, Better a thousand such as I, Their grief untold, should pine and die, Than her bright morning, overcast With sullen clouds, should be defac'd. OF LOVE. ANGER in hasty words or blows Affect the haughty and the proud, Unwisely we the wiser East Should some brave Turk, that walks among Behold as many gallants here, Whilst her high pride does scarce descend All this with indignation spoke, In vain I struggled with the yoke Of mighty love that conquering look, When next beheld, like lightning strook My blasted soul, and made me bow Lower than those I pitied now. So the tall stag, upon the brink Of some smooth stream about to drink, Surveying there his armed head, With shame remembers that he fled The scorned dogs; resolves to try The combat next; but if their cry Invades again his trembling ear, He straight resumes his wonted care, Leaves the untasted spring behind, And, wing'd with fear, outflies the wind. SONG. Go, lovely rose! Tell her that wastes her time and me, That now she knows, When I resemble her to thee, How sweet and fair she seems to be. Tell her that's young, And shuns to have her graces spied, That, hadst thou sprung In desarts where no men abide, Thou must have uncommended died. Small is the worth Of beauty from the light retir'd: Bid her come forth, Suffer herself to be desir'd, And not blush so to be admired. Then die, that she The common fate of all things rare How small a part of time they share, TO PHILLIS. PHILLIS, why should we delay Pleasures shorter than the day? Could we (which we never can) Stretch our lives beyond their span, |