O flatt'ring promise of secure delight; TO A LADY, WITH A SEAL. TH' impression which this seal shall make, A BALLAD. YE shepherds so careless and gay, Who sport with the nymphs of the plain, Take heed lest you frolic away The peace you can never regain. Let not Folly your bosoms annoy; And of Love, the dear mischief, beware: You may think 'tis all sunshine and joy, -I know 'tis o'ershadow'd with care. Love's morning how blithsome it shines, Its day oft in sorrow declines, And it sets in the night of despair. And gilds ev'ry dream with delight, How hard is my lot to complain Of a nymph whom I yet must adore, Though she love not her shepherd again, Her DAMON must love her the more. For it was not the pride of her sex, That treated his vows with disdain, For it was not the pleasure to vex, That made her delude her fond swain. 'Twas His, the fair nymph to behold, -He lov'd-and was fondly deceiv'd: Yet surely my PHYLLIS would seem While I foolishly constru'd it love. The nymph might have favour'd her swain, Of PHYLLIS was always my song, They mark'd how I walk'd at her side, And I thought none was ever so blest. But now the delusion is o'er, These day-dreams of pleasure are fled, Now Her DAMON is pleasing no more, And the hopes of her shepherd are dead. May he that my Fair shall obtain, May He, as thy DAMON, be true; Or haply thou'lt think of that swain, Who bids thee, dear Maiden, adieu. TO CHLOE. IF F CHLOE seek one verse of mine I call not on the tuneful Nine' With useless Invocation; When Poets sung in ancient Days, Did any nymph her subject chuse ? Was register'd a GRACE. |