I love the bold and brave, Who quakes and cries, With sense to tell What 'tis he longs to have. SIR JOHN VANBRUGH. 1666-1726. THE RELAPSE; OR, VIRTUE IN DANGER. I BEWARE OF LOVE. SMILE at Love and all its arts, Take heed, for Love has piercing darts, Once free and blessed as you are now, I trifled with his charms, I pointed at his little bow, And sported with his arms: Till urged too far, Revenge! he cries, It took its passage through your eyes, To tear it thence I tried in vain, know Ah! much too well, I fear you And that (grant Heaven I may mistake!) I doubt is doomed to bear THE PROVOKED WIFE. LOVELESS BEAUTY. FLY, fy, you happy shepherds, fly! Avoid Philira's charms; The rigor of her heart denies Yet, lovely maid, this once believe ESOP. LEARNED WOMEN. NCE on a time, a nightingale ONCE To changes prone; Unconstant, fickle, whimsical, Who sung like others of her kind, To imitate him she THE DRAMATISTS. prepares. 17 Her fancy straight was on the wing: 'I fly,' quoth she, I should not try From that day forth she changed her note, She spoiled her voice, she strained her throat: Till everthing That heard her sing, Would run away from her-as I from you. A WILLIAM CONGREVE. 1672-1728. LOVE FOR LOVE. THE ORACLE. NYMPH and a swain to Apollo once prayed, The swain had been jilted, the nymph been betrayed: Their intent was to try if his oracle knew E'er a nymph that was chaste, or a swain that was true. 'He alone won't betray in whom none will confide: And the nymph may be chaste that has never been tried.' I Το LOVE'S INFIDELITIES. TELL thee, Charmion, could I time retrieve, I know my eyes would lead my heart to you, For by our weak and weary truth I find, Since women love to change, and so do we. THE WAY OF THE WORLD. LOVE'S AMBITION. LOVE'S but the frailty of the mind, Or amorous youth, that gives the joy; If there's delight in love, 'tis when I see DRINKING SONG. RITHEE fill me the glass, PRITE Till it laugh in my face, With ale that is potent and mellow; He that whines for a lass, Is an ignorant ass, For a bumper has not its fellow. We'll drink and we'll never ha' done, boys, Put the glass then around with the sun, boys, Let Apollo's example invite us; For he's drunk every night, And that makes him so bright, That he's able next morning to light us. To drink is a Christian diversion, Live by heathenish rules, And be damned over tea-cups and coffee; Crown a health to the king, GEORGE FARQUHAR. 1678-1707. LOVE AND A BOTTLE. FALSE LOVE ONLY IS BLIND. How blessed are lovers in disguise! As I do thee, Exposed to view, I'm hid from you, I'm altered, yet the same: Love reveals me; Love, which lights me by its flame. Were you not false, you me would know; For though your eyes Could not devise, Your heart had told you so. Your heart would beat With eager heat, And me by sympathy would find: True love might see One changed like me, False love is only blind. |