"How foolish is the nymph," she cries,
"Who trifles with her lover's pain!!
Nature still speaks în woman's eyes,
Our artful lips were made to feign.i
O DAPHNIS, DAPHNIS, 't was my pride, i
'Twas not my heart thy love denied ;
Come back, dear youth, again.
"As t'other day my hand he seized,
My blood with thrilling motion flew;
Sudden I put on looks displeased,
And hasty from his hold withdrew.
'T was fear alone, thou simple swain,-
Then hadst thou prest my hand again,
My heart had yielded too.
Tis true, thy tuneful reed I blamed,
That swell'd thy lip and rosy cheek ;
Think not thy skill in song defamed,
That lip should other pleasures seek:
Much, much thy music I approve ;
Yet break thy pipe, for more I love,
Much more, to hear thee speak.
"My heart forebodes that I'm betray'd;
DAPHNIS, I fear, is ever gone;
Last night with DELIA'S dog he play'd;
Love by such trifles first comes on.
Now, now, dear shepherd, come away,
My tongue would now my heart obey,
Ah CHLOE, thou art won!”
The youth stepp'd forth with hasty pace,
And found where wishing CHLOE lay ;
Shame sudden lighten'd in her face,
Confused, she knew not what to say..
At last, in broken words, she cried,
"Tomorrow you în vain had tried,
But I am lost today!"
ALEXIS shunn'd his fellow swains,
Their rural sports and jocund strains;
Heaven shield us all from Cupid's bow!
He lost his crook, he left his flocks,
And wandering thro' the lonely rocks
He nourish'd endless wo.
The nymphs and shepherds round him came,
His grief some pity, others blame,
The fatal cause all kindly seek ;
He mingled his concern with theirs,
He gave them back their friendly tears,
He sigh'd, but could not speak.
CLORINDA came among the rest,
And she too kind concern exprest,
And ask'd the reason of his woe;
She ask'd, but with an air and mien
That made it easily foreseen
She fear'd too much to know.
The shepherd raised his mournful head, "And will you pardon me," he said,
"While I the cruel truth reveal?
Which nothing from my breast should tear,
Which never should offend your ear,
But that you bid me tell.
""Tis thus I rove, 't is thus complain,
Since you appear'd upon the plain,
You are the cause of all my care;
Your eyes ten thousand dangers dart,
Ten thousand torments vex my heart,
I love and I despair."
"Too much, ALEXIS, have I heard,
'Tis what I thought, 'tis what I fear'd,
And yet I pardon you," she cried;
"But you shall promise ne'er again
To breathe your vows, or speak your pain."
He bow'd, obey'd, and died.
THE sun was sunk beneath the hill,
The western clouds were lined with gold,
Clear was the sky, the wind was still,
The flocks were penn'd within the fol;
When in the silence of the grove
Poor DAMON thus despair'd of love.
"Who seeks to pluck the fragrant rose
From the hard rock or oozy beach,
Who from each weed that barren grows
Expects the grape or downy peach,
With equal faith may hope to find
The truth of love in womankind.
"No herds have I, no fleecy care,
No fields that wave with golden grain, No pastures green, or gardens fair,
A woman's venal heart to gain; Then all in vain my sighs must prove, Whose whole estate, alas! is love.
"How wretched is the faithful youth!
Since women's hearts are bought and sold: They ask no vows of sacred truth,
Whene'er they sigh, they sigh for gold. Gold can the frowns of scorn remove: But I am scorn'd-who have but love.
"To buy the gems of India's coast
What wealth, what riches would suffice? Yet India's shore should never boast The lustre of thy rival eyes;
For there the world too cheap must prove; Can I then buy?—who have but love.
"Then, MARY, since nor gems nor ore
Can with thy brighter self compare,
Be just, as fair, and value more
Than gems or ore a heart sincere :
Let treasure meaner beauties move:
Who pays thy worth must pay in love."
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