3

The Thirsty Poet

1676-1709

O pass my Days. But when Nocturnal Shades
This World invelop, and th' inclement Air
Persuades Men to repel benumming Frosts
With pleasant Wines, and crackling Blaze of Wood;
Me lonely sitting, nor the glimmering Light
Of Make-weight Candle, nor the joyous Talk
Of loving Friend delights; distress'd, forlorn,
Amidst the Horrors of the tedious Night,
Darkling I sigh, and feed with dismal Thoughts
My anxious Mind; or sometimes mournful Verse
Indite, and sing of Groves and Myrtle Shades,
Or desperate Lady near a purling Stream,
Or Lover pendent on a Willow-Tree:
Mean while, I labour with eternal Drought,

And restless wish, and rave; my parched Throat
Finds no Relief, nor heavy Eyes Repose:
But if a Slumber haply does invade

My weary Limbs, my Fancy, still awake,
Thoughtful of Drink, and eager, in a Dream
Tipples imaginary Pots of Ale:

In vain; awake I find the settled Thirst
Still gnawing, and the pleasant Phantom curse.

Thus do I live from Pleasure quite debarr'd,
Nor taste the Fruits that the Sun's genial Rays
Mature, John-Apple, nor the downy Peach,
Nor Walnut in rough-furrow'd Coat secure,
Nor Medlar, Fruit delicious in Decay.

The Splendid Shilling; 1701

4

5

WILLIAM WALSH

Song

Of all the Torments, all the Cares,

OF

With which our Lives are curst;

Of all the Plagues a Lover bears,

Sure Rivals are the worst!
By Partners, in each other kind,
Afflictions easier grow;
In Love alone we hate to find
Companions of our Woe.

Sylvia, for all the Pangs you see,
Are lab'ring in my Breast;
I beg not you would favour me,
Would you but slight the rest!
How great so e'er your Rigours are,
With them alone I'll cope;
I can endure my own Despair,
But not another's Hope.

D

1663-1708

Poetical Miscellanies, v, 1704

The Despairing Lover

ISTRACTED with Care,
For Phillis the Fair;

Since nothing cou'd move her,
Poor Damon, her Lover,

Resolves in Despair

No longer to languish,
Nor bear so much Anguish;

But, mad with his Love,
To a Precipice goes;

Where, a Leap from above

Wou'd soon finish his Woes.

When in Rage he came there,
Beholding how steep

The Sides did appear,
And the Bottom how deep;
His Torments projecting,
And sadly reflecting,

That a Lover forsaken

A new Love may get;

But a Neck, when once broken,

Can never be set:

And, that he cou'd die

Whenever he wou'd;

But, that he cou'd live

But as long as he cou'd:
How grievous soever

The Torment might grow,

He scorn'd to endeavour

To finish it so.

But Bold, Unconcern'd

At Thoughts of the Pain,

He calmly return'd

To his Cottage again.

Poetical Miscellanies, v, 1704

6

MARY LEE, LADY CHUDLEIGH

The Resolve

1656-1710

OR what the World admires I'll wish no more,

FOR

Nor court that airy nothing of a Name:
Such flitting Shadows let the Proud adore,
Let them be Suppliants for an empty Fame.

If Reason rules within, and keeps the Throne,
While the inferior Faculties obey,
And all her Laws without Reluctance own,
Accounting none more fit, more just than they:

If Virtue my free Soul unsully'd keeps,
Exempting it from Passion and from Stain:
If no black guilty Thoughts disturb my Sleeps,
And no past Crimes my vext Remembrance pain:

If, tho' I Pleasure find in living here,

I yet can look on Death without Surprise:
If I've a Soul above the Reach of Fear,

And which will nothing mean or sordid prize:

A Soul, which cannot be depress'd by Grief,
Nor too much rais'd by the sublimest Joy;
Which can, when troubled, give it self Relief,
And to Advantage all its Thoughts employ:

Then am I happy in my humble State,

Altho' not crown'd with Glory nor with Bays:
A Mind, that triumphs over Vice and Fate,

Esteems it mean to court the World for Praise.

Poems on Several Occasions, 1703

7

WILLIAM CONGREVE

Song

1670-1729

AH stay! ah turn! ah whither would you fly,

Too charming, too relentless Maid?

I follow not to Conquer, but to Die;
You of the fearful are afraid.

In vain I call; for she like fleeting Air,
When prest by some tempestuous Wind,
Flies swifter from the Voice of my Despair,
Nor casts one pitying Look behind.

The Fair Penitent, Act ii, 1703

8 A Hue and Cry after Fair Amoret

AIR Amoret is gone astray;

FAIR

Pursue and seek her, ev'ry Lover;
I'll tell the Signs, by which you may
The wand'ring Shepherdess discover.

Coquet and Coy at once her Air,

Both study'd, tho' both seem neglected;
Careless she is with artful Care,

Affecting to seem unaffected.

With Skill her Eyes dart ev'ry Glance,
Yet change so soon you'd ne'er suspect 'em;
For she'd persuade they wound by chance,

Tho' certain Aim and Art direct 'em.