I.
Thither all the Amorous Youth repair,
To see the Objects of their Vows;
No Jealousies approach ‘em there;
They Banish Dulness and Despair;
And only Gayety and Mirth allow.
The Houses cover’d o’re with flow’rs appear,
Like fragrant Arbours all the year,
Where all the dear, the live-long day,
In Musick, Songs, and Balls is past away:
All things are form’d for pleasure and delight,
Which finish not but with the Light;
But when the Sun returns again,
They hold with that bright God an equal Reign.
II.
There no Reproaches dwell; that Vice
Is banisht with the Coy and Nice.
The Froward there learn Complyance;
There the Dull Wise his Gravity forsakes,
The Old dispose themselves to Dance,
And Melancholy wakens from his Trance,
And against Nature sprightly Humour takes.
The formal States-man does his Int’rest quit,
And learns to talk of Love and Wit;
There the Philosopher speaks Sense,
Such as his Mistress Eyes inspire;
Forgets his learned Eloquence,
Nor now compares his Flame to his own Chimick fire.
III.
The Miser there opens his Golden heaps,
And at Love’s Altar offers the rich Prize;
His needless fears of want does now despise,
And as a lavish Heir, he Treats and Reaps
The Blessings that attend his grateful Sacrifice.
Even the Fluttering Coxcomb there
Does less ridiculous appear:
For in the Crowd some one unlucky Face,
With some particular Grimmas,
Has the ill fate his Heart to gain, }
Which gives him just the Sense to know his pain; }
Whence he becomes less talkative and vain. }
There ’tis the Muses dwell! that sacred Nine,
Who teach the inlarged Soul to prove,
No Arts or Sciences Divine,
But those inspired by Them and Love!
Gay Conversation, Feast, and Masquerades,
Agreeable Cabals, and Serinades;
Eternal Musick, Gladness, Smiles and Sport,
Make all the bus’ness of this Little Court.
At my approach new Fires my Bosom warm;
New vigor I receive from every Charm:
I found invention with my Love increase;
And both instruct me with new Arts to please;
New Gallantrys I sought to entertain,
And had the Joy to find ‘em not in vain;
All the Extravagance of Youth I show,
And pay’d to Age the Dotage I shall owe;
All a beginning Passion can conceive,
What beauty Merits, or fond Love can give.
With diligence I wait Aminta’s look,
And her decrees from Frowns or Smiles I took,
To my new fixt resolves, no stop I found,
My Flame was uncontroul’d and knew no bound;
Unlimited Expences every day
On what I thought she lik’d, I threw away:
My Coaches, and my Liverys, rich and new,
In all this Court, none made a better show.
Aminta here was unconfin’d and free,
And all a well-born Maid cou’d render me
She gave: My early Visits does allow,
And more ingagingly receives me now,
Her still increasing Charms, Her soft Address, }
Partial Lover cannot well Express, }
Her Beautys with my flame each hour increase. }
’Twas here my Soul more true content receiv’d,
Then all the Duller hours of Life I’d liv’d.
— But with the envying Night I still repair
To Inquietude; none lodge at Little Care.
The hasty Minutes summon me away, }
While parting pains surmount past hours of Joy, }
And Nights large Reckoning over-pays the day. }
The GOD of Sleep his wonted Aid denys;
Lends no Repose, or to my Heart or Eyes:
Only one hour of Rest the breaking Morning brought,
In which this happy Dream Assail’d my Thought,