Three Songs
LOVE, thou art best of Human Joys, Our chiefest Happiness below; All other Pleasures are but Toys, Musick without Thee is but Noise, And Beauty but an empty Show. Heav’n, who knew best what
The Man Bitten By Fleas
A Peevish Fellow laid his Head On Pillows, stuff’d with Down; But was no sooner warm in Bed, With hopes to rest his Crown, But Animals of slender size, That feast on humane Gore,
The Petition for an Absolute Retreat
Give me, O indulgent Fate! Give me yet before I die A sweet, but absolute retreat, ‘Mongst paths so lost and trees so high That the world may ne’er invade Through such windings and
The Tradesman and the Scholar
A Citizen of mighty Pelf, But much a Blockhead, in himself Disdain’d a Man of shining Parts, Master of Sciences and Arts, Who left his Book scarce once a day For sober Coffee, Smoak,
On Myselfe
Good Heav’n, I thank thee, since it was design’d I shou’d be fram’d, but of the weaker kinde, That yet, my Soul, is rescu’d from the Love Of all those Trifles, which their Passions
From The First Act Of The Aminta Of Tasso
Daphne’s Answer to Sylvia, declaring she Should esteem all as Enemies, Who should talk to her of LOVE. THEN, to the snowy Ewe, in thy esteem, The Father of the Flock a Foe must
The Appology
‘Tis true I write and tell me by what Rule I am alone forbid to play the fool To follow through the Groves a wand’ring Muse And fain’d Idea’s for my pleasures chuse Why
A Pastoral Dialogue Between Two Shepherdesses
[Silvia] Pretty Nymph! within this Shade, Whilst the Flocks to rest are laid, Whilst the World dissolves in Heat, Take this cool, and flow’ry Seat: And with pleasing Talk awhile Let us two the
To Mr. F. Now Earl of W
No sooner, FLAVIO, was you gone, But, your Injunction thought upon, ARDELIA took the Pen; Designing to perform the Task, Her FLAVIO did so kindly ask, Ere he returned agen. Unto Parnassus strait she
The Hog, The Sheep, And Goat, Carrying To A FAIR
Who does not wish, ever to judge aright, And, in the Course of Life’s Affairs, To have a quick, and far extended Sight, Tho’ it too often multiplies his Cares? And who has greater
The Hymn
To the Almighty on his radiant Throne, Let endless Hallelujas rise! Praise Him, ye wondrous Heights to us unknown, Praise Him, ye Heavens unreach’d by mortal Eyes, Praise Him, in your degree, ye sublunary
An Invitation to Dafnis
When such a day, blesst the Arcadian plaine, Warm without Sun, and shady without rain, Fann’d by an air, that scarsly bent the flowers, Or wav’d the woodbines, on the summer bowers, The Nymphs
Glass
O Man! what Inspiration was thy Guide, Who taught thee Light and Air thus to divide; To let in all the useful Beams of Day, Yet force, as subtil Winds, without thy Shash to
Adam Pos'd
Cou’d our First Father, at his toilsome Plough, Thorns in his Path, and Labour on his Brow, Cloath’d only in a rude, unpolish’d Skin, Cou’d he a vain Fantastick Nymph have seen, In all
In Praise Of Writing Letters
Blest be the Man! his Memory at least, Who found the Art, thus to unfold his Breast, And taught succeeding Times an easy way Their secret Thoughts by Letters to convey; To baffle Absence,