TO MATILDA ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF OUR

MARRIAGE.

JOHN DRYDEN.

When first, in all thy youthful charms,
And dazzling beauty's pride,
Heightened by infant Love's alarms
The nuptial knot was tied,
Which gave thee to my longing arms
A blooming, blushing bride.

Entranced in Hymen's blissful bowers,
We hail'd each rising sun,

While wing'd with joys the rosy hours
In ecstacy flew on;

And still we blest the heavenly powers,
Who join'd our hearts in one.

Now, as with fairy-footed tread,
Time steals our years away,
Thy mildly beaming virtues spread
Soft influence o'er life's way;
Insuring to our peaceful shed

Love's bliss without decay.

THE TEARS OF AMYNTA FOR THE DEATH OF DAMON.

JOHN DRYDEN.

On a bank, beside a willow

Heaven her covering, earth her pillow,
Sad Amynta sigh'd alone;
From the cheerless dawn of morning
Till the dews of night returning,
Singing thus she made her moan:
Hope is banished

Joys are vanished,
Damon, my beloved, is gone!

Time, I dare thee to discover
Such a youth, and such a lover;
Oh, so true, so kind was he!
Damon was the pride of nature,
Charming in his every feature;
Damon liv'd alone for me:
Melting kisses,
Murmuring blisses;

Who so liv'd and lov'd as we!

Never shall we curse the morning,

Never bless the night returning,
Sweet embraces to restore:
Never shall we both lie dying,
Nature failing, love supplying
All the joys he drain'd before.
Death come end me,

To befriend me;

Love and Damon are no more.

CHLOE FOUND AMYNTAS LYING.

JOHN DRyden.

Chloe found Amyntas lying,
All in tears upon the plain,
Sighing to himself, and crying,
Wretched I to love in vain!
Kiss me, dear, before my dying;
Kiss me once and ease my pain.

Sighing to himself, and crying,
Wretched I to love in vain !
Ever scorning, and denying

To reward your faithful swain. Kiss me, dear, before my dying; Kiss me once and ease my pain.

Ever scorning and denying

To reward your faithful swain,— Chloe, laughing at his crying,

Told him that he lov'd in vain. Kiss me, dear, before my dying; Kiss me once and ease my pain.

Chloe laughing at his crying,

Told him that he lov'd in vain ; But repenting, and complying, When he kiss'd she kiss'd again: Kiss'd him up before his dying; Kiss'd him up and eas'd his pain.

JEALOUSY, TYRANT OF THE MIND.

JOHN DRYDEN.

What state of life can be so blest,
As love that warms the Lover's breast;
Two souls in one; the same desire
То grant the bliss, and to require?
But if in heaven a hell we find,
"Tis all from thee,
O Jealousy!

Thou tyrant, tyrant Jealousy.
Thou tyrant of the mind.

All other ills, though sharp they prove,
Serve to refine and perfect love :
In absence, or unkind disdain,
Sweet hope relieves the lovers pain:
But, oh, no cure but death we find
To set us free,
From Jealousy,

O Jealousy!

Thou tyrant, tyrant Jealousy.
Thou tyrant of the mind.

False in thy glass all objects are,
Some set too near, and some too far:
Thou art the fire of endless night,
The fire that burns, and gives no light.
All torments of the damn'd we find
In only thee,

VOL. I.

O Jealousy!

Thou tyrant, tyrant Jealousy,
Thou tyrant of the mind.

I

[Inserted by Dryden in his Tragi-comedy of Love Triumphant. The idea is probably taken from Herrick's Hesperides, p. 197, see the lines beginning:

O jealousie that art

The canker of the heart.

Percy gave this Song the advantage of his poetical genius; whatever the Dr. touched he generally improved.]

YE HAPPY SWAINS.

SIR GEORGE ETHEREGE.

Born 1636-Died 1688.

Ye happy swains, whose hearts are free
From Love's imperial chain,
Take warning, and be taught by me,
T'avoid th' enchanting pain.
Fatal, the wolves to trembling flocks,
Fierce winds to blossoms, prove,
To careless seamen hidden rocks,
To human quiet love.

Fly the fair sex if bliss you prize;
The snake's beneath the flow'r :
Who ever gaz'd on beauteous eyes,
That tasted quiet more?

How faithless is the lovers joy!

How constant is their care!

The kind with falsehood do destroy,
The cruel with despair.