LOVE AND CONSTANCY.

A NEW PLAY-SONG.

I never saw her face till now,
That could my fancy move,
I liked, and ventur'd many a vow,
But durst not think of love,
Till beauty charming every sense,
An easy conquest made,

And show'd the vainness of defence
When Phillis doth invade.

But ah, her colder heart denies
The thoughts her looks inspire,
And while in ice that frozen lies,
Her eyes dart only fire.
Between extremes I am undone,
Like plants to northward set,
Burnt by two violent a sun,
Or cold for want of heat.

Twixt hope and fear I tortur'd am,
And vainly wish for ease,
The more I struggle with my flame;
The more it doth increase.

I woo'd and woo'd to be releas'd
From these soft chains I made,
But if I strive I'm more opprest
When Phillis does invade.

O cruel love why dost thou deign
To wound me with such smart,
And not an equal shaft retain
To melt her frozen heart.

Or does she struggle with the flame
Victorious to be said!

For if she does, my hopes are vain
Though Phillis does invade.

From Evans' Old Ballads, 4 vols. 8vo. 1810, who copied it from "a royal Garland of New Songs, 12mo, black letter, in the Pepys' Collection." See vol. 4, p. 353. Ritson's Editor and Ritson himself give merely the two first verses and attribute it to Southern! See

his Play the "Disappointment Southern himself says that it was written by the Hon'ble Colonel

or Mother in Fashion," where

Sackville.]

A FAREWELL TO LOVE.

SIR CHARLES SEDLEY.

Born 1639-Died 1701.

Once more Loves mighty charms are broke,
His strength and cunning I defy;
Once more I have thrown off his yoke,
And am a man, and do despise the boy.
Thanks to her pride, and her disdain,
And all the follies of a scornful mind:
I'd ne'er possessed my heart again.
If fair Miranda had been kind.

Welcome, fond wanderer, as ease,
And plenty to a wretch in pain,
That worn with want and a disease,
Enjoys his health, and all his friends again.
Let others waste their time and youth,
Watch and look pale, to gain a peevish maid,
And learn too late this dear-bought truth,
At length they're sure to be betray'd.

TO A VERY YOUNG LADY.

SIR CHARLES SEDLEY.

Ah Chloris! that I now could sit *
As unconcern'd, as when
Your infant beauty could beget
No pleasure, nor no pain.†

When I the dawn used to admire,
And prais'd the coming day;
I little thought the growing§ fire
Must take my rest away.

Your charms in harmless childhood lay,
Like metals in the mine,
Age from no face took more away,
Than youth conceal'd in thine.

But as your charms insensibly
To their perfection prest,
Fond¶ Love as unperceiv'd did fly,
And in my bosom rest.**

My passion with your beauty grew,
And++ Cupid at my heart,
Still as his mother favour'd you,
Threw a new flaming dart..

Each gloried in their wanton part,
To make a lover, he
Employ'd the utmost of his art,
To make a Beauty, she.

Though now I slowly bend to love
Uncertain of my fate,

If your fair self my chains approve,
I shall my freedom hate.
Lovers, like dying men, may well

At first disorder'd be,

Since none alive can truly tell
What Fortune they must see.

See

[From "the Mulberry Garden, a Comedy written by the Honourable Sir Charles Sidley," 4to. 1668. This Song is commonly printed as the production of " the Right Honourable Duncan Forbes, Lord President of the Court of Session, and composed in 1710." Motherwell's Ancient Minstrelsy, p. 65; and another Editor adds that these "tender and pathetic stanzas were addressed to Miss Mary Rose, the elegant accomplished daughter of Hugh Rose, Esq. of Kilravock, whom he afterwards married!" Ritson commences his Collection of English Songs with Sedley's verses, both Ritson and Park were ignorant of their Author, and Mr. Chambers, in his Scotish Songs, starts with it as a genuine production of old Scotland! In Johnson's Musical Museum it is directed to be sung to the tune of Gilderoy. The two last verses are not in the other versions. Forbes was born in 1685, seventeen years after the appearance of Sedley's

comedy.]

TO CELIA.

SIR CHARLES SEDLEY.

Not, Celia, that I juster am

Or better than the rest;

For I would change each hour like them,

Were not my heart at rest.

But I am tied to very thee
By every thought I have :
Thy face I only care to see,
Thy heart I only crave.

All that in woman is ador'd,
In thy dear self I find;

For the whole sex can but afford
The handsome and the kind.

Why then should I seek farther store, And still make love anew?

When change itself can give no more, 'Tis easy to be true!

TO THYRSIS.

SIR CHARLES SEDley.

Thyrsis, unjustly you complain,
And tax my tender heart
With want of pity for your pain,
Or sense of your desert.

By secret and mysterious springs,
Alas! our passions move;
We women are fantastic things,
That like before we love.

You may be handsome and have wit,

Be secret and well bred,

The person loved must be as fit,

He only can succeed.