Thus fill’d the neighbouring Eccho’s with my Cry, Did nothing but reproach, complain and dye: One day---- All hopeless on the Rivers Brink I stood, Resolv’d to plunge into the Rapid Floud, That Floud that eases Lovers in despair, And puts an end to all their raging care: ‘Tis hither those betray’d by Beauty come, And from this kinder stream receive their doom; Here Birds of Ominous presages Nest, Securing the forlorn Inhabitants from rest: Here Mid-night-Owls, night-Crows, and Ravens dwell, Filling the Air with Melancholy Yell: Here swims a thousand Swans, whose doleful moan Sing dying Loves Requiems with their own: I gaz’d around, and many Lovers view’d, Gastly and pale, who my design pursu’d; But most inspir’d by some new hope, or won To finish something they had left undone; Some grand Important bus’ness of their Love, Did from the fatal precipice remove: For me, no Reason my designs disswade, Till _Love_ all Breathless hasted to my Aid; With force m’ unfixing Feet he kindly graspt, And tenderly reproacht my desperate hast, Reproach’d my Courage, and condemn’d my Wit, That meanly cou’d t’ a Womans scorn submit, That cou’d to feed her Pride, and make her vain, Destroy an Age of Life, for a short date of pain: He wou’d have left me here, but that I made, } So many friendships as did soon perswade } The yielding Boy, who Smil’d, resolv’d and staid. } He rais’d my Head, and did again renew, His Flatteries, and all the Arts he knew: To call my Courage to its wonted place. What, cry’d he--(sweetly Angry) shall a Face Arm’d with the weak resistance of a Frown, Force us to lay our Claims and Titles down? Shall _Cruelty_ a peevish Woman prove, Too strong to be overcome by Youth and Love? No! rally all thy Vigor, all thy Charms, And force her from the cruel Tyrants Arms; Come, once more try th’ incens’d Maid to appease, Death’s in our pow’r to grasp when ere we please; He said----And I the heavenly voice attend, Whilst towards the Rock our hasty steps we bend, Before the Gates with all our forces lye, Resolv’d to Conquer, or resolv’d to dye; In vain Love all his feeble Engines rears, His soft Artillery of Sighs and Tears, Were all in vain--against the Winds were sent, For she was proof ‘gainst them and Languishment: Repeated Vows and Prayers mov’d no Remorse, And ‘twas to Death alone I had Recourse: _Love_ in my Anguish bore a mighty part, He pityed, but he cou’d not ease my Heart: A thousand several ways he had assay’d, To touch the Heart of this obdurate Maid; Rebated all his Arrow’s still return, For she was fortify’d with Pride and Scorn. The useless Weapons now away he flung, Neglected lay his Ivory Bow unstrung,