On a strict league of Friendship we agree, For I was sad, and as forlorn as she; To all her Humours, I conform my own, Together Sigh, together Weep, and Moan; Like her to Woods and Fountains I retreat, And urge the pitying Eccho’s to repeat My tale of _Love_, and at each Period found _Aminta’s_ name, and bear it all around, Whilst listening Voices do the charm reply, And lost in mixing Air, together dye. There minutes like dull days creep slowly on, And every day I drag an Age along; The coming hours cou’d no more pleasures hast, Than those so insupportably I’d past. I rav’d, I wept, I wisht, but all in vain, The distant Maid, nor saw, nor eas’d my pain; With my sad tale, each tender Bark I fill, This--soft complaints, and that--my Ravings tell; This bears vain Curses on my cruel fate, And Blessings on the Charming Virgin, that; The Willow by the lonely Spring that grows, And o’re the Stream bends his forsaken Boughs, I call _Lisander_; they, like him, I find, Murmur and ruffl’d are with every Wind. On the young springing Beech that’s straight and tall, I Carve her name, and that _Aminta_ call; But where I see an Oak that Climbs above The rest, and grows the Monster of the Grove; Whose pow’rful Arms when aiding Winds do blow, Dash all the tender twining Shades below, And even in Calms maliciously do spread, That naught beneath can thrive, imbrace or breed; Whose mischiefs far exceed his fancy’d good, _Honour_ I call him: _Tyrant_ of the Wood. Thus rove from Thought to Thought without relief: A change ‘tis true; but ‘tis from Grief to Grief; Which when above my silence they prevail, } With Love I’m froward, on my Fortune rail, } And to the Winds breathe my neglected Tale. } To LOVE. I. _Fond_ Love _thy pretty Flatteries cease,_ _That feeble Hope you give;_ _Unless ‘twould make my happiness,_ _In vain, dear Boy; in vain you strive,_ _It cannot keep my tortur’d Heart alive._ II. _Tho’ thou shou’dst give me all the Joys,_ _Luxurious Monarch’s do possess,_ _Without_ Aminta _’.is but empty noise,_ _Dull and insipid happiness;_ _And you in vain invite me to a Feast,_ _Where my_ Aminta _cannot be a Guest._ III. _Ye glorious Trifles, I renounce ye all,_ _Since she no part of all your splendour makes;_ _Let the Dull unconcern’d obey your call,_ _Let the gay Fop, who his Pert Courtship takes;_ _For_ Love, _whilst he profanes your Deity,_ _Be Charm’d and Pleas’d with all your necessary vanity._ IV.