Oh my dear _Lysidas!_ my faithful Friend, Would I cou’d here with all my Pleasures end: ‘Twas Heaven! ‘twas Extaxsie! each minute brought New Raptures to my Senses, Soul and Thought; Each Look, each Touch, my Ravisht fancy charm’d, Each Accent of her Voice my Blood Alarm’d; I pant with every Glance, faint with a Kiss, Oh Judge my Transports then in higher Bliss. A while all Dead, between her Arms I lay, Unable to possess the conquer’d Joys; But by degrees my Soul its sense retriev’d; Shame and Confusion let me know I liv’d. I saw the trembling dis-appointed Maid, With charming angry Eyes my fault upbraid, While Love and Spight no kind Excuse affords, My Rage and Softness was above dull Words, And my Misfortune only was exprest, By Signing out my Soul into her Brest: A thousand times I breath’d _Aminta’s_ name, _Aminta!_ call’d! but that increas’d my flame. And as the Tide of Love flow’d in, so fast My Low, my Ebbing Vigor out did hast. But ‘twas not long, thus idly, and undone I lay, before vast Seas came rowling on, Spring-tides of Joy, that the rich neighboring shoar } And down the fragrant Banks it proudly bore, } O’re-flow’d and ravisht all great Natures store. } Swoln to Luxurious heights, no bounds it knows, But wantonly it Triumphs where it flows. Some God inform Thee of my blest Estate, But all their Powers divert thee from my Fate. ‘Twas thus we liv’d the wonder of the Groves, Fam’d for our Love, our mutual constant Loves. Young Amorous Hero’s at her Feet did fall, Despair’d and dy’d, whilst I was Lord of All; Her Empire o’re my Soul each moment grew, } New Charms each minute did appear in view, } And each appointment Ravishing and New. } Fonder each hour my tender Heart became, And that which us’d t’ allay, increas’d my Flame. But on a day, oh may no chearful Ray, Of the Sun’s Light, bless that succeeding day! May the black hours from the account be torn, May no fair thing upon thy day be born! May fate and Hell appoint thee for their own, May no good deed be in thy Circle done! May Rapes, Conspiricies and Murders stay, Till thou com’st on, and hatch em in thy day! --’Twas on this day all Joyful Gay and Fair, } Fond as desire, and wanton as the Air; } _Aminta_ did with me to the blest Bower repair. } Beneath a Beechy Shade, a flowry Bed, Officious _Cupid’s_ for our Pleasure spred, Where never did the Charmer ere impart, More Joy, more Rapture to my ravisht Heart: ‘Twas all the first; ‘twas all beginning Fire! ‘Twas all new Love! new Pleasure! new Desire! --Here stop, my Soul--