Whilst happy I Triumphant stood, The Pride and Glory of the Wood; My Aromatick Boughs and Fruit, Did with all other Trees dispute. Had right by Nature to excel, In pleasing both the tast and smell: But to the touch I must confess, Bore an Ungrateful Sullenness. My Wealth, like bashful Virgins, I Yielded with some Reluctancy; For which my vallue should be more, Not giving easily my store. My verdant Branches all the year } Did an Eternal Beauty wear; } Did ever young and gay appear. } Nor needed any tribute pay, For bounties from the God of Day: Nor do I hold Supremacy, (In all the Wood) o’er every Tree. But even those too of my own Race, That grow not in this happy place. But that in which I glory most, And do my self with Reason boast, Beneath my shade the other day, Young _Philocles_ and _Cloris_ lay, Upon my Root she lean’d her head, } And where I grew, he made their Bed: } Whilst I the Canopy more largely spread. } Their trembling Limbs did gently press, The kind supporting yielding Grass: Ne’er half so blest as now, to bear A Swain so Young, a Nimph so fair: My Grateful Shade I kindly lent, And every aiding Bough I bent. So low, as sometimes had the blisse, To rob the Shepherd of a kiss, Whilst he in Pleasures far above The Sence of that degree of Love: Permitted every stealth I made, Unjealous of his Rival Shade. I saw ‘em kindle to desire, Whilst with soft sighs they blew the fire; Saw the approaches of their joy, He growing more fierce, and she less Coy, Saw how they mingled melting Rays, Exchanging Love a thousand ways. Kind was the force on every side, } Her new desire she could not hide: } Nor wou’d the Shepherd be deny’d. } Impatient he waits no consent But what she gave by Languishment, The blessed Minute he pursu’d; And now transported in his Arms, Yeilds to the Conqueror all her Charmes, His panting Breast, to hers now join’d, They feast on Raptures unconfin’d; Vast and Luxuriant, such as prove The Immortality of Love. For who but a Divinitie, } Could mingle Souls to that Degree; } And melt ‘em into Extasie? } Now like the _Phenix_, both Expire, } While from the Ashes of their Fire, } Sprung up a new, and soft desire. } Like Charmers, thrice they did invoke,