Classic Poem

A PASTORAL.

AMINTA.

Thee , gentle Maid, may ev'ry Muse inspire,
And Phaebus bless Thee with poetic Fire;
May thy soft Numbers ev'ry Bosom warm,
Melt into Love, and into Softness charm,
Around our peaceful Plains thy Praise is spread,
And Wreaths of Laurel crown thy youthful Head.

DELIA.

May ev'ry Grace and blooming Charm be thine,
And the dear Joys of Peace and Friendship mine:
Aminta still my grateful Heart shall share,
Tho' lov'd Philander 's Image triumphs there.

AMINTA.

Me gentle Damon loves, nor loves in vain,
With Joy I hear the charming Youth complain;
He! only he, to Tenderness can move,
Melt my soft Soul, and charm me into Love:
In vain I wou'd my secret Pain disguise,
He reads my Passion in my artless Eyes.

DELIA.

From Fair to Fair the gay Philander rov'd,
Sigh'd without Cause, and for a Moment lov'd;
The charming Wanderer no more I fear,
For me he feels the tender Flame sincere.

AMINTA.

Soft as the Breeze which fans the silent Grove,
Are Damon 's Accents when he talks of Love;
Too well my fond consenting Looks reveal
The tender Passion I wou'd fain conceal:
Whene'er I hear the lovely Youth complain,
My Sighs and Blushes speak an equal Flame.

DELIA.

With skilful Hand, when my Philander plays,
And sings alternately in melting Lays;
The Woods to the soft Harmony resound,
And my Soul dwells on the enchanting Sound.

AMINTA.

When my lov'd Damon sings, how sweet the Strains;
Ecchoes, repeat them to the distant Plains;
Not Philomela , thro' the whisp'ring Trees,
Like that dear Shepherd's tuneful Voice can please.

DELIA.

No Arts I use to vex my faithful Swain,
Nor feign a Passion, nor affect Disdain:
When the dear Youth in plaintive Sounds wou'd move
My yielding Soul to Tenderness and Love;
He sees too well the struggling Passions rise,
Glow in my Cheeks, and Languish in my Eyes,
Knows the soft Meaning of each Look, and steals
The tender Thoughts, which Art in vain conceals.

AMINTA.

When Damon 's absent from my longing Eyes,
A thousand anxious Fears and Sorrows rise;
While to the Murmurs of yon falling Stream
I sing, and Damon is the charming Theme.

DELIA.

The lovely Object of my soft Desire,
Philander only can my Songs inspire;
For him my Numbers flow, my Shepherd's Praise
Adorns each Line, and smooths my artless Lays.