Damon and Thyrsis
THYRSIS.
Behold, my Damon, this enchanting scene,
The Sun resplendent, and the Sky serene!
Why then art thou so pensive, when thy state
Is crown'd with blessings, which content create?
Why dost thou mourn, when happiness is near?
And why, when safe, art thou oppress'd with fear?
Be thou elated, nor reject the joy,
Which time will lessen, or perhaps destroy!
Oh! deign to listen to my Delia's praise,
Pour'd forth by me in unaffected lays.
In Delia's form unspotted grace we find;
Her beauteous face the index of her mind,
Proclaims whate'er of excellence is known,
Which in her charms immaculate are shown.
When bright Aurora's beams their pow'r display,
Sweet harbinger of light, and dawning day,
My Delia watchful eyes her fleecy care,
Which, like herself, are innocent and fair.
Ah, happy flock, I envy ye your guide;
Grant me the joy, or yet at least divide!
DAMON.
Averse to disputation, I disclaim
The force of weak and unavailing same;
Yet true to friendship, will maintain the part,
Which reason should preserve in ev'ry heart,
Oh! let me warn thee with attentive care,
Of the fell danger, which creates despair,
Yet seldom seen or felt, 'till 'tis too late,
To shun the danger, or avert the fate.
My Phillida appear'd the fairest Maid,
But by her fallacy my peace betray'd;
Others there are I fear of equal art,
Who have the pow'r to please, yet wound the heart.
Still love thy Delia; but yet bear in mind,
She may possess the frailties of her kind:
Ascribe not then to her a pow'r divine,
Her origin and birth, the same as thine!
THYRSIS.
Not e'en thy eloquence can clearly prove,
That sorrow will attend on constant love:
If Delia would but deign to smile on me,
From its dominion, I should then be free.
Ye painted meadows, and ye murm'ring rills!
Ye gentle zephyrs, and ye lofty hills!
Without my Delia ye no pleasures give,
For 'tis in her, superior beauties live.
The flow'rs of Eden bloom in Delia's mind,
With moral rectitude, and grace combin'd;
The grave Philosopher must feel her dart,
And e'en my Damon fortify his heart;
Or yield himself a victim to her pow'r,
Tho' far retir'd in Wisdom's sacred bow'r!
DAMON.
A second love! my soul abhors the name,
Vile prostitution of the sacred flame!
Alien to Love, I trace th'historic page,
Review the past, and read the present age.
In Nature's works, what lessons we are taught,
Which seem superior to our finite thought:
The more we read, the more our feelings glow
To seek the cause from whence such blessings flow.
THYRSIS.
But thou, my Damon, art advanc'd in years,
Far in the vale of life, joy disappears,
The young advent'rer in the busy scene,
Expects his blossoms to be ever green;
Yet by experience, finds them soon decay,
And bloom and wither in a transient day.
Tho' some are false, must we conclude from thence,
That none are faithful, but in vain pretence?
Let's hope in charity to human kind,
Many there are, immaculate in mind.
The flatt'ring hopes our present views dispense,
Consist in Love, Benevolence, and Sense.
DAMON.
Alas, my Thyrsis, short and vain's the date,
Of human happiness, prescrib'd by Fate;
Our views are boundless, circumscrib'd our gains;
By Hope we are elated, scourg'd by pains:
Life is the passage, and the troubled sea,
Which leads us to the Port, where all is free.
THYRSIS.
Ah! where is Virtue, where is merit found?
Say, Happiness, art thou an empty sound?
DAMON.
Hope leads us on, thro' Life's progressive stage,
Our trust in youth, maturity, and age;
In present evils, points to future joy,
And guides us to pursuits, which ne'er can cloy,
Abstracted from the World, the scene appears
A Chaos of distracting hopes, and fears;
Each object seems perverted from its end,
Inclin'd beneath its cares to tamely bend.
Yielding to follies, Reason must oppose;
Impatient when oppress'd by poignant woes;
Averse to chastisements, design'd by God,
But sorely lash'd by Folly's galling rod.
From these pursuits, my Thirsis be thou free,
Warn'd by th' experience dearly bought by me:
Let all thy actions speak a faithful heart,
An useful lesson to the World impart:
Let universal Love, and Peace prevail,
And holy confidence, which ne'er can fail.
Behold, my Damon, this enchanting scene,
The Sun resplendent, and the Sky serene!
Why then art thou so pensive, when thy state
Is crown'd with blessings, which content create?
Why dost thou mourn, when happiness is near?
And why, when safe, art thou oppress'd with fear?
Be thou elated, nor reject the joy,
Which time will lessen, or perhaps destroy!
Oh! deign to listen to my Delia's praise,
Pour'd forth by me in unaffected lays.
In Delia's form unspotted grace we find;
Her beauteous face the index of her mind,
Proclaims whate'er of excellence is known,
Which in her charms immaculate are shown.
When bright Aurora's beams their pow'r display,
Sweet harbinger of light, and dawning day,
My Delia watchful eyes her fleecy care,
Which, like herself, are innocent and fair.
Ah, happy flock, I envy ye your guide;
Grant me the joy, or yet at least divide!
DAMON.
Averse to disputation, I disclaim
The force of weak and unavailing same;
Yet true to friendship, will maintain the part,
Which reason should preserve in ev'ry heart,
Oh! let me warn thee with attentive care,
Of the fell danger, which creates despair,
Yet seldom seen or felt, 'till 'tis too late,
To shun the danger, or avert the fate.
My Phillida appear'd the fairest Maid,
But by her fallacy my peace betray'd;
Others there are I fear of equal art,
Who have the pow'r to please, yet wound the heart.
Still love thy Delia; but yet bear in mind,
She may possess the frailties of her kind:
Ascribe not then to her a pow'r divine,
Her origin and birth, the same as thine!
THYRSIS.
Not e'en thy eloquence can clearly prove,
That sorrow will attend on constant love:
If Delia would but deign to smile on me,
From its dominion, I should then be free.
Ye painted meadows, and ye murm'ring rills!
Ye gentle zephyrs, and ye lofty hills!
Without my Delia ye no pleasures give,
For 'tis in her, superior beauties live.
The flow'rs of Eden bloom in Delia's mind,
With moral rectitude, and grace combin'd;
The grave Philosopher must feel her dart,
And e'en my Damon fortify his heart;
Or yield himself a victim to her pow'r,
Tho' far retir'd in Wisdom's sacred bow'r!
DAMON.
A second love! my soul abhors the name,
Vile prostitution of the sacred flame!
Alien to Love, I trace th'historic page,
Review the past, and read the present age.
In Nature's works, what lessons we are taught,
Which seem superior to our finite thought:
The more we read, the more our feelings glow
To seek the cause from whence such blessings flow.
THYRSIS.
But thou, my Damon, art advanc'd in years,
Far in the vale of life, joy disappears,
The young advent'rer in the busy scene,
Expects his blossoms to be ever green;
Yet by experience, finds them soon decay,
And bloom and wither in a transient day.
Tho' some are false, must we conclude from thence,
That none are faithful, but in vain pretence?
Let's hope in charity to human kind,
Many there are, immaculate in mind.
The flatt'ring hopes our present views dispense,
Consist in Love, Benevolence, and Sense.
DAMON.
Alas, my Thyrsis, short and vain's the date,
Of human happiness, prescrib'd by Fate;
Our views are boundless, circumscrib'd our gains;
By Hope we are elated, scourg'd by pains:
Life is the passage, and the troubled sea,
Which leads us to the Port, where all is free.
THYRSIS.
Ah! where is Virtue, where is merit found?
Say, Happiness, art thou an empty sound?
DAMON.
Hope leads us on, thro' Life's progressive stage,
Our trust in youth, maturity, and age;
In present evils, points to future joy,
And guides us to pursuits, which ne'er can cloy,
Abstracted from the World, the scene appears
A Chaos of distracting hopes, and fears;
Each object seems perverted from its end,
Inclin'd beneath its cares to tamely bend.
Yielding to follies, Reason must oppose;
Impatient when oppress'd by poignant woes;
Averse to chastisements, design'd by God,
But sorely lash'd by Folly's galling rod.
From these pursuits, my Thirsis be thou free,
Warn'd by th' experience dearly bought by me:
Let all thy actions speak a faithful heart,
An useful lesson to the World impart:
Let universal Love, and Peace prevail,
And holy confidence, which ne'er can fail.
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