Unthinking Fool! wrong not thy Reason so,
To fancy Pleasures in Love's Empire grow.
Alas! a Lover's state is full of Fears,
Their daily Entertainment, Sighs and Tears:
The Cruel god, in Tortures did delight,
And either Shoots at Rovers(1), or in Spite.
Amongst his numerous Slaves, you'll hardly find,
One pair of Lovers mutually kind;
Or if they be, those mighty Bars of Fate,
Int'rest and Friends, their Persons separate:
An am'rous Youth, here for a Lady Dies,
Off'ring his Heart a Tribute to her Eyes:
With thousand Vows, which proudly she Rejects,
Sighs for another that her Sighs neglects.
A beauteous Nymph, whom Heaven and Nature made
To be by all Adored, by all Obeyed:
Though thousand Victims sigh beneath her Feet,
In all her Conquests can no Pleasure meet:
But for some Sullen Youth, who proudly Flies,
Dresses her Cheeks in Tears, in languid looks her Eyes.
Here we shall Lovers find, possessing all
That by mistake, we Joys and Pleasures call;
And yet with Jealousies and Idle fears,
Eclipse 'em so, that scarce a Glimpse appears.
Men are unconstant, and delight to Range,
Not to gain Freedom, but their Fetters change:
And, what a Year they did with Passion seek,
Grows troublesome, and nauseous in a Week:
And the poor Lady, newly taught to Love,
With Grief and Horror, sees her Man remove.
Wonder not then thou canst no Pleasure see,
But know thou seek'st it, where it cannot be.
Who vainly seeks for Joys in Love, as well
Might Quiet seek in Courts, and Ease in Hell.