Lovers, like dying men, may well

At first disordered be,

Since none alive can truly tell
What fortune they must see.

1668.

Sir Charles Sed

AH, HOW SWEET IT IS TO LO

From Tyrannic Love

Aн, how sweet it is to love!

Ah, how gay is young desire!
And what pleasing pains we prove
When we first approach love's fire!
Pains of love be sweeter far

Than all other pleasures are.

Sighs which are from lovers blown
Do but gently heave the heart:
Even the tears they shed alone

Cure, like trickling balm, their smar
Lovers, when they lose their breath,
Bleed away in easy death.

Love and Time with reverence use,
Treat them like a parting friend;
Nor the golden gifts refuse

Which in youth sincere they send:
For each year their price is more,
And they less simple than before.

Love, like spring-tides full and high,
Swells in every youthful vein;
But cach tide does less supply,
Till they quite shrink in again,
If a flow in age appear,

'T is but rain, and runs not clear.

1670.

24

LOVE in fantastic triumph sate,

Whilst bleeding hearts around him flow'd, For whom fresh pains he did create, And strange tyrannic power he show'd: From thy bright eyes he took his fires,

Which round about in sport he hurl'd; But 't was from mine he took desires

Enough t' undo the amorous world

"

From me he took his sighs and tears,
From thee his pride and cruelty;
From me his languishments and fears,
And every killing dart from thee.
Thus thou and I the god have arm'd
And set him up a deity;

But my poor heart alone is harm'd,
Whilst thine the victor is, and free!

1677

Aplira Behn.

8

16

SALLY IN OUR ALLEY

Of all the girls that are so smart
There's none like pretty Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley.
There is no lady in the land
Is half so sweet as Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley.

Her father he makes cabbage-nets,
And through the streets does cry 'e
Her mother she sells laces long
To such as please to buy 'em:
But sure such folks could ne'er beget
So sweet a girl as Sally!
She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley.

When she is by, I leave my work,
I love her so sincerely;
My master comes, like any Turk,
And bangs me most severely:
But let him bang his bellyful,
I'll bear it all for Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley.

Of all the days that 's in the week
I dearly love but one day-

And that's the day that comes betwixt
A Saturday and Monday;

For then I'm drest, all in my best,

To walk abroad with Sally;

She is the darling of my heart,
And she lives in our alley.

My master carries me to church,
And often am I blamèd
Because I leave him in the lurch
As soon as text is named;
I leave the church in sermon-time
And slink away to Sally;

She is the darling of my heart;
And she lives in our alley.

When Christmas comes about again,

O, then I shall have money;

I'll hoard it up, and box it all,

I'll give it to my honey;

I would it were ten thousand pound,
I'd give it all to Sally;

She is the darling of my heart,

And she lives in our alley...

My master and the neighbours all
Make game of me and Sally,
And, but for her, I 'd better be
A slave and row a galley;

48

40

32

1729?

But when my seven long years are out,
O, then I'll marry Sally;

O, then we 'll wed, and then we 'll bed-
But not in our alley!

56

Henry Carey.

MY DEAR AND ONLY LOVE,

I PRAY

My dear and only love, I pray
That little world, of thee,
Be governed by no other sway
Than purest monarchy.
For if confusion have a part,
Which virtuous souls abhor,
And hold a synod in thine heart,
I'll never love thee more.

As Alexander I will reign,
And I will reign alone;

My thoughts did evermore disdain
A rival on my throne:

He either fears his fate too much,

Or his deserts are small,

That dares not put it to the touch,

To gain or lose it all.

But I will reign, and govern still,
And always give the law,

And have each subject at my will,
And all to stand in awe;