T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
A Song: As Amoret and Thyrsis lay
By William Congreve (16701729)(From The Old Bachelor, 1693) AS Amoret and Thyrsis lay, | |
As Amoret and Thyrsis lay; | |
Melting, melting, melting, melting the Hours in gentle play, | |
Joining, joining, joining Faces, mingling Kisses, | |
Mingling kisses, mingling kisses, and exchanging harmless Blisses: | 5 |
He trembling cry’d with eager, eager haste, | |
Let me, let me, let me feed, oh! oh! let me, let me, | |
Let me, let me feed, oh! oh! oh! oh! let me, let me, let me Feed as well as Taste, | |
I die, die, die, die, die, I die, | |
I die, if I’m not wholly Blest. | 10 |
The fearful Nymph replied forbear, | |
I cannot, dare not, must not hear; | |
Dearest Thyrsis, do not move me, | |
Do not, do not, if you Love me; | |
Do not, do not, if you Love me; | 15 |
O let me still, the Shepherd said, | |
But while she fond resistance made, | |
The hasty joy in struggling fled. | |
Vex’d at the Pleasure she had missed, | |
She frowned and blush’d, and sigh’d and kissed, | 20 |
And seemed to moan, in Sullen Cooing, | |
The sad Miscarriage of their Wooing: | |
But vain alas! were all her Charms, | |
For Thyrsis deaf to Love’s alarms, | |
Baffled and senseless, tired her Arms. | 25 |