T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
Ranging the Plain One Summer’s Night
Anonymous(From Pills to Purge Melancholy, 1719) |
RANGING the Plain one Summer’s night, | |
| To pass a vacant hour, | |
| I fortunately chanced to light, | |
| On lovely Phillis’s Bow’r, | |
| The Nymph adorn’d with thousand Charms, | 5 |
| In expectation sate, | |
| To meet those Joys in Strephon’s Arms, | |
| Which Tongue cannot relate. | |
| Upon her Hand she leaned her Head, | |
| Her breast did gently rise; | 10 |
| That ev’ry Lover might have read, | |
| Her Wishes in her Eyes; | |
| At ev’ry Breath that moved the Trees, | |
| She suddenly would start; | |
| A cold on all her Body seized, | 15 |
| A trembling on her Heart. | |
| But he that knew how well she Loved, | |
| Beyond this hour has stay’d; | |
| And both with Fear and Anger moved, | |
| The melancholy Maid: | 20 |
| Ye Gods, she said, how oft he swore, | |
| He would be here by One; | |
| But now alas! ’tis Six and more, | |
| And yet he is not come. | |