T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Ramblers
Anonymous(From New Crazy Tales, 1783) ONCE on a day when summer dressed the green, | |
And nought around but fragrant flowers were seen, | |
When golden Phoebus shot a gentle ray, | |
Olympus smiled and all the fields were gay. | |
Athwart the meads advanced a lovely pair, | 5 |
Daphnis the young, and Rosalind the fair, | |
Of equal fortune both, of equal years, | |
Both warm in youth, and both devoid of cares, | |
With mutual ardour fired; as on they went, | |
The pleasing hours in amorous talk they spent. | 10 |
The youth industrious to allure his love, | |
Brought every flower that bloomed in mead, or grove. | |
He culled the fairest to adorn her breast, | |
And fondly wished to be as closely pressed. | |
Now they arrive at the long wished for place, | 15 |
Kind nature decked with a peculiar grace, | |
There cooling zephyrs found the opening glade, | |
There flowed a gentle stream, there rose an ambient shade. | |
As here they sat protected from the sun, | |
With a fond smile the loving youth begun. | 20 |
“Beloved fair maid, how bounteous nature round, | |
With flowery gems bespangles all the ground; | |
Their birth to know, makes reasoning blockheads pause; | |
O blind to truth—productive love’s the cause. | |
When the soft cloud descends in kindly showers, | 25 |
And through the earth its genial moisture pours, | |
The juice prolific makes each bud appear, | |
And thence arise the glories of the year.” | |
“The feathered wooers in the shady grove, | |
Fondly proclaim the energy of love, | 30 |
The purling stream that flows beneath our feet, | |
Murmurs its love in melody so sweet. | |
Since then all things kind Venus’ transports know, | |
Oh, why should we the pleasing talk forego? | |
O let us now, the precious time employ, | 35 |
While whisp’ring nature prompts us on to joy.” | |
Thus spoke the youth, and with a kiss instilled | |
The inviting passion—the warm virgin thrilled | |
In ev’ry vein—the ardour gains her heart; | |
But Miss must play the coy coquettish part. | 40 |
Her heaving breasts with indignation swell; | |
She calls him villain, reprobate most fell. | |
The Phantom honor, starts before her eyes, | |
Rapid as lightning from the youth she flies. | |
He not to lose the conquest of the day, | 45 |
Pursues the fair through every winding way. | |
At length she turns to make this stern reply; | |
“From whence, bold youth, take you this liberty? | |
Lost is my fame should we be seen alone.” | |
Of fame she talks, and in a haughty tone, | 50 |
The youth persists his fair one to implore: | |
She still denies, but he still urges more. | |
Cupid by chance lit near them in the grove, | |
And saw the fond contention of their love. | |
The partial God to Daphnis’ succour flies, | 55 |
Plies quick his bow, “Yield, yield fair maid,” he cries, | |
Stricken she feels love’s sharp resistless dart, | |
Sighs, falls, to Daphnis yields a willing heart, | |
Of conquest sure, the charmed, impatient boy, | |
Rushes, impetuous, to inviting joy. | 60 |
Cupid around them draws a fragrant veil, | |
From prying eyes their raptures to conceal. | |
Soon as the endearments of their love were o’er, | |
And the God wafted to Idalia’s shore, | |
Exposed to sight shone Rosalinda’s charms; | 65 |
The raptured youth lay panting in her arms. | |
Amazed they started as they heard me near: | |
He fled for shame, she cried, “Good sir, what cheer?” | |
Pray make no noise, for this is sacred ground, | |
I and my cousin have a bird’s nest found. | 70 |
Did’st meet him, sir, he’s just about my age: | |
The bird belongs to him, but mine the cage.” | |
Smiling, I heard, and smiling went away, | |
Pleased at the adventure of the sportful day. | |