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Home  »  The English Poets  »  Songs

Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden

Charles Sackville, Earl of Dorset (1638–1706)

Songs

DORINDA’S sparkling wit and eyes

United cast too fierce a light,

Which blazes high, but quickly dies,

Pains not the heart, but hurts the sight.

Love is a calmer, gentler joy,

Smooth are his looks, and soft his pace,

Her Cupid is a blackguard boy,

That runs his link full in your face.

*****

PHILLIS, for shame, let us improve

A thousand different ways

Those few short moments snatched by love

From many tedious days.

If you want courage to despise

The censure of the grave,

Though love ’s a tyrant in your eyes,

Your heart is but a slave.

My love is full of noble pride,

Nor can it e’er submit

To let that fop, Discretion, ride

In triumph over it.

False friends I have, as well as you,

Who daily counsel me

Fame and ambition to pursue,

And leave off loving thee.

But when the least regard I show

To fools who thus advise,

May I be dull enough to grow

Most miserably wise.