John Dryden (1631–1700). The Poems of John Dryden. 1913.
Songs from the Plays“Why should a foolish Marriage Vow,” from Marriage-à-la-Mode
Which long ago was made,
Oblige us to each other now
When Passion is decay’d?
We lov’d, and we lov’d, as long as we cou’d,
Till our Love was lov’d out in us both:
But our Marriage is dead, when the Pleasure is fled:
’Twas Pleasure first made it an Oath.
If I have Pleasures for a Friend,
And farther Love in store,
What Wrong has he whose Joys did end,
And who cou’d give no more?
’Tis a madness that he
Shou’d be jealous of me,
Or that I shou’d bar him of another:
For all we can gain is to give our selves pain,
When neither can hinder the other.