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She, whofe Difdain fo many Lovers prove,

Sighs now for Torment, as they figh for Love,
And with loud Cries, which rend the neighb'ring Air,
Wounds my fad Heart, and wakens my Defpair.
Both Men and Gods I charge now with my Lofs,
And, wild with Grief, my Thoughts each other cross;
My Heart and Tongue labour in both Extremes,
This fends up humble Prayers, while that blafphemes:
I ask their Help, whofe Malice I defy,

And mingle Sacrilege with Picty.

But that which muft yet more perplex my Mind,
To love her truly, I muft feem unkind :

So unconcern'd a Face my Sorrow wears,

I must restrain unruly Floods of Tears.

My Eyes and Tongue put on diffembling Forms,
Ifhew a Calmness in the midst of Storms;
I feem to hope when all my Hopes are gone,
And almoft dead with Grief, difcover none.
But who can long deceive a loving Eyc,
Or with dry Eyes behold his Mistress die?

When

When Paffion had with all its Terrors brought
Th' approaching Danger nearer to my Thought,
Off on a fudden fell the forc'd Difguife,
And fhew'd a fighing Heart in weeping Eyes:
My Apprehenfions now no more confin'd,
Expos'd my Sorrows and betray'd my Mind.
The Fair afflicted foon perceives my Tears,
Explains my Sighs, and thence concludes my Fears :
With fad Prefages of her hopeless Case,

She reads her Fate in my dejected Face ;

Then feels my Torment, and neglects her own,

While I am fenfible of hers alone;

Each does the other's Burthen kindly bear,

I fear her Death, and fhe bewails my Fear:

Tho' thus we fuffer under Fortune's Dart

'Tis only those of Love which reach our Hearts.
Mean while the Fever mocks at all our Fears,

Grows by our Sighs, and rages at our Tears:
Those vain Effects of our as vain Defire,

Like Wind and Oil increase the fatal Fire.

2

ALMERIA

ALMERIA then, feeling the Deftinies

About to fhut her Lips and close her Eyes;

Weeping, in mine fix'd her fair trembling Hand,
And with these Words I fcarce could understand,
Her Paffion in a dying Voice exprefs'd;

Half, and her Sighs alas! made out the rest.

'Tis paft; this Pang-Nature gives o'er the Strife; Thou must thy Mistress lose, and I my Life. I die; but dying thine, the Fates may prove Their Conqueft over me, but not my

Love:

Thy Memory, my Glory, and my Pain,
In fpight of Death itself shall still remain.
Dearest ORONTES, my hard Fate denies

That Hope is the last thing which in us dies :

From my griev'd Breaft all those foft Thoughts are fled, And Love furvives it, tho' my Hope is dead;

I yield my Life, but keep my Paffion yet,

And can all Thoughts but of ORONTES quit ;
My Flame increases as my Strength decays;

Death, which puts out the Light, the Heat will raise :

That

That still remains, tho' I from hence remove;

I lose my Lover, but I keep my Love.

The Sigh which sent forth that last tender Word, Up tow'rds the Heav'ns like a bright Meteor foar'd ; And the kind Nymph, not yet bereft of Charms, Fell cold and breathless in her Lover's Arms.

Goddess, who now my Fate haft understood,
Spare but my Tears, and freely take my Blood:
Here let me end the Story of my Cares,
My dismal Grief enough the reft declares.
Judge thou by all this Mifery display'd,
Whether I ought not to implore thy Aid:
Thus to furvive, Reproaches on me draws,
Never fad Wishes had so just a Cause.

Come then, my only Hope; in ev'ry place
Thou vifiteft, Men tremble at thy Face,
And fear thy Name: Once let thy fatal Hand
Fall on a Swain that does the Blow demand.
Vouchsafe thy Dart; I need not one of those,
With which thou do'ft unwilling Kings depofe:

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A welcome Death the slightest Wound can bring,
And free a Soul already on her Wing,

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Without thy Aid, moft miferable I

Muft ever wish, yet not obtain to die.

VOL. I.

C

ODE

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