"Then let not, dearest Sweet! our abfence part "Our loves, but each breast keep the other's heart; "Give warmth to one another, till there rife "From all our labours and our induftries

454

"The long-expected fruits. Have patience, Sweet! "There's no man whom the fummer-pleasures greet "Before he taste the winter; none can say, "Ere night was gone, he saw the rising day. "So when we once have wafted Sorrow's night, "The fun of comfort then shall give us light." 460

LXXV.

PHILETUS.

This when Conftantia read, she thought her state
Most happy by Philetus' conftancy

And perfect love: she thanks her flatt'ring fate,
Kiffes the paper, till with kiffing the

The welcome characters doth dull and stain,
Then thus with ink and tears writes back again. 466

CONSTANTIA TO PHILETUS.

470

"YOUR abfence, Sir, tho' it be long, yet I "Neither forget, nor doubt your conftancy : "Nor need you fear that I should yield unto "Another what to your true love is due. 66 My heart is your's; it is not in my claim, "Nor have I pow'r to take it back again. "There's nought but death can part our fouls: no time, Or angry friends, shall make my love decline:

"But for the harvest of our hopes I'll stay, "Unless Death cut it, ere 'tis ripe, away."

475

CONSTANTIA.

LXXVI.

Oh! how this letter seem'd to raise his pride!
Prouder was he of this than Phaeton,
When he did Phœbus' flaming chariot guide,
Unknowing of the danger was to come:
Prouder than Jason, when from Colchos he
Returned with the Fleece's victory.

LXXVII.

But ere the autumn, which fair Ceres crown'd,

480

Had paid the sweating ploughman's greediest prayer, And by the fall difrob'd the gaudy ground

Of all thofe ornaments it us'd to wear,

Them kind Phil'crates to each other brought,

485

Where they this means t* enjoy their freedom wrought. LXXVIII.

"Sweet fair one!" said Philetus, " fince the time

"Favours our wish, and does afford us leave
"T' enjoy our loves, oh! let us not refign
"This long'd-for favour, nor ourselves bereave
"Of what we wish'd for, opportunity,

"That may too foon the wings of Love outfly:
LXXIX.

"For when your father, as his custom is,

"For pleasure doth pursue the tim❜rous hare,

490

495

LII.

"But counsel," said his friend, "a remedy
"Which never fails the patient, may at least,
"If not quite heal your mind's infirmity,

..

Affwage your torment, and procure some rest; 310 "But there is no physician can apply

"A med'cine ere he know the malady."

LIII.

"Then hear me," faid Philetus." But why? ftay,

"I will not toil thee with my history;

"For to remember forrows past away,

"Is to renew an old calamity.

315

"He who acquainteth others with his moan, "Adds to his friend's grief, but not cures his own."

LIV.

"But," faid Philocrates, "'tis beft in woe
"To have a faithful partner of their care;
"That burthen may be undergone by two,
"Which is perhaps too great for one to bear.
"I fhould miftrust your love, to hide from me
"Your thoughts, and tax you of inconftancy."

LV.

320

What fhall he do? or with what language frame 325
Excufe? he must resolve not to deny,

But open his close thoughts and inward flame.
With that, as prologue to his tragedy,

He figh'd, as if they'd cool his torment's ire,
When they, alas! did blow the raging fire.

330

LVI.

"When years first styl'd me twenty, I began "To sport with catching fnare that Love had fet, "Like birds that flutter round the gin till ta'en, "Or the poor fly caught in Arachne's net : "Ev'n fo I fported with her beauties light, "Till I at last grew blind with too much sight.

LVII.

"First it came stealing on me, whilst I thought " 'Twas easy to repel it; but as fire,

335

"Tho' but a spark, foon into flames is brought, 339 "So mine grew great, and quickly mounted high'r; "Which so has scorch'd my love-struck foul, that I "Still live in torment, yet each minute die.".

LVIII.

345

"Who is it," faid Philocrates, "can move
"With charming eyes fuch deep affection?
"I may, perhaps, affift you in your love;
Two can affect more than yourself alone.
"My counfel this thy error may reclaim,
"Or my falt tears quench thy deftructive flame."
LIX.

"Nay," faid Philetus, "oft' my eyes do flow
"Like Nilus, when it fcorns the oppos'd shore, 350

"Yet all the watry plenty I bestow

"Is to my flame an oil that feeds it more.
"So Fame reports of the Dodonean spring,
"That lightens all those which are put therein.`

LX.

"But being you defire to know her, she
"Is call'd (with that his eyes let fall a fhower,
"As if they fain would drown the memory
"Of his life-keeper's name) Conftantia!" More
Grief would not let him utter; tears, the best
Expreffers of true forrows, spoke the rest.
LXI.

355

360

To which his noble friend did thus reply: "And was this all! whate'er your grief would case, "Tho' a far greater task, believe 't for thee "It should be foon done by Philocrates;

"Think all you wish perform'd; but see,the day, 365
"Tir'd with its heat, is haft'ning now away."
LXII.

Home from the filent woods Night bids them go,
But fad Philetus can no comfort find;

What in the day he fears of future woe,

At night in dreams, like truth, affrights his mind. 370 Why dost thou vex him, Love? couldst thou but see, Thou wouldst thyself Philetus' rival be.

LXIII.

Philocrates, pitying his doleful moan,

And wounded with the forrows of his friend,
Brings him to fair Conftantia, where alone
He might impart his love, and either end
His fruitlefs hopes, nipp'd by her coy disdain,

375

Or by her liking his wifh'd joys attain.