The Shepherd Piping to the Fishes. Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T94539 pp. 274-5 K076314.000 Winchilsea, Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of, 1661-1720. Miscellany poems, on several occasions: Written by the Right Honble Anne, Countess of Winchilsea. London printed for J. B. and sold by Benj. Tooke, William Taylor, and James Round 1713 pp. 27-29. [8],390p. ; 8⁰.

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The Shepherd Piping to the Fishes . Shepherd seeking with his Lass , To shun the Heat of Day ; Was seated on the shadow'd Grass , Near which a flowing Stream did pass , And Fish within it play . To Phillis he an Angle gave , And bid her toss the Line ; For sure , quoth he , each Fish must have , Who do's not seek to be thy Slave , A harder Heart than mine . Assemble here you watry Race , Transportedly he cries ; And if , when you behold her Face , You e'er desire to quit the Place , You see not with my Eyes . But you , perhaps , are by the Ear , More easie to be caught ; If so , I have my Bagpipe here , The only Musick that's not dear , Nor in great Cities bought . So sprightly was the Tune he chose , And often did repeat ; That Phillis , tho' not up she rose , Kept time with every thrilling Close , And jigg'd upon her Seat . But not a Fish wou'd nearer draw , No Harmony or Charms , Their frozen Blood , it seems , cou'd thaw , Nor all they heard , nor all they saw , Cou'd woo them to such Terms . The angry Shepherd in a Pett , Gives o'er his wheedling Arts , And from his Shoulder throws the Net , Resolv'd he wou'd a Supper get By Force , if not by Parts . Thus stated Laws are always best To rule the vulgar Throng , Who grow more Stubborn when Carest , Or with soft Rhetorick addrest , If taking Measures wrong .