[
Tasso
,
Aminta
:
]
AMINTOR
,
being
ask'd
by
THIRSIS
Who
is
the
Object
of
his
Love
?
speaks
as
follows
.
Amint
.
THIRSIS
!
to
Thee
I
mean
that
Name
to
show
,
Which
,
only
yet
our
Groves
,
and
Fountains
know
:
That
,
when
my
Death
shall
through
the
Plains
be
told
,
Thou
with
the
wretched
Cause
may'st
that
unfold
To
every-one
,
who
shall
my
Story
find
Carv'd
by
thy
Hand
,
in
some
fair
Beeches
rind
;
Beneath
whose
Shade
the
bleeding
Body
lay
:
That
,
when
by
chance
she
shall
be
led
that
way
,
O'er
my
sad
Grave
the
haughty
Nymph
may
go
.
And
the
proud
Triumph
of
her
Beauty
shew
To
all
the
Swains
,
to
Strangers
as
they
pass
;
And
yet
at
length
she
may
(
but
Oh
!
alas
!
I
fear
,
too
high
my
flatt'ring
Hopes
do
soar
)
Yet
she
at
length
may
my
sad
Fate
deplore
;
May
weep
me
Dead
,
may
o'er
my
Tomb
recline
And
sighing
,
wish
were
he
alive
and
Mine
!
But
mark
me
to
the
End
—
Thir
.
Go
on
;
for
well
I
do
thy
Speech
attend
,
Perhaps
to
better
Ends
,
than
yet
thou
know'st
.
Amint
.
Being
now
a
Child
,
or
but
a
Youth
at
most
,
When
scarce
to
reach
the
blushing
Fruit
I
knew
Which
on
the
lowest
bending
Branches
grew
;
Still
with
the
dearest
,
sweetest
,
kindest
Maid
Young
as
myself
,
at
childish
Sports
I
play'd
.
The
Fairest
,
sure
,
of
all
that
Lovely
Kind
,
Who
spread
their
golden
Tresses
to
the
Wind
;
Cydippe's
Daughter
,
and
Montano's
Heir
,
Whose
Flocks
and
Herds
so
num'rous
do
appear
;
The
beauteous
Sylvia
;
She
,
'tis
She
I
love
,
Warmth
of
all
Hearts
,
and
Pride
of
ev'ry
Grove
.
With
Her
I
liv'd
,
no
Turtles
e'er
so
fond
.
Our
Houses
met
,
but
more
our
Souls
were
join'd
.
Together
Nets
for
Fish
,
and
Fowl
we
laid
;
Together
through
the
spacious
Forest
stray'd
;
Pursu'd
with
equal
Speed
the
flying
Deer
,
And
of
the
Spoils
there
no
Divisions
were
.
But
whilst
I
from
the
Beasts
their
Freedom
won
,
Alas
!
I
know
not
how
,
my
Own
was
gone
.
By
unperceiv'd
Degrees
the
Fire
encreas'd
,
Which
fill'd
,
at
last
,
each
corner
of
my
Breast
;
As
from
a
Root
,
tho'
scarce
discern'd
so
small
,
A
Plant
may
rise
,
that
grows
amazing
tall
.
From
Sylvia's
Presence
now
I
could
not
move
,
And
from
her
Eyes
took
in
full
Draughts
of
Love
,
Which
sweetly
thro'
my
ravish'd
Mind
distill'd
;
Yet
in
the
end
such
Bitterness
wou'd
yield
,
That
oft
I
sigh'd
,
ere
yet
I
knew
the
cause
,
And
was
a
Lover
,
ere
I
dream'd
I
was
.
But
Oh
!
at
last
,
too
well
my
State
I
knew
;
And
now
,
will
shew
thee
how
this
Passion
grew
.
Then
listen
,
while
the
pleasing
Tale
I
tell
.