An Irregular ODE written at Wickham, in 1746. To the Same. George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T131163 K104099.002 Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. II. London printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley 1763 [1st ed. 1758] pp. 65-66. 6v.: music; 8⁰.

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An Irregular ODE written at Wickham , in 1746. To the Same . I. YE sylvan scenes with artless beauty gay , Ye gentle shades of Wickham say , What is the charm that each successive year , Which sees me with my LUCY here , Can thus to my transported heart , A sense of joy unfelt before impart ? II . Is it glad Summer's balmy breath that blows From the fair jess'mine , and the blushing rose ? Her balmy breath , and all her blooming store , Of rural bliss was here before : Oft have I met her on the verdant side Of Norwood-hill , and in the yellow meads , Where Pan the dancing Graces leads , Array'd in all her flow'ry pride . No sweeter fragrance now the gardens yield , No brighter colours paint th' enamel'd field . III . Is it to Love these new delights I owe ? Four times has the revolving sun His annual circle thro' the zodiac run ; Since all that Love's indulgent pow'r On favour'd mortals can bestow , Was giv'n to me in this auspicious bow'r . IV . Here first my LUCY , sweet in virgin charms , Was yielded to my longing arms ; And round our nuptial bed , Hov'ring with purple wings , th' Idalian boy Shook from his radiant torch the blissful fires Of innocent desires , While Venus scatter'd myrtles o'er her head . Whence then this strange increase of joy ? He , only he can tell , who match'd like me , ( If such another happy man there be ) Has by his own experience try'd How much the Wife is dearer than the Bride .