AMINTA
and
DELIA
.
A
PASTORAL
.
AMINTA
.
THEE
,
gentle
Maid
,
may
ev'ry
Muse
inspire
,
And
Phoebus
bless
Thee
with
poetic
Fire
;
May
thy
soft
Numbers
ev'ry
Bosom
warm
,
Melt
into
Love
,
and
into
Softness
charm
,
Around
our
peaceful
Plains
thy
Praise
is
spread
,
And
Wreaths
of
Laurel
crown
thy
youthful
Head
.
DELIA
.
May
ev'ry
Grace
and
blooming
Charm
be
thine
,
And
the
dear
Joys
of
Peace
and
Friendship
mine
:
Aminta
still
my
grateful
Heart
shall
share
,
Tho'
lov'd
Philander's
Image
triumphs
there
.
AMINTA
.
Me
gentle
Damon
loves
,
nor
loves
in
vain
,
With
Joy
I
hear
the
charming
Youth
complain
;
He
!
only
he
,
to
Tenderness
can
move
,
Melt
my
soft
Soul
,
and
charm
me
into
Love
:
In
vain
I
wou'd
my
secret
Pain
disguise
,
He
reads
my
Passion
in
my
artless
Eyes
.
DELIA
.
From
Fair
to
Fair
the
gay
Philander
rov'd
,
Sigh'd
without
Cause
,
and
for
a
Moment
lov'd
;
The
charming
Wanderer
no
more
I
fear
,
For
me
he
feels
the
tender
Flame
sincere
.
AMINTA
.
Soft
as
the
Breeze
which
fans
the
silent
Grove
,
Are
Damon's
Accents
when
he
talks
of
Love
;
Too
well
my
fond
consenting
Looks
reveal
The
tender
Passion
I
wou'd
fain
conceal
:
Whene'er
I
hear
the
lovely
Youth
complain
,
My
Sighs
and
Blushes
speak
an
equal
Flame
.
DELIA
.
With
skilful
Hand
,
when
my
Philander
plays
,
And
sings
alternately
in
melting
Lays
;
The
Woods
to
the
soft
Harmony
resound
,
And
my
Soul
dwells
on
the
enchanting
Sound
.
AMINTA
.
When
my
lov'd
Damon
sings
,
how
sweet
the
Strains
;
Ecchoes
,
repeat
them
to
the
distant
Plains
;
Not
Philomela
,
thro'
the
whisp'ring
Trees
,
Like
that
dear
Shepherd's
tuneful
Voice
can
please
.
DELIA
.
No
Arts
I
use
to
vex
my
faithful
Swain
,
Nor
feign
a
Passion
,
nor
affect
Disdain
:
When
the
dear
Youth
in
plaintive
Sounds
wou'd
move
My
yielding
Soul
to
Tenderness
and
Love
;
He
sees
too
well
the
struggling
Passions
rise
,
Glow
in
my
Cheeks
,
and
Languish
in
my
Eyes
,
Knows
the
soft
Meaning
of
each
Look
,
and
steals
The
tender
Thoughts
,
which
Art
in
vain
conceals
.
AMINTA
.
When
Damon's
absent
from
my
longing
Eyes
,
A
thousand
anxious
Fears
and
Sorrows
rise
;
While
to
the
Murmurs
of
you
falling
Stream
I
sing
,
and
Damon
is
the
charming
Theme
.
DELIA
.
The
lovely
Object
of
my
soft
Desire
,
Philander
only
can
my
Songs
inspire
;
For
him
my
Numbers
flow
,
my
Shepherd's
Praise
Adorns
each
Line
,
and
smooths
my
artless
Lays
.