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Strephon's Complaint on quitting his Retirement.

I.
1 BUsiness! — Oh stay till I recover Breath,
2 Th'astonishing Word puts my maz'd Spirits to Flight;
3 Business to me sounds terrible as Death,
4 As Death to Lovers on their Bridal Night.
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5 Free as Air, but more Serene,
6 The Series of my Life has been;
7 But I uncustom'd to the yoak, must now
8 In stubborn Harness toil at the dull Plow.
II.
9 Then farewell Happiness, Repose farewell!
10 You come not where poor Strephon must Reside '
11 For you like Halcyons on calm Waters dwell,
12 But Business is a rough and troubled Tide.
13 Few Suns have ris'n since I was Blest,
14 Of God like Liberty possest;
15 But Slave t'Employment now without Repose
16 I'm (Ghost-like) hurry'd where my Daemon goes.
III.
17 But Business to Preferment will direct,
18 And 'tis ev'n necessary to be Great.
19 Ah have I then no more than this t'expect?
20 My stinted Hopes will starve on such thin meat.
21 Impertinents! Content I crave,
22 And wildly you of Grandieur Rave!
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23 If Life's at best a tedious rugged Road,
24 What must it be with Grandieur's cumbring Load?
IV.
25 Condemn'd to th' Town-Noise and Impertinence,
26 Where Mode and Ceremony I must view!
27 Yet were the sight all Strephon cou'd dispense,
28 But He must there be Ceremonious too.
29 I fear my rural Soul's too plain
30 To Learn the Towns dissembling strein;
31 For whilst I practize the slie Courtiers Art,
32 I shall forget my self, and speak my Heart.
V.
33 When first th' unwelcome Tidings I receiv'd,
34 Summon'd to bid my peaceful shades Adieu;
35 Scarce was I by my Fellow-Swains believ'd,
36 'Till streaming Tears prov'd my sad story True.
37 Then pensive they my Doom resent,
38 As 'twere to Death or Banishment;
39 But oh my Panalthaea's passionate moan
40 Surpast her Sexes kindness, and her own.
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VI.
41 Thus spake She with a forc't frown on her Brow,
42 Will you be gone? false Strephon, will you go?
43 Then go thy way; go, for I Hate thee now!
44 But tell me, are you serious Swain, or no?
45 This is some new-found wile to prove
46 (Ridiculous Jealousie!) my Love:
47 But whilst of mine this feign'd suspect is shown,
48 You wou'd suggest that you've renounc'd your Own.
VII.
49 Thy Love chast Nymph deep in my Breast I laid,
50 When first the precious Pledge I did receive,
51 Nor have I thence the sacred store convey'd,
52 Here, force the Cabinet ope and you'l believe!
53 You'l see with what a bleeding Heart,
54 From these dear Shades and thee I part;
55 But rig'rous Fate — then on her Virgin Breast
56 I lean'd my drooping Head, and wept the Rest.
VIII.
57 Oh Floods and Groves, beneath whose sacred shade
58 I've sat as Happy as first Mortals were;
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59 For when Distractions did my breast invade,
60 Some rapt'rous Shepheard's Song redrest my Care.
61 But 'bove the Flights of other Swains
62 I priz'd my Astragon's soft streins;
63 For (Turtle-like) my pensive Astragon
64 Is sweetly Sad and charming in his Moan.

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Title (in Source Edition): Strephon's Complaint on quitting his Retirement.
Author: Nahum Tate
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Tate, Nahum, c. 1652-1715. Poems by N. Tate. London: Printed by T.M. for Benj. Tooke ..., 1677, pp. 74-78. [15],133p. (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [Harding C 2953].)

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