The Power of Love. Sarah Fyge Egerton 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. T125148 Egerton, Sarah Fyge, 1668-1723. Poems on Several Occasions, Together with a Pastoral. By Mrs. S. F. [poems only] London printed, and are to be sold by J. Nutt, near Stationers-Hall 1703 pp. 55-56. [20],117,[3],15,[1]p.; 8⁰.

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The Power of Love . In this soft Amrous Age now Love is grown , The modish Entertainment of the Town , And the fond Beau loves his half score aday , The Ladies too almost as Vain as they ; Spare me , ye cruel Powers , let me not prove , The only Victim of a lasting Love . I had my share three tedious Years a Slave , And knew no Joys but what Phylaster gave ; When spite of Vows he prov'd unjust at last , In distant Shades contending Months I past , Thought I could see the Youth at my return , With gay Indifference and Unconcern . I long'd to know the Temper of my Heart , And see if Passion could outlive desert ; But this my Curiosity has won , To know alass ! I am again undone : I thought my self with Resolution bless'd , But the soft Gods came crouding to my Breast . The sporting Boys delight in Amorous Pain , And flock'd in hast to Revel here again ; With downy Wings they Fan the couchant Fire , And every Spark revives with fresh desire : I Gaze and Sigh , and wish I'm just the same , As the first Transports of my blooming Flame . Almighty Love thy Power to me is known , Without new Tortures I'll thy Godhead own ; But if I'm doom'd to Love may my Fate be , ( Rather than him ) to love each Face I see . Tis Sin against the custom of the Nation , To love but one and all this while with Passion , I'd rather be the shifting Fool in Fashion . Then if I'm tortur'd with Variety , I shan't be blam'd for Nonconformity .