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Matthew Prior

Matthew Prior

Songs Set to Music: 19. Set by Mr. C. R.

Phillis, give this humour over,
We too long have time abused;
I shall turn an errant rover
If the favour’s still refused.
 
Faith ’tis nonsense out of measure,
Without ending thus to see
Women forced to taste a pleasure
Which they love as well as we.
 
Let not pride and folly share you,
We were made but to enjoy;
Ne’er will Age or Censure spare you
E’er the more for being coy.
 
Never fancy time’s before you;
Youth believe me will away;
Then, alas! who will adore you,
Or to wrinkles tribute pay?
 
All the swains on you attending
Show how much your charms deserve;
But, miser-like, for fear of spending
You amidst your plenty starve.
 
While a thousand freer lasses,
Who their youth and charms employ,
Though your beauty theirs surpasses,
Live in far more perfect joy.

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Other works by Matthew Prior...
To the Lady Elizabeth Harley, Since Marchioness of Carmarthen, on a Column of Her Drawing

When future ages shall with wonder… These glorious lines which Harley… They shall confess that Britain c… A fairer column to the father’s pr…
The Dove

In Virgil’s Sacred Verse we find… That Passion can depress or raise The Heav’nly, as the Human Mind: Who dare deny what Virgil says? But if They shou’d; what our Grea…
Ode - Promesse De L’Amour

Hier, l’Amour touche du son Que rendoit ma lire qu’il aime, Me promit pour une chanson, Deux baisers de sa mere mesme. Non, luy dis-je, tu scals mes voeu…
The Ladle. a Tale

The Sceptics think ’twas long ago Since gods came down incognito To see who were their friends or f… And how our actions fell or rose;
On Bishop Atterbury’s Burying the Duke of Buckingham, 1721

I have no hopes, the Duke he says… In sure and certain hopes - the pr… Of these two learned peers, I pr’… Who is the lying knave, the priest… The Duke he stands an infidel con…
Two Riddles.—1710

Sphinx was a monster that would ea… Whatever stranger she could get, Unless his ready wit disclosed The subtile riddle she proposed. OEdipus was resolved to go
Songs Set to Music: 8. Set by Mr. Smith

Still, Dorinda, I adore; Think I mean not to deceive you, For I loved you much before, And, alas! now love you more Though I force myself to leave yo…
Song

THE merchant, to secure his treas…    Conveys it in a borrow’d name: Euphelia serves to grace my measur…    But Chloe is my real flame. My softest verse, my darling lyre,
A Flower. Painted by Simon Varelst

When famed Varelst this little wo… Flora vouchsafed the growing works… Finding the painter’s science at a… The goddess snatch’d the pencil fr… And finishing the piece, she smili…
An English Ballad, on the Taking of Namur, by the King of Great Britain

Dulce est desipere in loco. Some Folks are drunk, yet do not… So might not Bacchus give You La… Was it a Muse, O lofty Poet, Or Virgin of St. Cyr, You saw?
Songs Set to Music: 11. Set by Mr. De Fesch

Morella, charming without art, And kind without design, Can never lose the smallest part Of such a heart as mine. Obliged a thousand several ways,
The Chameleon

As the Chameleon, who is known To have no colours of his own, But borrows from his neighbour’s h… His white or black, his green or b… And struts as much in ready light,
 1
Songs Set to Music: 22. Set by Mr. De Fesch

In vain, alas! poor Strephon trie… To ease his tortured breast, Since Amoret the cure denies, And makes his pain a jest. Ah! fair one, why to me so coy,
Songs Set to Music: 14. Set by Mr. Smith

Once I was unconfined and free, Would I had been so still! Enjoying sweetest liberty, And roving at my will. But now, not master of my heart,
Venus Mistaken

When Cloe’s Picture was to Venus… Surpriz’d, the Goddess took it fo… And what, said She, does this bol… When was I Bathing thus, and Nak… Pleas’d Cupid heard, and check’d…



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