| T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22. | | | | A Song from “Gildon’s Chorus Poetarum” | | By Aphra Behn (1640–1689) |
| | | THE GODS are not more blest than he, | |
| Who fixing his glad eyes on thee, | |
| With thy bright rays his senses cheers, | |
| And drinks with ever thirsty ears, | |
| The charming music of thy tongue | 5 |
| Does ever hear and ever long, | |
| That sees with more than humane grace | |
| Sweet smiles adorn thy angel face. | |
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| So when with kinder beams you shine, | |
| And so appear much more divine, | 10 |
| My feebled sense and dazzled sight | |
| No more support the glorious light, | |
| And the fierce torrent of delight. | |
| O then I feel my life decay, | |
| My ravish’d soul then flies away; | 15 |
| Then faintness does my limbs surprise, | |
| And darkness swims before my eyes. | |
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| Then my tongue fails, and from my brow | |
| The liquid drops in silence flow; | |
| Then wand’ring fires run thro my blood, | 20 |
| Then cold binds up the languid flood; | |
| All pale and breathless then I lie, | |
| I sigh, I tremble, and I die. | | | | |
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