Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

William Walsh (1663–1708)

The Despairing Lover

DISTRACTED with care

For Phyllis the fair,

Since nothing could move her,

Poor Damon, her lover,

Resolves in despair

No longer to languish,

Nor bear so much anguish,

But, mad with his love,

To a precipice goes,

Where a leap from above

Would finish his woes.

When in rage he came there,

Beholding how steep

The sides did appear,

And the bottom how deep,

His torments projecting,

And sadly reflecting

That a lover forsaken

A new love may get,

But a neck when once broken

Can never be set,

And, that he could die

Whenever he would,

Whereas he could live

But as long as he could,

How grievous soever

The torment might grow,

He scorned to endeavour

To finish it so,

But, bold, unconcerned

At thoughts of the pain,

He calmly returned

To his cottage again.